1 What Samuel said reached all Israel. Israel marched out to meet the Philistines in battle; they encamped by Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek.
2 The Philistines lined up for battle against Israel, and as the fighting spread, Israel was beaten by the Philistines; they killed some four thousand men in the ranks out in the field.
3 When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why did the LORD let us be beaten today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to be with us, so that it may come into our midst and rescue us from our enemies' hand."
4 The people sent to Shiloh, and from there they brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who sits enthroned above the cherubim. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 When the ark of the covenant of the LORD reached the camp, all Israel let out such a great shout that the ground shook.
6 The Philistines heard the sound of the shout and said, "What is this great shouting in the Hebrews' camp?" They found out that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp,
7 and the Philistines were afraid. "God has come into the camp," they said. "We are in trouble! Nothing like this has happened before now.
8 Woe to us! Who will rescue us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of blows in the wilderness.
9 Take courage and be men, Philistines, or you will be slaves to the Hebrews as they have been slaves to you. Be men and fight!"
10 So the Philistines fought. Israel was beaten, and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great: thirty thousand men on foot fell from Israel.
11 The ark of God was taken, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed.
12 A man of Benjamin ran from the battle lines and reached Shiloh that same day, his clothes torn and earth on his head.
13 When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the road, keeping watch, because his heart was trembling for the ark of God. The man went into the town to give the news, and the whole town cried out.
14 Eli heard the noise of the outcry and asked, "What does this noisy uproar mean?" The man came quickly and told Eli.
15 Eli was ninety-eight years old; his eyes had set, and he could not see.
16 The man said to Eli, "I am the one who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle lines today." He asked, "What happened, my son?"
17 The one bringing the news answered, "Israel has run from the Philistines, and there has been a great defeat among the troops as well. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead too, and the ark of God has been taken."
18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair beside the gate; his neck broke, and he died, for he was old and heavy. For forty years he had judged Israel.
19 His daughter-in-law, Phinehas's wife, was pregnant and near her time. When she heard the report that the ark of God had been taken and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bent down and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her suddenly.
20 As she was dying, the women attending her said, "Do not be afraid; you have given birth to a son." But she gave no answer and paid no heed.
21 She named the boy Ichabod, saying, "Glory has gone into exile from Israel," because the ark of God had been taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22 She said, "Glory has gone into exile from Israel, because the ark of God has been taken."