1Sa 4, 1Sa 11 | ESV | STEP | And the word of Samuel came to all Israel . Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines . They encamped at Ebenezer , and the Philistines encamped at Aphek .

1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at ^aEbenezer, and the Philistines encamped at ^bAphek. 2 The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3 And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here ^cfrom Shiloh, that it ^{▼▼Or he} may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, ^ewho is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel ^fgave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. 9 ^gTake courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews ^has they have been to you; be men and fight.”

10 So the Philistines fought, ⁱand Israel was defeated, ^jand they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 ^kAnd the ark of God was captured, ^land the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

The Death of Eli

12 A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, ^mwith his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. 13 When he arrived, ⁿEli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old ^oand his eyes were set so that he could not see. 16 And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, ^p“How did it go, my son?” 17 He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward ^qfrom his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

19 Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, ^r“Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. 21 And she named the child ^sIchabod, saying, ^t“The glory has departed ^{▼▼Or gone into exile; also verse 22} from Israel!” because ^vthe ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, ^wfor the ark of God has been captured.”

1 Samuel 11

Saul Defeats the Ammonites

1 ^xThen Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged ^yJabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, ^z“Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty with you, ^aathat I gouge out all your right eyes, and thus ^abbring disgrace on all Israel.” 3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days’ respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.” 4 When the messengers came to ^acGibeah of Saul, they reported the matter in the ears of the people, ^adand all the people wept aloud.

5 Now, behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen. And Saul said, “What is wrong with the people, that they are weeping?” So they told him the news of the men of Jabesh. 6 ^aeAnd the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. 7 He took a yoke of oxen ^afand cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, ^ag“Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!” Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out ^ahas one man. 8 When he mustered them at ^aiBezek, ^ajthe people of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said to the messengers who had come, “Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have ^aksalvation.’” When the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, ^al“Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” 11 ^amAnd the next day Saul put the people ^anin three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

The Kingdom Is Renewed

12 Then the people said to Samuel, ^ao“Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ ^apBring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, ^aq“Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today ^arthe Lord has worked ^assalvation in Israel.” 14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.” 15 So all the people went to ^atGilgal, and there they made Saul king ^aubefore the Lord in Gilgal. There ^avthey sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.