1 Samuel 4

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.

Samuel's message reached every corner of Israel. Then, Israel bravely faced the Philistines in battle, setting up camp near Ebenezer, while the Philistines prepared themselves in Aphek.

And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.

The Philistines fiercely lined up against Israel, ready for war. As the battle erupted, Israel was overwhelmed by the Philistines' might, suffering a crushing defeat. About four thousand brave Israeli soldiers tragically lost their lives on that battlefield.

And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

As the people returned to camp, the leaders of Israel asked in despair, "Why has God struck us down before the Philistines today? Let's bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh to us. Perhaps its presence will deliver us from our foes."

So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

The people journeyed to Shiloh, yearning to retrieve the sacred Ark of the Covenant, the divine dwelling of the Lord. Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, stood guard over this holy artifact.

And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

When the Lord's sacred chest arrived at the camp, all of Israel erupted in joyous cheers, their voices echoing across the land.

And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.

When the Philistines heard the loud cheers, they wondered, "What's causing such joy among the Hebrews?" Then they realized, the sacred Ark of the Lord had arrived in their camp.

And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.

The Philistines trembled in fear, exclaiming, "God has come into their camp!" They cried out in despair, "This is a disaster! Nothing like this has ever happened before!"

Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.

Alas, we are in despair! Who will save us from these powerful deities? These are the same divine beings who unleashed all the devastating plagues upon the Egyptians in the wilderness.

Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.

Stand tall and brave, O Philistines, don't be enslaved by the Hebrews as they were to you. Show your courage, stand your ground, and fight.

And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

The Philistines fiercely battled, overpowering Israel. Overcome with fear, the Israelites scattered, seeking refuge in their tents. The loss was immense, with thirty thousand Israeli foot soldiers tragically losing their lives.

And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

God's sacred ark was seized, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, tragically lost their lives.

And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.

A distraught soldier from Benjamin fled the battlefield, arriving in Shiloh that very day, his clothes torn and dirt smeared on his head in grief.

And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.

When he arrived, Eli was anxiously seated by the road, his heart pounding with fear for the Ark of God. As the man entered the city and shared the news, a collective gasp of shock echoed through the streets.

And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.

When Eli heard the heart-wrenching cries, he asked, "What's causing this chaos?" A man rushed in to explain everything to Eli.

Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.

Eli, at the ripe age of ninety-eight, had eyes clouded by time, leaving him in a world unseen.

And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?

The man confessed to Eli, "I'm the one who escaped from the battlefield today." Eli asked, "What happened, my son?"

And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.

The messenger replied with a heavy heart, "Israel has retreated from the Philistines. Many of our people have tragically fallen. Your sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are no more. And, the sacred Ark of God has been seized."

And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

When the messenger mentioned God's sacred ark, Eli tumbled backward from his chair, falling near the gate. His neck snapped, ending his life, for he was old and heavy. For forty years, he had been a judge over Israel.

And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.

Eli's daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and on the brink of giving birth. Upon hearing the devastating news of God's ark being taken and the death of her husband and father-in-law, she was overwhelmed with sorrow. This intense emotional shock triggered her labor pains.

And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.

As she neared her end, the women around her comforted her, "Don't be afraid, you've given birth to a son." But she remained silent, too weak to acknowledge their words.

And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.

With a heavy heart, she named her son Ichabod, lamenting, "Israel has lost its glory." This was because God's sacred ark had been seized, and she grieved for her father-in-law and husband.

And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.

She cried out, "Israel's light has dimmed, for God's sacred chest is stolen."