Study Desk

Eli said, "What did the Lord tell you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more, if you hide anything from me of all He said to you."

All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had become a man of God.

So the people sent men to Shiloh to take the special box with the Law of the Lord of All Who sits above the cherubim. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the special box with the Law of God.

The Philistines were afraid. They said, "A god has come among the tents. Trouble has come to us! Nothing like this has happened before.

The special box of God was taken. And Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

When he came, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for he was very worried about the special box of God. The man told the news in the city, and all the city cried out.

The one who brought the news answered, "Israel has run from the Philistines and there have been many people killed. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead. And the special box of God has been taken."

When he told about the special box of God, Eli fell back off the seat by the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was going to have a child and about to give birth. When she heard the news that the special box of God was taken and that her father-in-law and husband had died, she started to give birth, for her pains came upon her.

She gave the boy the name Ichabod, saying, "The honor has left Israel," because the special box of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and husband.

She said, "The honor has left Israel, for the special box of God was taken."

The Philistines took the special box of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

They took the special box of God into the house of Dagon, and set it beside Dagon.

When the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, "The special box of the God of Israel must not stay with us. For His hand is hard on us and on our god Dagon."

So they called together all the leaders of the Philistines and said, "What should we do with the special box of the God of Israel?" And they said, "Let the special box of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath." So they brought the box of the God of Israel there.

So they sent the special box of God to Ekron. When the box of God came to Ekron, the people there cried out, "They have brought the special box of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people."

So they called together all the leaders of the Philistines and said, "Send away the special box of the God of Israel. Let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people." For the people of the city were afraid. The hand of God was very heavy there.

And they said, "If you send away the special box of the God of Israel, do not send it empty. But be sure to return to Him a sin gift. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand does not turn away from you."

So make objects to look like your sores and your mice that destroyed the land, and you will give honor to the God of Israel. It may be that He will be easier on you, your gods, and your land.

Why do you make your hearts hard as the Egyptians and Pharaoh made their hearts hard? Do not forget how the God of Israel made it hard for them. And did they not let the people go?