| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Samuel revealed the word of the LORD to all Israel. The Ark of the Covenant is Lost to the Philistines Then the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines. They camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines camped at Aphek. | 1What Samuel had to say was directed to all Israel, and Israel went out to engage the Philistines in battle. The Israelis were camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines were camped at Aphek. |
| 2The Philistines arranged their forces to fight Israel. As the battle spread out, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men in the battle line in the field. | 2The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield. |
| 3When the army came back to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why did the LORD let us be defeated today by the Philistines? Let's take with us the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh. When it is with us, it will save us from the hand of our enemies. | 3When the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why did the LORD defeat us today when we fought the Philistines? Let's take the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Shiloh, so it may go with us and deliver us from the power of our enemies." |
| 4So the army sent to Shiloh, and they took from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts who sits between the cherubim. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. | 4So the people sent word to Shiloh and took away from there the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, who sits above the cherubim. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. |
| 5When the ark of the covenant of the LORD arrived at the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the ground shook. | 5When the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a great shout and the earth reverberated! |
| 6When the Philistines heard the sound of the shout, they said, "What is this loud shout in the camp of the Hebrews?" Then they realized that the ark of the LORD had arrived at the camp. | 6When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they asked, "What is this noise coming from shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?" Then they realized that the Ark of the LORD had come into the camp, |
| 7The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. They said, "Too bad for us! We've never seen anything like this! | 7and the Philistines were terrified. "God has come into the camp," they said. "How terrible for us, because nothing like this has ever happened before! |
| 8Too bad for us! Who can deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all sorts of plagues in the desert! | 8How terrible for us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the desert. |
| 9Be strong and act like men, you Philistines, or else you will wind up serving the Hebrews the way they have served you! Act like men and fight!" | 9Philistines, be strong and be men, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews just as they have been slaves to you! Be men and fight!" |
| 10So the Philistines fought. Israel was defeated; they all ran home. The slaughter was very great; thirty thousand foot soldiers fell in battle. | 10The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; each of them fled to his own tent. It was a very great slaughter, and 30,000 soldiers of Israel died. |
| 11The ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were killed. | 11The Ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, died. |
| 12On that day a Benjaminite ran from the battle lines and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn and dirt was on his head. | 12That very same day, a man who was a descendant of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh, with his garments torn and dirt on his head. |
| 13When he arrived in Shiloh, Eli was sitting in his chair watching by the side of the road, for he was very worried about the ark of God. As the man entered the city to give his report, the whole city cried out. | 13When he arrived, Eli was sitting there on a seat beside the road, watching because his heart trembled for the Ark of God. The man went into the town to give the report, and the whole town cried out. |
| 14When Eli heard the outcry, he said, "What is this commotion?" The man quickly came and told Eli. | 14Eli heard the sound of the cry and asked, "What is the meaning of this commotion?" Then the man quickly came and told Eli. |
| 15Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes looked straight ahead; he was unable to see. | 15Now Eli was 98 years old, and his vision had failed. |
| 16The man said to Eli, "I am the one who came from the battle lines! Just today I fled from the battle lines!" Eli asked, "How did things go, my son?" | 16The man told Eli, "I've just come from the battle line, and I escaped from the battle today." He asked, "What happened, my son?" |
| 17The messenger replied, "Israel has fled from the Philistines! The army has suffered a great defeat! Your two sons, Hophni and Phineas, are dead! The ark of God has been captured!" | 17The messenger answered, "Israel fled from the Philistines and the people suffered a great defeat as well. Moreover, your two sons, Hophni and Phineas, are dead, and the Ark of God was captured." |
| 18When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward from his chair beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years. | 18When he mentioned the Ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backwards by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, since he was old and heavy. Eli had judged Israel for 40 years. |
| 19His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phineas, was pregnant and close to giving birth. When she heard that the ark of God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she doubled over and gave birth. But her labor pains were too much for her. | 19Eli's daughter-in-law, the wife of Phineas, was pregnant and ready to give birth. When she heard the report about the capture of the Ark of God and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she crouched down and gave birth, because her labor pains suddenly began. |
| 20As she was dying, the women who were there with her said, "Don't be afraid! You have given birth to a son!" But she did not reply or pay any attention. | 20As she was about to die, the women standing around her said, "Don't be afraid! You've given birth to a son." But she did not respond or pay attention. |
| 21She named the boy Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel," referring to the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. | 21She had named the boy Ichabod, saying, "Glory has departed from Israel," because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. |
| 22She said, "The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God has been captured." | 22She said, "Glory has departed from Israel, because the Ark of God has been captured." |
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