1Samuel 4:18 - Prayer Tents

1Samuel 4

The Ark Captured by the Philistines

4And Samuel's words came to all Israel. Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped at Ebenezer while the Philistines camped at Aphek.H1697H8050H3478H3478H3318H7125H6430H4421H2583H72H6430H2583H6632The Philistines lined up in battle formation against Israel, and as the battle intensified, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about 4,000 men on the battlefield.H6430H6186H7125H3478H5203H4421H3478H5062H6440H6430H5221H4634H7704H702H505H3763When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, "Why did the LORD let us be defeated today by the Philistines? Let's bring the ark of the LORD's covenant from Shiloh. Then it will go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies."H5971H935H4264H2205H3478H559H3068H5062H3117H6440H6430H3947H727H1285H3068H7887H935H7130H3467H3709H3414So the people sent [men] to Shiloh to bring back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who dwells [between] the cherubim. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.H5971H7971H7887H5375H727H1285H3068H6635H3427H3742H8147H1121H5941H2652H6372H727H1285H4305When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a loud shout that the ground shook.H727H1285H3068H935H4264H3478H7321H1419H8643H776H19496The Philistines heard the sound of the war cry and asked, "What's this loud shout in the Hebrews' camp?" When the Philistines discovered that the ark of the LORD had entered the camp,H6430H8085H6963H8643H559H6963H1419H8643H4264H5680H3045H727H3068H935H42647they panicked. "The gods have entered their camp!" they said. "Woe to us, nothing like this has happened before.H6430H3372H559H430H935H4264H559H188H865H80328Woe to us, who will rescue us from the hand of these magnificent gods? These are the gods that slaughtered the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.H188H5337H3027H117H430H430H5221H4714H4347H40579Show some courage and be men, Philistines! Otherwise, you'll serve the Hebrews just like they served you. Now be men and fight!"H2388H1961H582H6430H5647H5680H5647H1961H582H389810So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was severe— 30,000 of the Israelite foot soldiers fell.H6430H3898H3478H5062H5127H376H168H3966H1419H4347H5307H3478H7970H505H727311The ark of God was captured, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.H727H430H3947H8147H1121H5941H2652H6372H4191

Eli’s Death and Ichabod’s Birth

12That same day, a Benjaminite man ran from the battle and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn, and there was dirt on his head.H7323H376H1144H4634H935H7887H3117H4055H7167H127H721813When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair beside the road watching, because he was anxious about the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the entire city cried out.H935H5941H3427H3678H1870H3027H3197H6822H3820H2730H727H430H376H935H5892H5046H5892H219914Eli heard the outcry and asked, "Why this commotion?" The man quickly came and reported to Eli.H5941H8085H6963H6818H559H6963H1995H376H935H4116H5046H594115At that time Eli was 98 years old, and his gaze was fixed because he couldn't see.H5941H8673H8083H8141H1121H5869H6965H3201H720016The man said to Eli, "I'm the one who came from the battle. I fled from there today." "What happened, my son?" Eli asked.H376H559H5941H935H4634H5127H3117H4634H559H1697H112117The messenger answered, "Israel has fled from the Philistines, and also there was a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured."H1319H6030H559H3478H5127H6440H6430H1419H4046H5971H8147H1121H2652H6372H4191H727H430H394718When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backwards off the chair by the city gate, and since he was old and heavy, his neck broke and he died. Eli had judged Israel 40 years.H2142H727H430H5307H3678H322H1157H3027H8179H4665H7665H4191H2204H376H3513H8199H3478H705H814119Eli's daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news about the capture of God's ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth because her labor pains came on her.H3618H6372H802H2030H3205H8085H8052H413H727H430H3947H2524H376H4191H3766H3205H6735H201520As she was dying, the women taking care of her said, "Don't be afraid. You've given birth to a son!" But she did not respond, and did not pay attention.H6256H4191H5324H1696H3372H3205H1121H6030H7896H382021She named the boy Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel," referring to the capture of the ark of God and to [the deaths of] her father-in-law and her husband.H7121H5288H350H559H3519H1540H3478H413H727H430H3947H2524H37622"The glory has departed from Israel," she said, "because the ark of God has been captured."H559H3519H1540H3478H727H430H3947