1Samuel měl slovo pro celý Izrael. Tehdy Izrael vytáhl do boje proti Filištínům. Izraelci se utábořili poblíž Eben-ezeru a Filištíni v Afeku.2Když se Filištíni proti Izraeli sešikovali, rozpoutal se boj a Filištíni je porazili; pobili v poli asi 4000 mužů z izraelských řad.3Když se lid vrátil do tábora, izraelští stařešinové se ptali: „Proč nás dnes Hospodin před Filištíny porazil? Pojďme si ze Šíla přinést Truhlu Hospodinovy smlouvy! Ať přijde mezi nás a vysvobodí nás z ruky našich nepřátel.“4A tak lid poslal do Šíla, aby odtamtud přinesli Truhlu smlouvy Hospodina zástupů trůnícího na cherubech. S Truhlou Boží smlouvy šli oba Elího synové, Chofni a Pinchas.5Když přinášeli Truhlu Hospodinovy smlouvy do tábora, všechen Izrael spustil mohutný pokřik, až duněla země.6Jakmile ten pokřik zaslechli Filištíni, ptali se: „Co je to v hebrejském táboře za pokřik?“ Když se dozvěděli, že do tábora přišla Truhla Hospodinova,7dostali Filištíni strach. Řekli si totiž: „To bůh přišel do jejich tábora! Běda nám!“ Říkali: „Nic takového tu ještě nebylo!8Běda nám! Kdo nás vysvobodí z ruky těchto mocných bohů? To jsou ti bohové, kteří bili Egypt všemožnými ranami na poušti!9Jen odvahu! Vzmužte se, Filištíni, ať nemusíme sloužit Hebrejům, jako oni sloužili vám. Vzmužte se a bojujte!“10A Filištíni bojovali. Izrael byl poražen a rozutekli se každý domů. Byla to hrozná porážka; z Izraele padlo 30 000 pěších11a Boží truhla padla do zajetí. Oba Elího synové, Chofni a Pinchas, zemřeli.12Nějaký Benjamínec toho dne zběhl z bitvy a dorazil do Šíla. Roucho měl roztržené a na hlavě hlínu.13Když dorazil, Elí právě seděl na stolci u cesty a vyhlížel, plný obav o Boží truhlu. Jakmile ten muž dorazil se zprávou do města, celé město propuklo v nářek.14„Co je to za rozruch?“ ptal se Elí, když zaslechl ten hlasitý křik. Onen muž přispěchal, aby mu to oznámil.15(Elímu bylo devadesát osm let a oči už mu nesloužily, takže neviděl.)16„Právě jdu z bitvy, vlastně jsem z dnešní bitvy utekl,“ řekl ten muž Elímu. „Co se stalo, synu?“ ptal se Elí.17„Izrael se dal před Filištíny na útěk,“ odpověděl posel. „Lid utrpěl hroznou porážku. Oba tví synové, Chofni a Pinchas, padli. A Boží truhla padla do zajetí.“18Jakmile zmínil Boží truhlu, spadl Elí pozpátku ze svého křesla vedle brány, zlomil si vaz a zemřel. Byl totiž starý a těžký. Tento muž soudil[1] Izrael čtyřicet let.19Jeho snacha, Pinchasova manželka, byla těhotná a měla rodit. Když uslyšela zprávu, že Boží truhla je v zajetí a že její tchán i manžel jsou mrtví, zhroutila se a porodila, neboť ji přemohly bolesti.20Ženy, které jí pomáhaly, jí ve chvíli, kdy umírala, řekly: „Neboj se, máš syna!“ Ona však neodpovídala, jako by nevnímala.21Chlapce pojmenovala Ichabod, Nesláva, neboť řekla: „Sláva opustila Izrael.“ To kvůli zajetí Boží truhly a kvůli svému tchánu a manželovi22řekla: „Sláva opustila Izrael, Boží truhla je pryč!“
1And 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. (Jz 12,18; 1S 5,1; 1S 7,12; 1S 29,1)2The 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.3And 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 from Shiloh, that it[1] may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” (Jz 18,1)4So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. (Ex 25,22; Nu 7,89; 2S 6,2; Ž 80,1; Ž 99,1)5As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. (Jz 6,5; Jz 6,20)6And 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,7the 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.8Woe 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.9Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.” (Sd 13,1; 2S 10,12; 1K 16,13)10So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. (Lv 26,17; Dt 28,25; 1S 4,2; 2S 18,17; 2S 19,8; 2Kr 14,12; 2Pa 25,22; Ž 78,62)11And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. (1S 2,32; 1S 2,34; Ž 78,60; Ž 78,64)
The Death of Eli
12A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. (Jz 7,6)13When he arrived, Eli 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. (1S 1,9; 1S 4,18)14When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli.15Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see. (1S 3,2; 1Kr 14,4)16And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?” (2S 1,4)17He 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.”18As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from 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. (1S 4,13)19Now 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.20And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. (Gn 35,17)21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed[2] from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. (1S 4,11; 1S 14,3; Ž 26,8; Ž 78,61)22And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.” (1S 4,21)