1E a palavra de Samuel espalhou-se por todo o Israel. 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 Icabode[1], 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”.
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. (Js 12:18; 1 Sm 5:1; 1 Sm 7:12; 1 Sm 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.” (Js 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; Nm 7:89; 2 Sm 6:2; Sl 80:1; Sl 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. (Js 6:5; Js 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.” (Jz 13:1; 2 Sm 10:12; 1 Co 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; 1 Sm 4:2; 2 Sm 18:17; 2 Sm 19:8; 2 Rs 14:12; 2 Cr 25:22; Sl 78:62)11And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. (1 Sm 2:32; 1 Sm 2:34; Sl 78:60; Sl 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. (Js 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. (1 Sm 1:9; 1 Sm 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. (1 Sm 3:2; 1 Rs 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?” (2 Sm 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. (1 Sm 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. (1 Sm 4:11; 1 Sm 14:3; Sl 26:8; Sl 78:61)22And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.” (1 Sm 4:21)