Phinehas

27And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?

A man of God came to Eli. He was a prophet, someone who tells people what God says. He said, "The LORD says this: Long ago your family lived in Egypt, in Pharaoh's house. I showed myself to them plainly there."

28And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?

"Out of all the families of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests. They bring gifts to my altar. They burn sweet smoke and wear the ephod when they stand before me. I gave your family a share of every offering Israel burns for me."

29Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

"So why do you push away the gifts and offerings I asked for at my house? You care more about your sons than about me. You grow fat on the best parts of my people's gifts."

30Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

"So the LORD, the God of Israel, says this: I did say that your family would serve me always. But now the LORD says: That will not happen. I will honor those who honor me. Those who treat me as nothing will count for nothing."

31Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.

"Listen. The days are coming when I will take away your strength. I will take the strength of your father's family too. No man in your family will live to be old."

32And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.

"You will see trouble at my house. Good things will come to Israel, but no man in your family will ever grow old."

33And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.

"One man from your family will still serve at my altar. But he will bring tears to your eyes and pain to your heart. Everyone born in your family will die while still young."

34And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.

"Here is the sign that this is true. It will happen to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. Both of them will die on the same day."

35And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.

"Then I will choose a faithful priest for myself. He will do what is in my heart and mind. I will give him a family that lasts. He will always serve the king I choose."

36And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.

"Everyone left in your family will come and bow low to him. They will beg for a small piece of silver and a bit of bread. They will say, 'Please give me some job with the priests, so I can eat.'"

1And 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.

Samuel's words came to all the people of Israel. Israel went out to fight the Philistines, a strong people nearby. Israel set up camp at a place called Ebenezer. The Philistines set up camp at Aphek.

2And 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.

The Philistines lined up to fight Israel. When the fighting started, Israel lost. About four thousand of Israel's men were killed in the field.

3And 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.

The soldiers went back to their camp. The leaders of Israel asked, "Why did the LORD let the Philistines beat us today? Let's bring the ark of the covenant here from Shiloh. Then it will be with us, and it will save us from our enemies."

4So 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.

So the people sent men to Shiloh. They brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who sits above the golden cherubim, winged figures on the ark's lid. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, came with the ark of God.

5And 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.

The ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp. All Israel shouted so loudly that the ground shook.

6And 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.

The Philistines heard the shouting. They asked, "Why is there such loud shouting in the Hebrew camp?" Then they found out that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp.

7And 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.

The Philistines were afraid. They said, "God has come into their camp! This is bad for us. Nothing like this has ever happened before."

8Woe 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.

"This is bad for us! Who will save us from these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of trouble in the desert."

9Be 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.

"Be strong, Philistines! Be brave men! If you don't, you will become slaves to the Hebrews, like they were to you. Be brave men and fight!"

10And 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.

So the Philistines fought, and Israel lost again. Every soldier ran home to his tent. Very many died. Thirty thousand of Israel's foot soldiers were killed.

11And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

The ark of God was taken away by the enemy. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed.

12And 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.

A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battle. He reached Shiloh that same day. His clothes were torn and there was dirt on his head. This showed everyone he was full of sadness.

13And 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.

When he got there, Eli was sitting on his chair by the road, watching. Eli was worried about the ark of God. The man went into the town and told the news. Then the whole town cried out loud.

14And 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.

Eli heard all the crying. He asked, "Why is everyone making so much noise?" The man hurried over and told Eli the news.

15Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.

Eli was ninety-eight years old. His eyes did not work anymore, and he could not see.

16And 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?

The man said to Eli, "I came from the battle. I ran away from there today." Eli asked, "What happened, my son?"

17And 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.

The messenger answered, "Israel ran away from the Philistines. Very many of our people were killed. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead. And the ark of God has been taken away."

18And 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.

As soon as the man said "the ark of God," Eli fell backward off his chair by the gate. He was old and heavy, so his neck broke and he died. Eli had been Israel's judge, their leader, for forty years.

19And 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.

Eli's son's wife, the wife of Phinehas, was going to have a baby very soon. She heard that the ark of God was taken. She heard that her husband and his father were dead. Then she bent down and had her baby, because the pains came.

20And 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.

She was dying. The women helping her said, "Don't be afraid. You have a son!" But she did not answer them. She paid no attention.

21And 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.

She named the baby Ichabod. She said, "The glory is gone from Israel." She said this because the ark of God was taken. She also said it because her husband and his father were dead.

22And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.

She said, "The glory is gone from Israel. The ark of God has been taken away."