15 At that time Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes didn’t move[a] because he couldn’t see.(A)

16 The man said to Eli, “I’m the one who came from the battle.[b] I fled from there today.”

“What happened, my son?” (B) Eli asked.

17 The 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.” 18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off the chair by the city gate,(C) and since he was old and heavy, his neck broke and he died. Eli had judged Israel forty years.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:15 Lit his eyes stood; 1Kg 14:4
  2. 4:16 LXX reads camp

15 who was ninety-eight years old and blind. 16 He said to Eli, “I have just come from the battlefield—I was there this very day.”

“What happened, my son?” Eli demanded.

17 “Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,” the messenger replied. “The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.”

18 When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years.

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