Capturarea Chivotului de către filisteni

Cuvântul lui Samuel a ajuns la tot Israelul[a]. În vremea aceea, Israel a ieşit la război împotriva filistenilor, aşezându-şi tabăra la Eben-Ezer, în timp ce filistenii şi-au aşezat tabăra la Afek. Filistenii s-au aliniat împotriva Israelului şi lupta a început. Israel a fost înfrânt de către filisteni, care au ucis pe câmpul de luptă aproape patru mii de luptători. Când s-au întors luptătorii în tabără, cei din sfatul bătrânilor lui Israel[b] au spus: „De ce a adus Domnul astăzi peste noi această înfrângere din partea filistenilor? Să aducem din Şilo Chivotul Legământului cu Domnul ca să meargă[c] cu noi şi să ne elibereze de sub puterea duşmanilor noştri.“

Poporul a trimis la Şilo şi au adus de acolo Chivotul Legământului Domnului Oştirilor, care şade între heruvimi. Acolo, împreună cu Chivotul Legământului cu Dumnezeu, se aflau cei doi fii ai lui Eli, Hofni şi Fineas. Când a intrat Chivotul Legământului cu Domnul în tabără, tot Israelul a scos un strigăt puternic, încât a răsunat pământul. Auzind răsunetul strigătului, filistenii au zis: „Ce înseamnă răsunetul acestui strigăt puternic, care vine din tabăra evreilor?“ Când au aflat că sosise Chivotul Domnului în tabără, filistenii s-au temut, căci îşi spuneau că un zeu a venit în tabără. Ei mai spuneau: „Vai de noi! N-a mai fost aşa ceva până acum. Vai de noi! Cine ne va izbăvi de sub puterea acestor zei puternici? Aceştia sunt zeii care i-au lovit pe egipteni cu tot felul de plăgi în deşert. Fiţi tari, filistenilor! Fiţi bărbaţi, ca nu cumva să deveniţi supuşii evreilor aşa cum v-au fost ei vouă. Fiţi bărbaţi şi luptaţi!“ 10 Astfel, filistenii au luptat, iar Israel a fost înfrânt, fiecare bărbat dând bir cu fugiţii. Pierderea a fost foarte mare, din Israel căzând pe câmpul de luptă treizeci de mii de pedestraşi. 11 Chivotul lui Dumnezeu a fost capturat, iar cei doi fii ai lui Eli, Hofni şi Fineas, au murit.

Moartea lui Eli

12 În aceeaşi zi, un beniamit a fugit de pe câmpul de luptă şi a venit la Şilo. Hainele lui erau sfâşiate, iar pe cap avea ţărână. 13 Când a sosit el, Eli şedea pe scaunul său, aşteptând lângă drum, căci inima lui tremura din pricina Chivotului lui Dumnezeu. Bărbatul a intrat în cetate, a spus ce s-a întâmplat şi întreaga cetate a început să ţipe. 14 Când a auzit Eli vuietul, a spus: „Ce înseamnă vuietul acesta?“ Bărbatul a venit repede şi l-a înştiinţat pe Eli. 15 Eli era în vârstă de nouăzeci şi opt de ani şi orbise. 16 Bărbatul i-a spus lui Eli:

– Tocmai am sosit de pe câmpul de luptă; astăzi am fugit de acolo.

– Ce s-a întâmplat, fiul meu? l-a întrebat Eli.

17 Cel care aducea veştile a răspuns:

– Israel a fugit dinaintea filistenilor şi oştirea a suferit o mare înfrângere. De asemenea, cei doi fii ai tăi, Hofni şi Fineas, au murit, iar Chivotul lui Dumnezeu a fost capturat.

18 Când a pomenit el de Chivotul lui Dumnezeu, Eli a căzut de pe scaunul său pe spate, lângă poartă, şi-a rupt gâtul şi a murit, pentru că era un om bătrân şi greu.

Eli a judecat Israelul timp de patruzeci de ani. 19 Nora sa, soţia lui Fineas, era însărcinată şi urma să nască. Când a auzit ea vestea despre capturarea Chivotului lui Dumnezeu şi despre moartea socrului şi a soţului ei, s-a încovoiat şi a născut pentru că o apucaseră durerile naşterii. 20 În timp ce era pe moarte, femeile care o îngrijeau i-au spus: „Nu-ţi fie teamă, căci ai născut un fiu!“ Însă ea nu a răspuns şi nu a luat în seamă ce i se spunea. 21 L-a numit pe copil I-Cabod[d], zicând: „S-a dus slava din Israel“ – spunea acest lucru din cauza capturării Chivotului lui Dumnezeu şi din cauza socrului şi a soţului ei. 22 Ea a zis: „S-a dus slava din Israel, căci Chivotul lui Dumnezeu a fost capturat.“

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 4:1 Ideea este aceea că acum, prin Samuel, Israel cunoaşte Cuvântul Domnului (în contrast cu 3:1). Sau: Autoritatea lui Samuel (ca profet) era recunoscută în tot Israelul
  2. 1 Samuel 4:3 Lit.: bătrânii lui Israel, şefi de familii şi de clanuri, recunoscuţi ca autoritate la toate popoarele orientale; rol de judecători în cadrul comunităţii locale (Deut. 19:12; 21:1-9; 18-21; 22:13-21; 25:5-10) sau lideri militari (Ios. 8:10). Ca instituţie, Sfatul Bătrânilor lui Israel (lit. bătrânii lui Israel) este atestat în special în perioada monarhiei, cu rol de consiliu (2 Sam. 3:17; 5:3; 17:4; 1 Regi 20:7); peste tot în carte
  3. 1 Samuel 4:3 Subiectul poate fi atât la Chivotul, cât şi Domnul
  4. 1 Samuel 4:21 I-Cabod înseamnă Fără slavă sau Unde este slava?

Och Israel drog ut till strid mot filistéerna och lägrade sig vid Eben-Haeser, under det filistéerna hade lägrat sig vid Afek.

Filistéerna ställde då upp sig i slagordning mot Israel, och striden utbredde sig, och israeliterna blevo slagna av filistéerna; dessa nedgjorde på slagfältet vid pass fyra tusen man.

När folket kom tillbaka till lägret sade de äldste i Israel: »Varför har HERREN i dag låtit oss bliva slagna av filistéerna? Låt oss hämta hit till oss från Silo HERRENS förbundsark, för att den må komma och vara ibland oss och frälsa oss från våra fienders hand.»

Så sände då folket till Silo, och de buro därifrån HERREN Sebaots förbundsark, hans som tronar på keruberna; och Elis båda söner, Hofni och Pinehas, följde därvid med Guds förbundsark.

Då nu HERRENS förbundsark kom in i lägret, hov hela Israel upp ett stort jubelrop, så att det dånade i marken.

När då filistéerna hörde jubelropet, sade de: »Vad betyder detta stora jubelrop i hebréernas läger?» Och de fingo veta att HERRENS ark hade kommit in i lägret.

Då blevo filistéerna förskräckta, ty de tänkte: »Gud har kommit in i lägret.» Och de sade: »Ve oss! Något sådant har förut icke hänt.

Ve oss! Vem kan rädda oss från denne väldige Guds hand? Det var denne Gud som slog egyptierna med alla slags plågor i öknen.

Men fatten dock mod och varen män, I filistéer, så att I icke bliven trälar åt hebréerna, såsom de hava varit trälar åt eder. Ja, varen män och striden.»

10 Så stridde nu filistéerna, och israeliterna blevo slagna och flydde var och en till sin hydda, och nederlaget blev mycket stort: av Israel föllo trettio tusen man fotfolk.

11 Därtill blev Guds ark tagen, och Elis båda söner, Hofni och Pinehas, blevo dödade.

12 Och en benjaminit sprang från slagfältet och kom till Silo samma dag, med sönderrivna kläder och med jord på sitt huvud.

13 Och när han kom dit, satt Eli på sin stol vid sidan av vägen och såg utåt, ty hans hjärta bävade av oro för Guds ark. Då nu mannen kom in i staden med budskapet, höjde hela staden upp klagorop.

14 Och när Eli hörde klagoropet, sade han: »Vad betyder detta larm?» Då kom mannen skyndsamt dit och berättade det för Eli.

15 Men Eli var nittioåtta år gammal och hans ögon voro starrblinda, så att han icke kunde se.

16 Och mannen sade till Eli: »Jag är den som har kommit från slagfältet; jag har i dag flytt ifrån slagfältet.» Då sade han: »Huru har det gått, min son?»

17 Budbäraren svarade och sade: »Israel har flytt för filistéerna, mycket folk har också stupat; dina båda söner, Hofni och Pinehas, äro ock döda, och därtill har Guds ark blivit tagen.»

18 När han nämnde om Guds ark, föll Eli baklänges av stolen vid sidan av porten och bröt nacken av sig och dog; ty mannen var gammal och tung. Han hade då varit domare i Israel i fyrtio år.

19 Och när hans sonhustru, Pinehas' hustru, som var havande och nära att föda, fick höra ryktet om att Guds ark var tagen, och att hennes svärfader och hennes man voro döda, sjönk hon ned och födde sitt barn, ty födslovåndorna kommo över henne.

20 Och när hon då höll på att dö, sade kvinnorna som stodo omkring henne: »Frukta icke; du har fött en son.» Men hon svarade intet och aktade icke därpå.

21 Och hon kallade gossen I-Kabod, och sade: »Härligheten är borta från Israel.» Därmed syftade hon på att Guds ark var tagen, så ock på sin svärfader och sin man.

22 Hon sade: »Härligheten är borta från Israel», eftersom Guds ark var tagen.

The Death of Eli

And the word of Samuel came to all [a]Israel.

The Ark of God Captured

Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside (A)Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. Then the (B)Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was [b]defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field. And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? (C)Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.” So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, (D)who dwells between (E)the cherubim. And the (F)two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp. So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, (G)“Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before. Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. (H)Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, (I)as they have been to you. [c]Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!”

10 So the Philistines fought, and (J)Israel was [d]defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 Also (K)the ark of God was captured; and (L)the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

Death of Eli

12 Then a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day, and (M)came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and (N)dirt on his head. 13 Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on (O)a seat [e]by the wayside watching, for his heart [f]trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What does the sound of this tumult mean?” And the man came quickly and told Eli. 15 Eli was ninety-eight years old, and (P)his eyes were so [g]dim that he could not see.

16 Then the man said to Eli, “I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line.”

And he said, (Q)“What happened, my son?”

17 So the messenger answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured.”

18 Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

Ichabod

19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, due to be delivered; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death (R)the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she [h]regard it. 21 Then she named the child (S)Ichabod,[i] saying, (T)“The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 4:1 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. add And it came to pass in those days that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight; LXX adds further against Israel
  2. 1 Samuel 4:2 Lit. struck
  3. 1 Samuel 4:9 Lit. Be men
  4. 1 Samuel 4:10 Lit. struck down
  5. 1 Samuel 4:13 So with MT, Vg.; LXX beside the gate watching the road
  6. 1 Samuel 4:13 trembled with anxiety
  7. 1 Samuel 4:15 fixed
  8. 1 Samuel 4:20 pay any attention to
  9. 1 Samuel 4:21 Lit. Inglorious

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.

And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.

And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.

And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.

Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.

Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.

10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.

13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.

14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.

15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.

16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?

17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.

18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.

20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.

21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.

22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.