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.
1E a palavra de Samuel espalhou-se por todo o Israel.
Os Filisteus Tomam a Arca
Nessa época os israelitas saíram à guerra contra os filisteus. Eles acamparam em Ebenézer e os filisteus em Afeque. 2Os filisteus dispuseram suas forças em linha para enfrentar Israel, e, intensificando-se o combate, Israel foi derrotado pelos filisteus, que mataram cerca de quatro mil deles no campo de batalha. 3Quando os soldados voltaram ao acampamento, as autoridades de Israel perguntaram: “Por que o Senhor deixou que os filisteus nos derrotassem?” E acrescentaram: “Vamos a Siló buscar a arca da aliança do Senhor, para que ele vá conosco e nos salve das mãos de nossos inimigos”.
4Então mandaram trazer de Siló a arca da aliança do Senhor dos Exércitos, que tem o seu trono entre os querubins. E os dois filhos de Eli, Hofni e Fineias, acompanharam a arca da aliança de Deus.
5Quando a arca da aliança do Senhor entrou no acampamento, todos os israelitas gritaram tão alto que o chão estremeceu. 6Os filisteus, ouvindo os gritos, perguntaram: “O que significam todos esses gritos no acampamento dos hebreus?”
Quando souberam que a arca do Senhor viera para o acampamento, 7os filisteus ficaram com medo e disseram: “Deuses chegaram ao acampamento. Ai de nós! Nunca nos aconteceu uma coisa dessas! 8Ai de nós! Quem nos livrará das mãos desses deuses poderosos? São os deuses que feriram os egípcios com toda espécie de pragas, no deserto. 9Sejam fortes, filisteus! Sejam homens, ou vocês se tornarão escravos dos hebreus, assim como eles foram escravos de vocês. Sejam homens e lutem!”
10Então os filisteus lutaram, e Israel foi derrotado; cada homem fugiu para a sua tenda. O massacre foi muito grande: Israel perdeu trinta mil homens de infantaria. 11A arca de Deus foi tomada, e os dois filhos de Eli, Hofni e Fineias, morreram.
A Morte de Eli
12Naquele mesmo dia um benjamita correu da linha de batalha até Siló, com as roupas rasgadas e terra na cabeça. 13Quando ele chegou, Eli estava sentado em sua cadeira, ao lado da estrada. Estava preocupado, pois em seu coração temia pela arca de Deus. O homem entrou na cidade, contou o que havia acontecido, e a cidade começou a gritar.
14Eli ouviu os gritos e perguntou: “O que significa esse tumulto?”
O homem correu para contar tudo a Eli. 15Eli tinha noventa e oito anos de idade e seus olhos estavam imóveis; ele já não conseguia enxergar. 16O homem lhe disse: “Acabei de chegar da linha de batalha; fugi de lá hoje mesmo”.
Eli perguntou: “O que aconteceu, meu filho?”
17O mensageiro respondeu: “Israel fugiu dos filisteus, e houve uma grande matança entre os soldados. Também os seus dois filhos, Hofni e Fineias, estão mortos, e a arca de Deus foi tomada”.
18Quando ele mencionou a arca de Deus, Eli caiu da cadeira para trás, ao lado do portão, quebrou o pescoço e morreu, pois era velho e pesado. Ele liderou Israel durante quarenta anos.
19Sua nora, a mulher de Fineias, estava grávida e perto de dar à luz. Quando ouviu a notícia de que a arca de Deus havia sido tomada e que seu sogro e seu marido estavam mortos, entrou em trabalho de parto e deu à luz, mas não resistiu às dores do parto. 20Enquanto morria, as mulheres que a ajudavam disseram: “Não se desespere; você teve um menino”. Mas ela não respondeu nem deu atenção.
21Ela deu ao menino o nome de Icabode4.21 Icabode significa glória nenhuma., e disse: “A glória se foi de Israel”, porque a arca fora tomada e porque o sogro e o marido haviam morrido. 22E ainda acrescentou: “A glória se foi de Israel, pois a arca de Deus foi tomada”.
