1 Samuel 4

The Philistines Capture the Ark

1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at w Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at x Aphek. 2 The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3 And when the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here y from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies." 4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, z who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel a gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, "What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" And when they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "A god has come into the camp." And they said, "Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. 9 b Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews c as they have been to you; be men and fight."

10 So the Philistines fought, d and Israel was defeated, e and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 f And the ark of God was captured, g and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

The Death of Eli

12 A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, h with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. 13 When he arrived, i Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, "What is this uproar?" Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old j and his eyes were set so that he could not see. 16 And the man said to Eli, "I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today." And he said, k "How did it go, my son?" 17 He who brought the news answered and said, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured." 18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward l from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

19 Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, m "Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son." But she did not answer or pay attention. 21 And she named the child n Ichabod, saying, o "The glory has departed 1 from Israel!" because p the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, p for the ark of God has been captured."

  1. Cross References
    1 Samuel 5:1
    When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
    1 Samuel 7:12
    Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, "Till now the Lord has helped us.
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 29:1
    Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.
    Joshua 12:18
    The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one.
  3. Cross References
    Joshua 18:1
    Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them.
  4. Cross References
    Exodus 25:22
    There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.
    2 Samuel 6:2
    And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim.
    Psalms 80:1
    Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
    Psalms 99:1
    The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
    Numbers 7:89
    And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.
  5. Cross References
    Joshua 6:5
    And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.
    Joshua 6:20
    So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.
  6. Cross References
    2 Samuel 10:12
    Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.
    1 Corinthians 16:13
    Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
  7. Cross References
    Judges 13:1
    And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
  8. Cross References
    1 Samuel 4:2
    The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle.
    Psalms 78:62
    He gave his people over to the sword and vented his wrath on his heritage.
    Leviticus 26:17
    I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you.
    Deuteronomy 28:25
    The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. And you shall be a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
  9. Cross References
    2 Samuel 18:17
    And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home.
    2 Samuel 19:8
    Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, "Behold, the king is sitting in the gate." And all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his own home.
    2 Kings 14:12
    And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his home.
    2 Chronicles 25:22
    And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his home.
  10. Cross References
    1 Samuel 2:32
    Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever.
    Psalms 78:60 - 61
    He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind.
  11. Cross References
    1 Samuel 2:34
    And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.
    Psalms 78:64
    Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
  12. Cross References
    Joshua 7:6
    Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads.
  13. Cross References
    1 Samuel 4:18
    As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
    1 Samuel 1:9
    After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord.
  14. Cross References
    1 Kings 14:4
    Jeroboam's wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age.
    1 Samuel 3:2
    At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place.
  15. Cross References
    2 Samuel 1:4
    And David said to him, "How did it go? Tell me." And he answered, "The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.
  16. Cross References
    1 Samuel 4:13
    When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 35:17
    And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for you have another son.
  18. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:3
    Including Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.
  19. Cross References
    Psalms 78:61
    And delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe.
    Psalms 26:8
    O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.
  20. Cross References
    1 Samuel 4:11
    And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
  21. Cross References
    1 Samuel 4:21
    And she named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel!" because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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