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1. News about Samuel spread throughout Israel. Eli was very old. His sons kept doing bad things before the Lord. At that time the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites made their camp at Ebenezer. The Philistines made their camp at Aphek.
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1. And the word H1697 of Samuel H8050 came H1961 to all H3605 Israel H3478 . Now Israel H3478 went out H3318 against H7125 the Philistines H6430 to battle H4421 , and pitched H2583 beside H5921 Ebenezer H72 : and the Philistines H6430 pitched H2583 in Aphek H663 .
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2. The Philistines lined up their soldiers in front of the Israelites and began the attack. The Philistines defeated the Israelites. They killed about 4000 soldiers from Israel's army.
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2. And the Philistines H6430 put themselves in array H6186 against H7125 Israel H3478 : and when they joined H5203 battle H4421 , Israel H3478 was smitten H5062 before H6440 the Philistines H6430 : and they slew H5221 of the army H4634 in the field H7704 about four H702 thousand H505 men H376 .
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3. The rest of the Israelite soldiers went back to their camp. The elders of Israel asked, "Why did the Lord let the Philistines defeat us? Let's bring the Lord's Box of the Agreement from Shiloh. God will go with us into battle and save us from our enemies."
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3. And when the people H5971 were come H935 into H413 the camp H4264 , the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 said H559 , Wherefore H4100 hath the LORD H3068 smitten H5062 us today H3117 before H6440 the Philistines H6430 ? Let us fetch H3947 H853 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 out of Shiloh H4480 H7887 unto H413 us, that , when it cometh H935 among H7130 us , it may save H3467 us out of the hand H4480 H3709 of our enemies H341 .
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4. So the people sent men to Shiloh. The men brought back the Lord All-Powerful's Box of the Agreement. On top of the Box are the Cherub angels. They are like the throne that the Lord sits on. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, came with the Box.
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4. So the people H5971 sent H7971 to Shiloh H7887 , that they might bring H5375 from thence H4480 H8033 H853 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , which dwelleth H3427 between the cherubims H3742 : and the two H8147 sons H1121 of Eli H5941 , Hophni H2652 and Phinehas H6372 , were there H8033 with H5973 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of God H430 .
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5. When the Lord's Box of the Agreement came into the camp, all the Israelites gave a great shout loud enough to make the ground shake.
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5. And when the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 came H935 into H413 the camp H4264 , all H3605 Israel H3478 shouted H7321 with a great H1419 shout H8643 , so that the earth H776 rang H1949 again.
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6. The Philistines heard Israel's shout and asked, "Why are the people so excited in the Hebrew camp?" Then the Philistines learned that the Lord's Holy Box had been brought into Israel's camp.
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6. And when the Philistines H6430 heard H8085 H853 the noise H6963 of the shout H8643 , they said H559 , What H4100 meaneth the noise H6963 of this H2063 great H1419 shout H8643 in the camp H4264 of the Hebrews H5680 ? And they understood H3045 that H3588 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 was come H935 into H413 the camp H4264 .
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7. They became afraid and said, "Gods have come to their camp! We're in trouble. This has never happened before.
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7. And the Philistines H6430 were afraid H3372 , for H3588 they said H559 , God H430 is come H935 into H413 the camp H4264 . And they said H559 , Woe H188 unto us! for H3588 there hath not H3808 been H1961 such a thing H2063 heretofore H865 H8032 .
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8. We are worried. Who can save us from these powerful gods? These gods are the same ones that gave the Egyptians those diseases and terrible sicknesses.
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8. Woe H188 unto us! who H4310 shall deliver H5337 us out of the hand H4480 H3027 of these H428 mighty H117 Gods H430 ? these H428 are the Gods H430 that smote H5221 H853 the Egyptians H4714 with all H3605 the plagues H4347 in the wilderness H4057 .
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9. Be brave, Philistines. Fight like men. In the past they were our slaves, so fight like men or you will become their slaves."
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9. Be strong H2388 , and quit H1961 yourselves like men H376 , O ye Philistines H6430 , that ye be not servants H3645 H5647 unto the Hebrews H5680 , as H834 they have been H5647 to you: quit H1961 yourselves like men H376 , and fight H3898 .
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10. So the Philistines fought very hard and defeated the Israelites. The Israelite soldiers ran away and went home. It was a terrible defeat for Israel. 30,000 Israelite soldiers were killed.
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10. And the Philistines H6430 fought H3898 , and Israel H3478 was smitten H5062 , and they fled H5127 every man H376 into his tent H168 : and there was H1961 a very H3966 great H1419 slaughter H4347 ; for there fell H5307 of Israel H4480 H3478 thirty H7970 thousand H505 footmen H7273 .
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11. The Philistines took God's Holy Box and killed Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas.
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11. And the ark H727 of God H430 was taken H3947 ; and the two H8147 sons H1121 of Eli H5941 , Hophni H2652 and Phinehas H6372 , were slain H4191 .
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12. One of the men who ran from the battle was a man from the tribe of Benjamin. He tore his clothes and put dust on his head to show his great sadness.
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12. And there ran H7323 a man H376 of Benjamin H1144 out of the army H4480 H4634 , and came H935 to Shiloh H7887 the same H1931 day H3117 with his clothes H4055 rent H7167 , and with earth H127 upon H5921 his head H7218 .
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13. Eli was worried about the Holy Box, so he was sitting there by the city gate waiting and watching when the Benjamite man came into Shiloh and told the bad news. All the people in town began to cry loudly.
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13. And when he came H935 , lo H2009 , Eli H5941 sat H3427 upon H5921 a seat H3678 by the wayside H3197 H1870 watching H6822 : for H3588 his heart H3820 trembled H2730 for H5921 the ark H727 of God H430 . And when the man H376 came H935 into the city H5892 , and told H5046 it , all H3605 the city H5892 cried out H2199 .
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14. Eli was 98 years old. He was blind, so he could not see what was happening, but he could hear the loud noise of the people crying. Eli asked, "Why are the people making this loud noise?" The Benjamite man ran to Eli and told him what happened.
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14. And when Eli H5941 heard H8085 H853 the noise H6963 of the crying H6818 , he said H559 , What H4100 meaneth the noise H6963 of this H2088 tumult H1995 ? And the man H376 came H935 in hastily H4116 , and told H5046 Eli H5941 .
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15. Now Eli H5941 was ninety H8375 and eight H8083 years H8141 old H1121 ; and his eyes H5869 were dim H6965 , that he could H3201 not H3808 see H7200 .
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16. He said, "I am the man who just came from the battle. I ran away from the battle today." Eli asked, "What happened, son?"
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16. And the man H376 said H559 unto H413 Eli H5941 , I H595 am he that came H935 out of H4480 the army H4634 , and I H589 fled H5127 today H3117 out of H4480 the army H4634 . And he said H559 , What H4100 is H1961 there done H1697 , my son H1121 ?
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17. The Benjamite man answered, "Israel ran away from the Philistines. The Israelite army has lost many soldiers. Your two sons are both dead, and the Philistines took God's Holy Box."
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17. And the messenger H1319 answered H6030 and said H559 , Israel H3478 is fled H5127 before H6440 the Philistines H6430 , and there hath been H1961 also H1571 a great H1419 slaughter H4046 among the people H5971 , and thy two H8147 sons H1121 also H1571 , Hophni H2652 and Phinehas H6372 , are dead H4191 , and the ark H727 of God H430 is taken H3947 .
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18. When the Benjamite man mentioned God's Holy Box, Eli fell backward off his chair near the gate and broke his neck. Eli was old and fat, so he died. He had led Israel for 20 years.
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18. And it came to pass H1961 , when he made mention H2142 of H853 the ark H727 of God H430 , that he fell H5307 from off H4480 H5921 the seat H3678 backward H322 by H1157 the side H3027 of the gate H8179 , and his neck H4665 broke H7665 , and he died H4191 : for H3588 he was an old H2204 man H376 , and heavy H3515 . And he H1931 had judged H8199 H853 Israel H3478 forty H705 years H8141 .
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19. Eli's daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant. It was nearly time for her baby to be born. She heard the news that God's Holy Box was taken. She also heard that her father-in-law Eli and her husband Phinehas were both dead. As soon as she heard the news, her pain started and she began giving birth to her baby.
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19. And his daughter H3618 -in-law, Phinehas H6372 ' wife H802 , was with child H2030 , near to be delivered H3205 : and when she heard H8085 H853 the tidings H8052 that the ark H727 of God H430 was taken H3947 , and that her father H2524 -in-law and her husband H376 were dead H4191 , she bowed herself H3766 and travailed H3205 ; for H3588 her pains H6735 came H2015 upon H5921 her.
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20. She was about to die when the women who were helping her said, "Don't worry, you have given birth to a son." But she did not answer or pay attention.
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20. And about the time H6256 of her death H4191 the women that stood H5324 by her said H1696 unto H5921 her, Fear H3372 not H408 ; for H3588 thou hast born H3205 a son H1121 . But she answered H6030 not H3808 , neither H3808 did she regard H7896 H3820 it .
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21. She named the baby Ichabod, that is to say, "Israel's glory has been taken away." She did this because God's Holy Box was taken away and because both her father-inlaw and her husband were dead.
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21. And she named H7121 the child H5288 Ichabod H350 , saying H559 , The glory H3519 is departed H1540 from Israel H4480 H3478 : because H413 the ark H727 of God H430 was taken H3947 , and because H413 of her father H2524 -in-law and her husband H376 .
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22. She said, "Israel's glory has been taken away" because the Philistines had taken God's Holy Box.
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22. And she said H559 , The glory H3519 is departed H1540 from Israel H4480 H3478 : for H3588 the ark H727 of God H430 is taken H3947 .
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