And the word of Samuel was pleasing to all Israel. Now Israel went out to wage war against the Philistines; they encamped at Stone of Help and the Philistines encamped at Aphek.

The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the wagers of the battle spread, Israel was shattered before the Philistines. They slew about four thousand men in the battle line on the field.

And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD shattered us today before the Philistines? Let us take the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us, that he may go between us. On account of the Glory of his name we will be saved from the hand of our enemies.”

So the people sent to Shiloh, and they carried from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD Sebaoth, whose Presence dwells above the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

When the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded.

And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What is this noise of a great shouting in the camp of the Judaeans?” And they learned that the ark of the LORD had come to the camp.

And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “The ark of the LORD has come to the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For it was not like this yesterday and before that.

Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the hand of the speech of the LORD, whose works are great? These are the mighty deeds of the LORD, who smote the Egyptians with every plague, but did for his people wonders in the wilderness.

Take courage and be heroic men, O Philistines, lest you become subjected to the Judaeans as they have been subjected to you. Be heroic men and wage war!”

And the Philistines did wage war. And Israel was shattered, and they retreated, every man to his city. And it was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers.

And the ark of the LORD was captured; and the two sons of Eli were killed, Hophni and Phinehas.

And a man from the tribe of Benjamin’s House ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and earth thrown upon his head.

When he came, behold, Eli was sitting upon his seat on the path of the gateway, on the look out, for his heart trembled for the ark of the LORD. And when the man came to tell [the news] in the city, all the city was shaken.

When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is the sound of this panic?” Then the man hastened and came to tell Eli.

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

And the man said to Eli, “I came from the battle line, and I fled from the battle line today.” And he said, “What was the situation, my son?”

He who brought the tidings answered and said, “Israel has retreated from before the Philistines, and there has also been a great stroke among the people; your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, have been killed and the ark of the LORD has been captured.”

When he mentioned the ark of the LORD, Eli fell backward from his seat on the path of the gateway; and his neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

Now his daughter in law, the wife of Phinehas, was with child, about to give birth. And when she heard the report that the ark of the LORD was captured, and that her father in law had died, and that her husband was killed, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains frightened her.

And about the time of her death the women standing around her said to her, “Fear not, for you have borne a male son.” But she did not answer or give heed.

And she named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The Glory has been exiled from Israel!” for the ark of the LORD had been captured and her father in law had died and her husband had been killed.

She had said, “The Glory has been exiled from Israel,” for the ark of the Lord has been captured.