Eli’s Death and Ichabod’s Birth

12 That same day, a Benjaminite man ran(A) from the battle and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn,(B) and there was dirt on his head. 13 When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair beside the road waiting,(C) because he was anxious about the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the entire city cried out.

14 Eli heard the outcry and asked, “Why this commotion?” The man quickly came and reported to Eli. 15 At that time Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes didn’t move[a] because he couldn’t see.(D)

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?” (E) 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,(F) and since he was old and heavy, his neck broke and he died. Eli had judged Israel forty years.

19 Eli’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. 20 As she was dying,[c] the women taking care of her said, “Don’t be afraid. You’ve given birth to a son!” (G) But she did not respond or pay attention. 21 She named the boy Ichabod,[d] saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,”(H) referring to the capture of the ark of God(I) and to the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 “The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “because the ark of God has been captured.”

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Footnotes

  1. 4:15 Lit his eyes stood; 1Kg 14:4
  2. 4:16 LXX reads camp
  3. 4:20 LXX reads And in her time of delivery, she was about to die
  4. 4:21 = Where Is Glory?

12 Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with (A)his clothes torn, and [a]dust on his head. 13 When he came, behold, (B)Eli was sitting on his seat [b]by the road keeping watch, because his heart was anxious about the ark of God. And the man came to give a report in the city, and all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What does the noise of this commotion mean?” Then the man came hurriedly and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and (C)his eyes were [c]fixed and he could not see. 16 The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle line. Indeed, I escaped from the battle line today.” And he said, “(D)How are things, my son?” 17 Then the one who brought the news replied, “Israel has fled before the Philistines and there has also been a great defeat among the people, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas are also dead; and the ark of God has been taken.” 18 When he mentioned the ark of God, [d](E)Eli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for [e]he was old and heavy. And so he judged Israel for forty years.

19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was pregnant and about to give birth; and when she heard the news that the ark of God had been taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she kneeled down and gave birth, because her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women who were standing by her said to her, “(F)Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. 21 And she named the boy [f]Ichabod, saying, “(G)The glory has departed from Israel,” because (H)the ark of God had been taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 So she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God has been taken.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 4:12 Lit soil
  2. 1 Samuel 4:13 LXX beside the gate watching the road
  3. 1 Samuel 4:15 I.e., possibly unable to focus
  4. 1 Samuel 4:18 Lit he
  5. 1 Samuel 4:18 Lit the man
  6. 1 Samuel 4:21 I.e., no glory, or where is the glory?