and Samuel’s word went forth to all Israel.aPreceding this, Septuagint has “In those days, the Philistines gathered for war against Israel.” Israel marched out to engage the Philistines in battle; they encamped near Eben-ezer, while the Philistines encamped at Aphek.
The Philistines arrayed themselves against Israel; and when the battle was fought,bfought Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Israel was routed by the Philistines, who slew about four thousand men on the field of battle.
When the [Israelite] troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did GOD put us to rout today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the Ark of the Covenant of GOD from Shiloh; thus [God] will be present among us and will deliver us from the hands of our enemies.”
So the troops sent a message to Shiloh; there Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were in charge of the Ark of the Covenant of God, and they brought down from there the Ark of the Covenant of GOD of Hosts Enthroned on the Cherubim.
The Philistines heard the noise of the shouting and they wondered, “Why is there such a loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?” And when they learned that the Ark of GOD had come to the camp,
Brace yourselves and be resolute,cbe resolute Or “be men.” O Philistines! Or you will become slaves to the Hebrews as they were slaves to you. Be resolutedBe resolute See previous note. and fight!”
The Philistines fought; Israel was routed, and they all fled to their homes. The defeat was very great, thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell there.
Word-by-Word Analysis
וילחמו
100
פלשתים
860
וינגף
149
ישראל
541
וינסו
132
איש
311
לאהליו
82
ותהי
421
המכה
70
גדולה
48
מאד
45
ויפל
126
מישראל
581
שלשים
680
אלף
111
רגלי
243
I Samuel 4:11
Gematria: 1883
וארוןאלהיםנלקחושניבניעלימתוחפניופינחס
The Ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
A certain Benjaminite ran from the battlefield and reached Shiloh the same day; his clothes were rent and there was earth on his head.eearth on his head Another sign of mourning.
When he arrived, he found Eli sitting on a seat, waiting beside the road—his heart trembling for the Ark of God. The man entered the city to spread the news, and the whole city broke out in a cry.
The bearer of the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the troops also suffered a great slaughter. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the Ark of God has been captured.”
When he mentioned the Ark of God, [Eli] fell backward off the seat besidefbeside Meaning of Heb. uncertain. the gate, broke his neck and died; for the man was old and heavy. He had been a chieftain of Israel for forty years.
His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. When she heard the report that the Ark of God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she was seized with labor pains, and she crouched down and gave birth.
She named the boy Ichabod, meaning, “The glory has departed from Israel”—referring to the capture of the Ark of God and to [the death of] her father-in-law and her husband.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ותקרא
707
לנער
350
איכבוד
43
לאמר
271
גלה
38
כבוד
32
מישראל
581
אלהלקח
174
ארון
257
האלהים
91
ואלחמיה
100
ואישה
322
I Samuel 4:22
Gematria: 1944
ותאמרגלהכבודמישראלכינלקחארוןהאלהיםפ
“The glory is gone from Israel,” she said, “for the Ark of God has been captured.”