4:1 At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 1 , At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek.
4:2 The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing four thousand men.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 2 , The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing four thousand men.
4:3 After the battle was over, the army of Israel retreated to their camp, and their leaders asked, 'Why did the LORD allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?' Then they said, 'Let's bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.'
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 3 , After the battle was over, the army of Israel retreated to their camp, and their leaders asked, 'Why did the LORD allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?' Then they said, 'Let's bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.'
4:4 So they sent men to Shiloh to bring back the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, helped carry the Ark of God to where the battle was being fought.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 4 , So they sent men to Shiloh to bring back the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, helped carry the Ark of God to where the battle was being fought.
4:5 When the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud that it made the ground shake!
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 5 , When the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud that it made the ground shake!
4:6 'What's going on?' the Philistines asked. 'What's all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?' When they were told it was because the Ark of the LORD had arrived,
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 6 , 'What's going on?' the Philistines asked. 'What's all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?' When they were told it was because the Ark of the LORD had arrived,
4:7 they panicked. 'The gods have come into their camp!' they cried. 'This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before!
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 7 , they panicked. 'The gods have come into their camp!' they cried. 'This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before!
4:8 Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 8 , Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness.
4:9 Fight as you never have before, Philistines! If you don't, we will become the Hebrews' slaves just as they have been ours!'
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 9 , Fight as you never have before, Philistines! If you don't, we will become the Hebrews' slaves just as they have been ours!'
4:10 So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; thirty thousand Israelite men died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 10 , So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; thirty thousand Israelite men died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents.
4:11 The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 11 , The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.
4:12 A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefront and arrived at Shiloh later that same day. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show his grief.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 12 , A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefront and arrived at Shiloh later that same day. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show his grief.
4:13 Eli was waiting beside the road to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety of the Ark of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 13 , Eli was waiting beside the road to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety of the Ark of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town.
4:14 'What is all the noise about?' Eli asked. The messenger rushed over to Eli,
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 14 , 'What is all the noise about?' Eli asked. The messenger rushed over to Eli,
4:15 who was ninety-eight years old and blind.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 15 , who was ninety-eight years old and blind.
4:16 He said to Eli, 'I have just come from the battlefront--I was there this very day.' 'What happened?' Eli demanded.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 16 , He said to Eli, 'I have just come from the battlefront--I was there this very day.' 'What happened?' Eli demanded.
4:17 'Israel has been defeated,' the messenger replied. 'Thousands of Israelite troops are dead on the battlefield. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed, too. And the Ark of God has been captured.'
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 17 , 'Israel has been defeated,' the messenger replied. 'Thousands of Israelite troops are dead on the battlefield. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed, too. And the Ark of God has been captured.'
4:18 When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and very fat. He had led Israel for forty years.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 18 , When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and very fat. He had led Israel for forty years.
4:19 Eli's daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her husband and father-in-law were dead, her labor pains suddenly began.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 19 , Eli's daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her husband and father-in-law were dead, her labor pains suddenly began.
4:20 She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. 'Don't be afraid,' they said. 'You have a baby boy!' But she did not answer or respond in any way.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 20 , She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. 'Don't be afraid,' they said. 'You have a baby boy!' But she did not answer or respond in any way.
4:21 She named the child Ichabod--'Where is the glory?'--murmuring, 'Israel's glory is gone.' She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her husband and her father-in-law were dead.
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 21 , She named the child Ichabod--'Where is the glory?'--murmuring, 'Israel's glory is gone.' She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her husband and her father-in-law were dead.
4:22 Then she said, 'The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.'
The NLT Book of 1Samuel , Chapter 4 , Verse 22 , Then she said, 'The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.'
