1 Thus the word of Shemu’ĕl was to all Yisra’ĕl. And Yisra’ĕl went out to battle against the Pelishtites, and encamped beside Eḇen ha’Ĕzer, while the Pelishtites encamped in Aphĕq.
2 And the Pelishtites put themselves in battle array against Yisra’ĕl. And when the battle spread, Yisra’ĕl was smitten by the Pelishtites, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field.
3 And when the people came into the camp, the elders of Yisra’ĕl said, “Why has 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 smitten us today before the Pelishtites? Let us bring the ark of the Covenant of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 from Shiloh to us, so that He comes into our midst and save us from the hand of our enemies.”
4 And the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the Covenant of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, dwelling between the keruḇim. And the two sons of Ĕli, Ḥophni and Pineḥas, were there with the ark of the Covenant of Elohim.
5 And when the ark of the Covenant of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 came into the camp, all Yisra’ĕl shouted so loudly that the earth shook.
6 And when the Pelishtites heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What is the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Iḇrim?” And when they knew that the ark of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 had come into the camp,
7 the Pelishtites were afraid, for they said, “Elohim has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For it has never been like this before.
8 “Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty Elohim? These are the Elohim who smote the Mitsrites with all the plagues in the wilderness.
9 “Be strong and be men, you Pelishtites, that you do not become servants of the Iḇrim, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!”
10 And the Pelishtites fought, and Yisra’ĕl was smitten, and every man fled to his tent. And the slaughter was very great, and there fell of Yisra’ĕl thirty thousand foot soldiers.
11 And the ark of Elohim was captured, and the two sons of Ĕli died, Ḥophni and Pineḥas.
12 And a man of Binyamin ran from the battle line the same day, and came to Shiloh with his garments torn and dirt on his head.
13 And he came in and saw Ĕli, sitting on a seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of Elohim. And the man came into the city and reported it, and all the city cried out.
14 And Ĕli heard the noise of the outcry and said, “What is the noise of this uproar?” And the man came hastily and informed Ĕli.
15 Now Ĕli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were so dim that he was unable to see.
16 And the man said to Ĕli, “I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line.” And he said, “What was the matter, my son?”
17 And the messenger answered and said, “Yisra’ĕl has fled before the Pelishtites, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. And your two sons have died, Ḥophni and Pineḥas, and the ark of Elohim has been captured.”
18 And it came to be, when he made mention of the ark of Elohim, that Ĕli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate. And his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he ruled Yisra’ĕl forty years.
19 And his daughter-in-law, Pineḥas’ wife, was pregnant, about to bear. And when she heard the news that the ark of Elohim was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, because her pains came upon her.
20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she put her heart to it.
21 And she called the child Iḵaḇoḏ, saying, “The esteem has departed from Yisra’ĕl!” because the ark of Elohim was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22 And she said, “The esteem has departed from Yisra’ĕl, for the ark of Elohim was taken.”