1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. And Israel went out to meet the Philistines for the battle, and they encamped beside Eben-ezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
2And the Philistines arrayed themselves to meet Israel; and the battle spread, and Israel was smitten before the Philistines, and they struck in the battle-array in the field about four thousand men (ish).
3And the people came to the camp, and the elders of Israel said: "Why has YHWH smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us take to us from Shiloh the ark of the covenant (berit) of YHWH, that it may come into our midst and save (yasha) us from the palm of our enemies."
4And the people sent to Shiloh, and they carried from there the ark of the covenant (berit) of YHWH of hosts (tzevaot), who sits upon the cherubim; and there were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, with the ark of the covenant (berit) of God.
5And it came to pass, when the ark of the covenant (berit) of YHWH came into the camp, that all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded.
6And the Philistines heard the sound of the shout, and they said: "What is the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?" And they knew that the ark of YHWH had come into the camp.
7And the Philistines feared, for they said: "God has come into the camp." And they said: "Woe to us! for there has not been such a thing yesterday or the day before.
8Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that smote the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness.
9Be strong, and be men (ish), O Philistines, lest you serve (avad) the Hebrews, as they have served (avad) you; so be men (ish), and fight."
10And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man (ish) to his tents; and the slaughter was very great, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot-soldiers.
11And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12And a man (ish) of Benjamin ran from the battle-array, and came to Shiloh on that day, with his garments rent, and ground (adamah) upon his head.
13And he came, and behold, Eli was sitting upon the seat beside the way, watching, for his heart was trembling over the ark of God. And the man (ish) came to tell it in the city, and all the city cried out.
14And Eli heard the sound of the crying, and he said: "What is the sound of this tumult?" And the man (ish) hastened, and came, and told Eli.
15Now Eli was a son of ninety and eight years; and his eyes were set, and he could not see.
16And the man (ish) said to Eli: "I am he that came from the battle-array, and I fled today from the battle-array." And he said: "What was the matter, my son?"
17And the bearer of tidings answered and said: "Israel fled before the Philistines, and also there was a great slaughter among the people, and also your two sons died, Hophni and Phinehas, and the ark of God has been taken."
18And it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from upon the seat backward beside the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died; for the man (ish) was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
19And his daughter-in-law, the wife (ishah) of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth; and she heard the report that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband (ish) had died, and she bowed down and gave birth, for her pangs turned upon her.
20And about the time of her death, the women standing by her spoke: "Fear not, for you have given birth to a son." But she did not answer, nor did she set her heart.
21And she called the boy Ichabod, saying: "The glory has departed from Israel," because of the taking of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband (ish).
22And she said: "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been taken."