Moving the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord God |
1 Samuel 4:1-22 The Book of 1 Samuel [in Smaller Chunks] |
The word of Samuel came to all [of] Israel. Now, Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, & pitched [their tents,] [next to] Ebenezer, & the Philistines pitched [tents] in Aphek. |
And the Philistines put themselves in [battle order] against Israel, & when they joined [the] battle, Israel was [defeated] before the Philistines, [who killed] about 4,000 men of the army in the field. |
When the [Israelite] people [came] into the camp, the elders of Israel said, [Why has] the Lord [allowed] us to [be] [defeated] before the Philistines today? [Let’s get] the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out, [from] Shiloh, [& bring it] to us, [so] when [it’s] among us, it may save us [from] the hand of our enemies. |
So, the people sent to Shiloh, [so] they might bring the Ark of the Covenant, [a.k.a. contract,] of the Lord of Hosts, [Who dwells] between the cherubims. |
[1 Kings 8:6-7 And the priests brought in the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord to [its] place, into the [sanctuary] of the [tabernacle,] to the Most Holy Place, even under the wings of the [2 cherubim, a.k.a. angelic statues] For the cherubims spread [out] their 2 wings over the place of the Ark, & the cherubims covered the Ark, & [its poles] above [it.] |
And [Eli’s] 2 sons: Hophni & Phinehas, were there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. And when the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted [loudly,] so that the earth [echoed] again. |
And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What [does this] noise of this [loud] shout in the camp of the Hebrews [mean?] And they understood that the Ark of the Lord [had] come into the camp. And the Philistines were afraid, & said, God [has] come into the camp. Woe to us! For [nothing] [like thi] [has happened before.] |
Woe to us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? These are the Gods [Who attacked] the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. Be strong & [conduct] yourselves like men, O you Philistines, [so] you [don’t become] the servants to the Hebrews, [like] they have been to you. [Conduct] yourselves like men, & fight. |
And the Philistines fought, & Israel was [defeated in] a very [large] slaughter of 30,000 [Israelite foot soldiers,] & [the rest] fled to [their tents.] And the Ark of God was taken, & [Eli’s] 2 sons: Hophni & Phinehas, were [killed.] |
A man [from the tribe] of Benjamin ran [from] the army to Shiloh the same day, with: his clothes [torn,] & [dirt] upon his head. [Joshua 7:6 And Joshua rent, [a.k.a. tore,] his clothes, & fell to the [ground,] upon his face, [in front of] the Ark of the Lord, until [evening,] & he, & [Israel's] elders put dust, [a.k.a. dirt,] upon their heads.] |
And when [the man] came, [saw,] Eli sat upon a seat, by the [roadside] watching, [since] his heart trembled [with worry] for the Ark of God. And when the man came into the city, & told [about] it, all the city cried out. And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What [does] the noise of this [commotion mean?] And the man came [quickly,] & told Eli. |
Now, Eli was 98 years old, & his eyes were [so] dim, that he couldn’t see [well.] The man said to Eli, I am he, [who] came [from] the army, & I fled [from] the army, today. And [Eli asked,] What has [happened,] my son? |
And the messenger answered, Israel [has] fled [in front of] the Philistines, & there’s also been a [large] slaughter among the [Israelites,] & your 2 sons: Hophni & Phinehas, are also dead, & the Ark of God is taken. |
It [happened] when [he mentioned] the Ark of God, that [Eli] fell backward off from [his] seat by the side of the gate, & [broke] his neck, & he died: for he was an old man & heavy. And [Eli] had judged Israel [for] 40 years. |
And [Eli’s] daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, [was about to deliver her child.] And when she heard the [news] that the Ark of God was taken, & her father-in-law & husband were [both] dead, she bowed herself, [with heavy labor] pains [that] came upon her, [& gave birth.] |
And about the time of her death, the women [who] stood by her said to her, [Don’t] fear, for you [have delivered] a son. But she [didn’t answer,] & neither did she [pay attention to] it. |
She named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory [has] departed from Israel: because the Ark of God was taken, & because of [the death] of her father-in-law, & her husband. And she said, The glory [has] departed from Israel: for the Ark of God is taken. |