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Text -- 1 Samuel 4:1-20 (NET)
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Context
The Ark of the Covenant is Lost to the Philistines
4:1 Samuel revealed the word of the Lord to all Israel . Then the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines . They camped at Ebenezer , and the Philistines camped at Aphek .
4:2 The 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 .
4:3 When 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 .
4:4 So 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 .
4:5 When the ark of the covenant of the Lord arrived at the camp , all Israel shouted so loudly that the ground shook .
4:6 When 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 .
4:7 The 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 !
4:8 Too 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 !
4:9 Be 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 !”
4:10 So the Philistines fought . Israel was defeated ; they all ran home . The slaughter was very great ; thirty thousand foot soldiers fell in battle.
4:11 The ark of God was taken , and the two sons of Eli , Hophni and Phineas , were killed .
Eli Dies
4:12 On that day a Benjaminite ran from the battle lines and came to Shiloh . His clothes were torn and dirt was on his head .
4:13 When 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 .
4:14 When Eli heard the outcry , he said , “What is this commotion ?” The man quickly came and told Eli .
4:15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes looked straight ahead ; he was unable to see .
4:16 The man said to Eli , “I am the one who came from the battle lines ! Just today I fled from the battle lines !” Eli asked , “How did things go , my son ?”
4:17 The 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 !”
4:18 When 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 .
4:19 His 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.
4:20 As 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 .
Parallel
Cross Reference (TSK)
ITL
Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics
Names, People and Places:
Dictionary Themes and Topics:
Philistines |
Ark |
Tabernacle |
Ebenezer |
Israel |
HOPHNI AND PHINEHAS |
Eli |
Phinehas |
Aphek |
Judgments |
Parents |
Death |
Armies |
Hophni |
EBEN-EZER |
Shiloh |
Patriotism |
Priest |
WAR; WARFARE |
ARK OF THE COVENANT |
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