1 Samuel 4:16-18

New English Translation

¹⁶ The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle lines! Just today I fled from the battle lines!” Eli^[a] asked, “How did things go, my son?” ¹⁷ The messenger replied, “Israel has fled from^[b] the Philistines! The army has suffered a great defeat! Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead! The ark of God has been captured!”

¹⁸ When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli^[c] fell backward from his chair beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he^[d] was old and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.