וַיְהִי דְבַר שְׁמוּאֵל לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּצֵא יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְרַאת פְּלִשְׁתִּים לַמִּלְחָמָה וַיַּחֲנוּ עַל הָאֶבֶן הָעֶזֶר וּפְלִשְׁתִּים חָנוּ בַאֲפֵק

The word of Samuel was to all Israel. Although the verse does not specify the content of his statement, it can be inferred from the context that he instructed the nation to go to war, despite the fact that Eli was still the official leader, and Samuel was probably still quite young. Others maintain that this sentence means that Samuel earned the reputation of a prophet among the people. Alternatively, the verse is saying that the word of God that was given to Samuel with regard to the death of the sons of Eli was about to come to pass. Israel went out to war against the Philistines, and they encamped at Even HaEzer, perhaps identical to the location of the same name mentioned later in the book, where the source of the name is explained. And the Philistines encamped in Afek. The preparations for battle in those times were extremely formal: One side would issue an invitation to the other to engage in combat, and the time and place of the conflict would be arranged in advance.

וַיַּעַרְכוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל וַתִּטֹּשׁ הַמִּלְחָמָה וַיִּנָּגֶף יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּכּוּ בַמַּעֲרָכָה בַּשָּׂדֶה כְּאַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ

The Philistines deployed against Israel and the war spread; Israel was struck down before the Philistines, and they, the Philistines, smote during the battle in the field some four thousand men. Although the Israelite forces did not suffer a total defeat, as only some of their soldiers were harmed, the Philistines definitely emerged victorious.

וַיָּבֹא הָעָם אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיֹּאמְרוּ זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמָּה נְגָפָנוּ ה' הַיּוֹם לִפְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים נִקְחָה אֵלֵינוּ מִשִּׁלֹה אֶת אֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה' וְיָבֹא בְקִרְבֵּנוּ וְיֹשִׁעֵנוּ מִכַּף אֹיְבֵינוּ

The people came to the camp, and the elders of Israel said: Why did the Lord cause us to be struck down today before the Philistines? There is only one option available to us: Let us take to us from Shilo, which was located about 30 km from the battleground, the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and He will come in our midst, and save us from the hand of our enemies.

וַיִּשְׁלַח הָעָם שִׁלֹה וַיִּשְׂאוּ מִשָּׁם אֵת אֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה' צְבָאוֹת יֹשֵׁב הַכְּרֻבִים וְשָׁם שְׁנֵי בְנֵי עֵלִי עִם אֲרוֹן בְּרִית הָאֱלֹהִים חָפְנִי וּפִינְחָס

The people sent messengers to Shilo, and they carried from there the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of hosts who is seated amidst the cherubs; and there were the two sons of Eli, Hofni and Pinhas, with the Ark of the Covenant of God. Only priests who served in the Tabernacle, and later in the Temple, were permitted to carry the ark.

וַיְהִי כְּבוֹא אֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה' אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיָּרִעוּ כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּרוּעָה גְדוֹלָה וַתֵּהֹם הָאָרֶץ

It was with the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord to the camp; all Israel cheered with a great cheer, and the earth quaked. It seemed as though the whole area was shaking.

וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶת קוֹל הַתְּרוּעָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ מֶה קוֹל הַתְּרוּעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת בְּמַחֲנֵה הָעִבְרִים וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי אֲרוֹן ה' בָּא אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה

The Philistines heard the sound of the cheer, and they said: What is the sound of this great cheer in the camp of the Hebrews? And they, the Philistines, knew, from their familiarity with Israel or through spies (see 13:5, 14:21), that the Ark of the Lord had come to the camp.

וַיִּרְאוּ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים כִּי אָמְרוּ בָּא אֱלֹהִים אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיֹּאמְרוּ אוֹי לָנוּ כִּי לֹא הָיְתָה כָּזֹאת אֶתְמוֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם

The Philistines were afraid, as they said: God has come to the camp. They said: Woe to us, for there was nothing like this previously, in our earlier battles with the Hebrews.

אוֹי לָנוּ מִי יַצִּילֵנוּ מִיַּד הָאֱלֹהִים הָאַדִּירִים הָאֵלֶּה אֵלֶּה הֵם הָאֱלֹהִים הַמַּכִּים אֶת מִצְרַיִם בְּכָל מַכָּה בַּמִּדְבָּר

Woe to us. Who will deliver us from the hand of this mighty God? This is the God who smote the Egyptians with every plague in Egypt and in the wilderness, at the Red Sea. The Philistines were not surrendering; they were merely privately expressing their fears to one another.

הִתְחַזְּקוּ וִהְיוּ לַאֲנָשִׁים פְּלִשְׁתִּים פֶּן תַּעַבְדוּ לָעִבְרִים כַּאַשֶׁר עָבְדוּ לָכֶם וִהְיִיתֶם לַאֲנָשִׁים וְנִלְחַמְתֶּם

Be strong and be men and fight with courage, Philistines, lest you serve the Hebrews as they served you. Be men and fight. This is no minor skirmish. Rather, its outcome will have long-term political repercussions, since if you are defeated in a major battle against the Israelites, they will rule over you. Therefore, be men and fight.

וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּנָּגֶף יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּנֻסוּ אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו וַתְּהִי הַמַּכָּה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד וַיִּפֹּל מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף רַגְלִי

The Philistines fought aggressively, and Israel was struck down, and they fled, each man to his tents. The blow was very great. This time, the outcome was decisive. Since this was not a local conflict over territorial borders but a comprehensive war with the participation of the entire Philistine military force, when Israel lost they did not simply return to their camp as they did after the first battle, but rather they all fled. And in this battle thirty thousand foot soldiers fell from Israel. Even if not all of these casualties were fatalities, this was still a major defeat.

וַאֲרוֹן אֱלֹהִים נִלְקָח וּשְׁנֵי בְנֵי עֵלִי מֵתוּ חָפְנִי וּפִינְחָס

The Ark of God was captured. When the Israelite camp dispersed, the ark, which was very heavy, was left behind and taken by the Philistines. And as a result, the two sons of Eli, Hofni and Pinhas, died. Perhaps they died heroically in an attempt to defend the ark, which was a national symbol. The sons of Eli, as priests, were certainly not military commanders or soldiers. Instead, they came to the battlefield to assist in the transportation of the ark. They probably stood next to the ark and attempted to prevent the Philistines from touching it, which resulted in their deaths.

וַיָּרָץ אִישׁ בִּנְיָמִן מֵהַמַּעֲרָכָה וַיָּבֹא שִׁלֹה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וּמַדָּיו קְרֻעִים וַאֲדָמָה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ

A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battle, when all the fighters fled to their homes, and he came to Shilo on that day to report the results of the war, and his garments were torn in mourning, and earth was on his head, as a sign of the terrible tragedy.

וַיָּבוֹא וְהִנֵּה עֵלִי יֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא יַד דֶּרֶךְ מְצַפֶּה כִּי הָיָה לִבּוֹ חָרֵד עַל אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים וְהָאִישׁ בָּא לְהַגִּיד בָּעִיר וַתִּזְעַק כָּל הָעִיר

He came and behold, Eli was sitting on the chair near the way, anticipating, waiting to hear news of the battle; as his heart was trembling for the Ark of God, which was the innermost and holiest of the sacred vessels, and which had never previously been removed from its place in the Holy of Holies. It is unclear whether Eli supported the decision to take the ark to the war; in any case, he was extremely nervous about the situation. The man came running to tell about the tragedy, in the city, and the entire city cried out. The news caused a great commotion.

וַיִּשְׁמַע עֵלִי אֶת קוֹל הַצְּעָקָה וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה קוֹל הֶהָמוֹן הַזֶּה וְהָאִישׁ מִהַר וַיָּבֹא וַיַּגֵּד לְעֵלִי

Eli heard the sound of the cry, and he said: What is the sound of this uproar? The man hastened, and he came and told Eli. The man had intended to deliver his report straight to Eli, as in his position as the High Priest, he was the leader of the people. In addition, he was the father of the two slain priests. Nevertheless, as his news was not a private affair but a public tragedy, he had related the tidings to others on the way.

וְעֵלִי בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה שָׁנָה וְעֵינָיו קָמָה וְלֹא יָכוֹל לִרְאוֹת

Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were dimmed and were no longer functional, and he was unable to see.

וַיֹּאמֶר הָאִישׁ אֶל עֵלִי אָנֹכִי הַבָּא מִן הַמַּעֲרָכָה וַאֲנִי מִן הַמַּעֲרָכָה נַסְתִּי הַיּוֹם וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה הָיָה הַדָּבָר בְּנִי

The man said to Eli: It is I who came from the battle, and from the battle I fled today. It was already clear from this last comment that he was not bearing good news. He, Eli, said: What was the occurrence, my son? Despite his age, Eli was alert and aware of what was going on around him, and even at such a terrible moment he treated the messenger with respect.

וַיַּעַן הַמְבַשֵּׂר וַיֹּאמֶר נָס יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים וְגַם מַגֵּפָה גְדוֹלָה הָיְתָה בָעָם וְגַם שְׁנֵי בָנֶיךָ מֵתוּ חָפְנִי וּפִינְחָס וַאֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים נִלְקָחָה

The bearer of the tidings answered and said: Israel lost the battle and has fled before the Philistines; moreover, there has been a massive blow against the people with many victims, and moreover on a personal note, your two sons, Hofni and Pinhas, have died, and worst of all, the Ark of God has been captured.

וַיְהִי כְּהַזְכִּירוֹ אֶת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּפֹּל מֵעַל הַכִּסֵּא אֲחֹרַנִּית בְּעַד יַד הַשַּׁעַר וַתִּשָּׁבֵר מַפְרַקְתּוֹ וַיָּמֹת כִּי זָקֵן הָאִישׁ וְכָבֵד וְהוּא שָׁפַט אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה

It was when he mentioned the capture of the Ark of God, he, Eli, fell backward in shock from upon the chair in the place of the gate. Since the gate was open, it provided no support. And his neck, the cervical vertebrae, broke and he died, as the man was old, and his body was no longer agile, which meant that the breaking of any bones could injure him fatally; and furthermore, he was heavy, and therefore his fall caused serious injuries and ultimately his death. He had judged Israel forty years.

וְכַלָּתוֹ אֵשֶׁת פִּינְחָס הָרָה לָלַת וַתִּשְׁמַע אֶת הַשְּׁמֻעָה אֶל הִלָּקַח אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים ומֵת חָמִיהָ וְאִישָׁהּ וַתִּכְרַע וַתֵּלֶד כִּי נֶהֶפְכוּ עָלֶיהָ צִרֶיהָ

His, Eli’s, daughter-in-law, the wife of Pinhas, was with child, soon to give birth. She heard the tidings concerning the capture of the Ark of God and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, and she crouched and gave birth, as her pangs of labor overcame her. The capture of the Ark of God was a major national tragedy. The death of Eli, the pregnant woman’s father-in-law, affected her even more, as he was both the leader of the nation and the most respected individual of the family. Finally, the death of her husband was the final blow. Her anguish upon hearing of all these tragedies caused the onset of labor, and due to her weak emotional state, the contractions occurred so quickly and strongly that her body was incapable of withstanding them.

וּכְעֵת מוּתָהּ וַתְּדַבֵּרְנָה הַנִּצָּבוֹת עָלֶיהָ אַל תִּירְאִי כִּי בֵן יָלָדְתְּ וְלֹא עָנְתָה ולֹא שָׁתָה לִבָּהּ

At the time of her death, the women standing around her to assist her spoke to her: Fear not, for you have given birth to a son. They endeavored to console her somewhat by informing her that despite the terrible events, she had given birth to a son. But she did not answer and did not pay attention, because in her state of grief, she no longer desired to live.

וַתִּקְרָא לַנַּעַר אִי כָבוֹד לֵאמֹר גָּלָה כָבוֹד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל אֶל הִלָּקַח אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֶל חָמִיהָ וְאִישָׁהּ

She called the boy Ikavod, meaning lack of glory, a fitting name for the occasion, saying: Honor [kavod] has departed from Israel, because of the capture of the Ark of God, and because of the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband.

וַתֹּאמֶר גָּלָה כָבוֹד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל כִּי נִלְקַח אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים

She said only the following: Honor has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.