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1 And it came to pass in those days that the Philistines *gathered themselves together against Israel to war; and Israel went out to meet them and encamped at Aben-ezer, and the Philistines encamped in Aphec. 2 And the Philistines prepare to fight with Israel, and †the battle was turned against them; and the men of Israel fell before the Philistines, and there were smitten in the battle in the field four thousand men.
3 And the people came to the camp, and the elders of Israel said, Why has the Lord caused us to fall this day before the Philistines? let us take the ark of our God out of Selom, and let it proceed from the midst of us, and it shall save us from the hand of our enemies.
4 And the people sent to Selom, and they take thence the ark of the Lord who dwells between the cherubs: and both the sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were with the ark. 5 And it came to pass when the ark of the Lord entered into the camp, that all Israel cried out with a loud voice, and the earth resounded. 6 And the Philistines heard the cry, and the Philistines said, What is this great cry in the camp of the Hebrews: and they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp. 7 And the Philistines feared, and said, These are the Gods that are come to them into the camp. 8 Woe to us, O Lord, deliver us to-day, for such a thing has not happened aforetime: woe to us, who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote Egypt with every plague, and in the wilderness. 9 Strengthen yourselves and behave yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye may not serve the Hebrews as they have served us, but be ye men and fight with them.
10 And they fought with them; and ‡the men of Israel fall, and they fled every man to his tent; and there was a very great slaughter; and there fell of Israel thirty thousand §fighting men. 11 And the ark of God was taken, and both the sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, died.
12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the battle, and he came to Selom on that day: and his clothes were rent, and earth was upon his head. 13 And he came, and behold, Heli was upon the seat by the gate looking along the way, for his heart was greatly alarmed for the ark of God: and the man entered into the city to bring tidings; and the city cried out. 14 And Heli heard the sound of the cry, and said, What is the voice of this cry? and the man hasted and went in, and reported to Heli. 15 Now Heli was **ninety years old, and his eyes ††were fixed, and he saw not. 16 And Heli said to them that stood round about him, What is the voice of this sound? And the man hasted and advanced to Heli, and said to him, I am he that is come out of the camp, and I have fled from the battle to-day: and Heli said, What is the event, my son? 17 And the young man answered and said, The men of Israel fled from the face of the Philistines, and there was a great slaughter among the people, and both thy sons are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 18 And it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from the seat backward near the gate, and his back was broken, and he died, for he was an old man and heavy: and he judged Israel twenty years.
19 And his daughter-in-law the wife of Phinees was with child, about to bring forth; and she heard the tidings, that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead; and she wept and was delivered, for her pains came upon her. 20 And in her time she was at the point of death; and the women that stood by her, said to her, Fear not, for thou hast born a son: but she answered not, and her heart did not regard it. 21 And she called the child Uæbarchaboth, because of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law, and because of her husband. 22 And they said, The glory of Israel is departed, forasmuch as the ark of the Lord is taken.
* 4:1 Gr. gather. † 4:2 Gr. the war. ‡ 4:10 Gr. the man. § 4:10 Gr. ranks. ** 4:15 Gr. a son of ninety years. †† 4:15 Gr. rose up. Heb. קמה rose or stood.