Study Desk

Then the people came to the house of God, [fn] and remained there before God till evening. They lifted up their voices and wept bitterly,

and said, "O LORD God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that today there should be one tribe missing in Israel?"

But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.

The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge."

Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him."

"No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.

"Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.

If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the LORD desired to kill them.

Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: "Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?

Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: "I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now the LORD says: "Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever.

and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle [fn] of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down,

And he said, "What is the word that the LORD spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you."

So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp!" And they said, "Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before.

Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on a seat by the wayside watching, [fn] 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.

So the messenger answered and said, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured."

Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, due to be delivered; 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 herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her.