1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.4.1 came: or, came to pass: Heb. was 2And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.4.2 they joined…: Heb. the battle was spread4.2 army: Heb. array
3¶ And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.4.3 fetch: Heb. take unto us 4So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 5And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. 6And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp. 7And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.4.7 heretofore: Heb. yesterday, or, the third day 8Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.4.9 quit…: Heb. be men
10¶ And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 11And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.4.11 were slain: Heb. died
12¶ And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. 13And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. 14And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. 15Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.4.15 were dim: Heb. stood 16And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?4.16 is…: Heb. is the thing 17And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 18And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
19¶ And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.4.19 be delivered: or, cry out4.19 came: Heb. were turned 20And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.4.20 neither…: Heb. set not her heart 21And she named the child I-chabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.4.21 I-chabod: that is, Where is the glory? or, There is no glory 22And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
1På den måde nåede Herrens ord ud til hele Israels folk.
Filistrene tager pagtens ark
Kort efter, at Herren havde åbenbaret sig for Samuel, blev der krig mellem israelitterne og filistrene. Den israelitiske hær slog lejr ved Eben-Ezer, filistrene ved Afek. 2Filistrene gik til angreb, besejrede Israels hær og dræbte 4000 mand. 3Efter slaget vendte israelitterne tilbage til lejren, og folkets ledere holdt møde om krisen: „Hvorfor lod Herren os tabe til filistrene?” „Lad os hente pagtens ark i Shilo,” var der nogen, der foreslog. „Hvis vi tager arken med os i kampen, vil Herren være med os og redde os fra vores fjender.”
4Så sendte de nogle mænd til Shilo for at hente Herren den almægtige Guds Ark, han, som troner mellem keruberne på arkens låg. Elis to sønner, Hofni og Pinehas, var med til at bære arken til lejren. 5I det øjeblik israelitterne så Herrens Pagts Ark komme ind i lejren, jublede de så højt, at jorden rystede. 6„Hvad sker der?” spurgte filistrene hinanden. „Hvorfor jubler de mon ovre i hebræernes lejr?” Da de fik at vide, at Herrens Ark var ankommet, 7-8gik der panik i dem. „Deres guder må være i lejren,” udbrød de. „Hvad skal vi nu gøre? Det er ude med os. Hvem kan hjælpe os i kampen mod deres mægtige guder? De var jo dem, der ramte egypterne med alle slags katastrofer og tilintetgjorde deres hær i ørkenen. 9Vi må tage os sammen, filistre, og kæmpe som aldrig før. Vi skulle nødigt ende som slaver for israelitterne, sådan som de har været slaver for os.” 10Så gik filistrene til angreb, og Israel blev slået igen. Den dag faldt der 30.000 israelitter. De overlevende flygtede hver til sit. 11Herrens Ark blev taget som bytte, og Hofni og Pinehas blev begge dræbt.
12En mand fra Benjamins stamme løb hele vejen fra slagmarken og ankom samme dag til Shilo. I fortvivlelse havde han flænget sit tøj og kommet jord på sit hoved. 13Eli sad på en stol ved byporten og stirrede ud på vejen. Han ventede på nyt, for han var bekymret for Herrens Ark. Da budbringeren ankom til byen og fortalte de første, han mødte, hvad der var sket, gav alle i byen sig til at råbe og skrige. 14-15„Hvad er det for en larm?” spurgte Eli, der nu var 98 år og næsten helt blind. Budbringeren skyndte sig hen til ham. 16„Jeg kommer lige fra slagmarken,” forklarede han. „Det lykkedes mig at flygte med livet i behold.” „Ja, men hvad skete der?” spurgte Eli utålmodigt. „Fortæl! Fortæl!” 17„Israel måtte flygte for filistrene! Vi led store tab! Dine to sønner, Hofni og Pinehas, blev også dræbt, og Herrens Ark blev taget!” 18Da han nævnte Herrens Ark, faldt Eli bagover på sin stol ved byporten og brækkede halsen. Han døde på stedet, for han var en gammel mand og meget overvægtig. Han havde været leder i Israel i 40 år.
19Elis svigerdatter—Pinehas’ kone—var højgravid på det tidspunkt. Da hun hørte, at arken var blevet taget af filistrene, og at hendes mand og hendes svigerfar begge var døde, fik hun voldsomme veer. 20De kvinder, som hjalp hende under fødslen, prøvede at opmuntre hende. „Du har født en dejlig dreng,” sagde de. Det reagerede hun overhovedet ikke på. 21Hun døde under fødslen, men nåede dog at sige: „Kald drengen Ikabod.”4,21 Ikabod betyder „uden herlighed”. Hermed hentydede hun til, hvad der var sket med arken og med hendes mand og svigerfar. 22„Guds herlighed har forladt Israel,” sukkede hun, „for Herrens Ark er blevet taget.”
