1 And the word {devar: prophetic message} of Samuel came to all Israel. Israel then went out to meet the Philistines in battle. They camped at Ebenezer {ha-even ha-ezer: stone of help}, while the Philistines encamped at Aphek.
2 The Philistines {pelishtim: adversaries} arrayed themselves to confront Israel, and the battle spread. Israel was defeated before the Philistines, and they killed about four thousand men in the battle line in the field {sadeh: open area}.
3 And the people came to the camp, and the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Judge} struck us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh so that it may come among us and deliver us from the hand {yad: seat of power} of our enemies.”
4 So the people sent to Shiloh and carried from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts {YHWH Tsevaot, Commander of Armies}, who dwells between the cherubim {keruvim: throne guardians}. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God {Elohim, Almighty One}.
5 When the ark of the covenant of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Protector} came into the camp, all Israel let out a great shout {teru'ah: battle cry}, and the earth shook.
6 And the Philistines heard the sound of the shout, and they said, “What is this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?” Then they realized that the ark {aron: sacred chest} of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Presence} had entered the camp.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God {Elohim, Divine Warrior} has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For never has such a thing {kazot: unprecedented event} happened—neither yesterday nor the day before.”
8 Woe {oy: exclamation of lament} to us! Who will deliver us from the hand {yad: symbol of power} of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck Egypt with every plague in the wilderness.
9 Be strong and act like men, Philistines, lest you become servants {avad: forced subjugation} to the Hebrews, just as they have served you. Be men, and fight {nilkhamtem: engage in battle}.
10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. And the slaughter {makkah: overwhelming defeat} was very great; from Israel fell thirty thousand foot soldiers {ragli: infantrymen}.
11 And the ark of God {Elohim, Divine Protector} was captured {nil-kach: forced removal}, and the two sons of Eli died, Hophni and Phinehas.
12 And a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh on that day {bayom hahu: narrative time marker}, and his garments were torn, and dust {adamah: mark of grief} was upon his head.
13 And he came, and behold, Eli was sitting on the seat {kisse: place of authority} beside the road, watching anxiously, for his heart trembled for the ark of God {Elohim, Sacred Presence}. And the man came to announce in the city, and all the city cried out.
14 And Eli heard the outcry {tseaqah: urgent shout} and said, “What is the sound of this commotion?” The man hurried {mihar: acted swiftly}, came, and told Eli.
15 Now Eli was ninety-eight {tishim ushmoneh: Hebrew compound numeral} years old, and his eyes {einayim: physical and spiritual perception} had become dim so that he was not able to see.
16 And the man said to Eli, “I am the one who has come from the battle line {ma’arakhah: military formation}, and I fled from the battle line today.” And Eli asked, “What was the event {davar: matter, report}, my son?”
17 And the messenger answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat {magefa: Calamity} among the people. Moreover, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, have died, and the ark of God {Elohim, Divine Presence} has been taken.”
18 And it happened, as he mentioned the ark of God {Elohim, Divine Judge}, that he fell from the chair {kisse: official seat} backward by the side of the gate, his neck was broken, and he died, because he was old and heavy; and he had judged Israel forty years.
19 And his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the report {shemuah: urgent news} that the ark of God {Elohim, Divine Protector} had been taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she crouched down and gave birth, for her labor pains overwhelmed her.
20 And as she was dying, the women who stood by her said, “Do not fear {al-tir’i: be not afraid}, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer, and she did not set her heart {libbah: give attention} to it.
21 And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, “Glory {kavod: majesty and honor} has departed from Israel because the ark of God {Elohim, Divine Presence} was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.”
22 And she said, "Glory {kavod: divine honor} has departed from Israel, for the ark of God {Elohim, Sign of Divine Presence} has been taken."