1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
2 And 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.
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 So 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.
5 And 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.
6 And 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.
7 And 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.
8 Woe 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.
9 Be 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.
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.
11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
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.
13 And 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.
14 And 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.
15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
16 And 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?
17 And 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.
18 And 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.
20 And 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.
21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
<html><b>The word of Shmuel went out to all of Yisroel.</b> The word which was said to Shmuel, was fulfilled, and came to all Yisroel. How did this misfortune befall them? “Yisroel went out to war against the Philistines.”1<i class=“footnote”>When Bnei Yisroel deserved punishment, ‘<span>ה</span> sometimes commanded them to go out and battle the Philistines even though it would end in their defeat.—Radak</i> <b>Even Haezer</b> [Lit. the rock of help]. This was not yet its name,2<i class=“footnote”> Obviously, because they were soundly defeated now.</i> for it was first called this name [later] in Shmuel's time, but here Scripture calls it by its future name.</html>
<html><b>And the war spread.</b> And the war spread. Similar to, “and behold they were spread out [<span>נְטוּשִׁים</span>] across the face of the entire land”3<i class=“footnote”> Below 30:16.</i> and to “and they were spread out [<span>וַיִנָּטְשׁוּ</span>] at Lehi.”4<i class=“footnote”>Shoftim 15:9.</i></html>
<html><b>With every sort of plague in the wilderness.</b> By the Sea of Reeds. Targum Yonoson however, renders, 'and for His people He performed wonders in the wilderness.' In Sifrei we learn that this passage is a combination of statements, whoever made one statement did not make the other. The worthy among them said, “Who will save us from the hand of this mighty God?” while the wicked retorted, “This is the God Who smote the Egyptians with every plague. All the plagues which He had, He brought upon the Egyptians. He has no more plagues [to inflict].”</html>
<html><b>A Binyaminite man.</b> This was Shaul,5<i class=“footnote”>Perhaps the reason for Scripture not revealing that it was Shaul, was to protect the honor of his kingship being that he was responsible in part for Eili’s death.—Da’as Sofrim</i> who grabbed the Tablets from the hands of Golyas and fled.</html>
<html><b>By the road looking out.</b> By the side of the road, he was anxiously waiting.6<i class=“footnote”>He wanted to be situated in a place where a messenger would have to pass him first, and thus give him the news.</i></html>
<html><b>His neck.</b> [Targum renders] <span>אַפַּרְקוּתֵיה</span>, the bone of the neck.7<i class=“footnote”><span>מַפְרֶקֶת</span> is derived from <span>פֶּרֶק</span> [=link], meaning vertebra of which the bones of the neck and spine are made.</i></html>
<html><b>To give birth.</b> Obviously [this word] means 'to give birth.' There is no similar form [in Scriptures]. However, Menachem8<i class=“footnote”>Menachem was an authority on grammar and is often quoted by Rashi.</i> placed this verb in the section dealing with the word <span>יְלָלָה</span> 'wailing,' because her birth pangs came upon her with wailing. The root of '<span>יְלָלָה</span>' is the '<span>ל</span>' alone. <b>Came suddenly.</b> Differed from what normally occurs, therefore she died. <b>Her labor pains.</b> [<span>צִרֶיהָ</span>=hinges], i.e., 'the hinges of the doors of her womb';9<i class=“footnote”> See Bechoros 45a.</i><i>chardonel</i> in O. F.</html>
<html><b>I chavod.</b> There is no glory; similar to, “He will save <span>”10<i class=“footnote”> Iyov 22:30.</i></span><span>אִי נָקִי</span> one who is not innocent, [meaning the same as] <span>אֵין נָקִי</span>. <b>Because of the capture of.</b> Meaning the same as 'to the capture of', but it is unnecessary to remove the expression of 'to' for one who understands its meaning. <b>Because of the capture of.</b> <i>Envers etweirs l'estre pris</i> in O. F. <b>And because of her father-in-law.</b> I.e., because of this misfortune that her father-in-law and husband had perished.</html>