Et factum est in diebus illis, convenerunt Philisthiim in pugnam: et egressus est Israël obviam Philisthiim in prælium, et castrametatus est juxta lapidem Adjutorii. Porro Philisthiim venerunt in Aphec,

The Philistines, at this time, had mustered their forces for battle, and the Israelites went out to meet them in arms, encamping at the Rock of Deliverance; the Philistines were encamped at Aphec.

And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight: and Israel went out to war against the Philistines, and camped by the Stone of help. And the Philistines came to Aphec,

et instruxerunt aciem contra Israël. Inito autem certamine, terga vertit Israël Philisthæis: et cæsa sunt in illo certamine passim per agros, quasi quatuor millia virorum.

So now the Philistines marshalled their forces, and when battle was joined, they put the Israelites to rout; four thousand men were killed in that fight, scattered through the countryside.

And put their army in array against Israel. And when they had joined battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, and there were slain in that fight here and there in the fields about four thousand men.

Et reversus est populus ad castra: dixeruntque majores natu de Israël: Quare percussit nos Dominus hodie coram Philisthiim? afferamus ad nos de Silo arcam fœderis Domini, et veniat in medium nostri, ut salvet nos de manu inimicorum nostrorum.

So the army fell back upon its encampment; and now the elders of Israel were at a loss; why had the Lord so left them at the mercy of the Philistines? They would send to Silo for the ark that bore record of the Lord’s covenant; surely he would come into their midst, and save them from the power of their enemies.

And the people returned to the camp: and the ancients of Israel said: Why hath the Lord defeated us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.

Misit ergo populus in Silo, et tulerunt inde arcam fœderis Domini exercituum sedentis super cherubim: erantque duo filii Heli cum arca fœderis Dei, Ophni et Phinees.

The ark of the Lord of hosts, who sits enthroned above the Cherubim! They brought it there all the way from Silo; and with the ark came the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees.

So the people sent to Silo, and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts sitting upon the cherubims: and the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were with the ark of the covenant of God.

Cumque venisset arca fœderis Domini in castra, vociferatus est omnis Israël clamore grandi, et personuit terra.

Loud was the cry all Israel raised when the ark reached their camp, so loud that the earth rang again;

And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord was come into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, and the earth rang again.

Et audierunt Philisthiim vocem clamoris, dixeruntque: Quænam est hæc vox clamoris magni in castris Hebræorum? Et cognoverunt quod arca Domini venisset in castra.

and the Philistines, hearing it, wondered what could have set the Hebrew camp in such an uproar. When they were told that the ark of the Lord had been brought there,

And the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, and they said: What is this noise of a great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.

Timueruntque Philisthiim, dicentes: Venit Deus in castra. Et ingemuerunt, dicentes:

they were in a great taking of fear; God himself, they said, has come into the camp! And they groaned aloud;

And the Philistines were afraid, saying: God is come into the camp. And sighing, they said:

Væ nobis: non enim fuit tanta exultatio heri et nudiustertius: væ nobis. Quis nos salvabit de manu deorum sublimium istorum? hi sunt dii, qui percusserunt Ægyptum omni plaga in deserto.

An ill day for us! Such confidence has never been theirs till now; an ill day! What defence have we against such heavenly powers as these? These are the powers that brought great plagues on Egypt, out yonder in the desert.

Woe to us: for there was no such great joy yesterday and the day before: Woe to us. Who shall deliver us from the hand of these high gods? these are the Gods that struck Egypt with all the plagues in the desert.

Confortamini, et estote viri, Philisthiim, ne serviatis Hebræis, sicut et illi servierunt vobis: confortamini, et bellate.

Philistines, you must summon up your courage, and play the man, or these Hebrew slaves are like to be your masters. Courage, then; to arms!

Take courage and behave like men, ye Philistines: lest you come to be servants to the Hebrews, as they have served you: take courage and fight.

Pugnaverunt ergo Philisthiim, et cæsus est Israël, et fugit unusquisque in tabernaculum suum: et facta est plaga magna nimis, et ceciderunt de Israël triginta millia peditum.

And they fought so well that Israel was utterly defeated, every man making for his own home in flight; here was a great disaster, in which thirty thousand of Israel’s warriors fell.

So the Philistines fought, and Israel was overthrown, and every man fled to his own dwelling: and there was an exceeding great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

Et arca Dei capta est: duo quoque filii Heli mortui sunt, Ophni et Phinees.

The ark of God, too, was taken by the enemy, and Heli’s sons, Ophni and Phinees, were killed.

And the ark of God was taken: and the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were slain.

Currens autem vir de Benjamin ex acie, venit in Silo in die illa, scissa veste, et conspersus pulvere caput.

There was a man of Benjamin that ran from the field, and reached Silo that same day, with torn garments, and dust scattered on his head.

And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Silo the same day, with his clothes rent, and his head strewed with dust.

Cumque ille venisset, Heli sedebat super sellam contra viam spectans. Erat enim cor ejus pavens pro arca Dei. Vir autem ille postquam ingressus est, nuntiavit urbi: et ululavit omnis civitas.

At the time when he reached it, Heli was sitting there waiting for news, on a seat by the wayside; his heart misgave him for the safety of God’s ark. When the tidings so brought were made known publicly, the whole city fell to lamenting.

And when he was come, Heli sat upon a stool over against the way watching. For his heart was fearful for the ark of God. And when the man was come into the city, he told it: and all the city cried out.

Et audivit Heli sonitum clamoris, dixitque: Quis est hic sonitus tumultus hujus? At ille festinavit, et venit, et nuntiavit Heli.

The noise of it came to Heli’s ears, and he asked what this tumult should mean. With all speed the messenger came up and told his news.

And Heli heard the noise of the cry, and he said: What meaneth the noise of this uproar? But he made haste, and came, and told Heli.

Heli autem erat nonaginta et octo annorum, et oculi ejus caligaverant, et videre non poterat.

(Heli was then ninety-eight years old; his eyes were dim with age now, and sightless.)

Now Heli was ninety and eight years old, and his eyes were dim, and he could not see.

Et dixit ad Heli: Ego sum qui veni de prælio, et ego qui de acie fugi hodie. Cui ille ait: Quid actum est, fili mi?

I come with news of the battle, he said; this very day I have run back from the army. And the news, my son, asked Heli; what is the news?

And he said to Heli: I am he that came from the battle, and have fled out of the field this day. And he said to him: What is there done, my son?

Respondens autem ille qui nuntiabat: Fugit, inquit, Israël coram Philisthiim, et ruina magna facta est in populo: insuper et duo filii tui mortui sunt, Ophni et Phinees, et arca Dei capta est.

Israel has been routed by the Philistines, the messenger answered, and there is great havoc wrought among the people; and thy two sons, Ophni and Phinees, are dead; and the ark of God was taken.

And he that brought the news answered, and said: Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter of the people: moreover thy two sons, Ophni and Phinees, are dead: and the ark of God is taken.

Cumque ille nominasset arcam Dei, cecidit de sella retrorsum juxta ostium, et fractis cervicibus mortuus est. Senex enim erat vir et grandævus: et ipse judicavit Israël quadraginta annis.

And Heli, when he heard mention made of God’s ark, fell backwards from his seat, there in the door-way, and broke his neck, and died; so old a man was he, so spent with age. For forty years he had ruled Israel.

And when he had named the ark of God, he fell from his stool backwards by the door, and broke his neck, and died. For he was an old man, and far advanced in years: And he judged Israel forty years.

Nurus autem ejus, uxor Phinees, prægnans erat, vicinaque partui: et audito nuntio quod capta esset arca Dei, et mortuus esset socer suus et vir suus, incurvavit se et peperit: irruerant enim in eam dolores subiti.

His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinees, was then in her pregnancy, and near her time; she too heard that the ark of God had been taken, that her father-in-law was dead and her husband besides, whereupon her pangs bowed her down suddenly, and she gave birth.

And his daughter in law the wife of Phinees, was big with child, and near her time: and hearing the news that the ark of God was taken, and her father in law, and her husband, were dead, she bowed herself and fell in labour: for her pains came upon her on a sudden.

In ipso autem momento mortis ejus, dixerunt ei quæ stabant circa eam: Ne timeas, quia filium peperisti. Quæ non respondit eis, neque animadvertit.

She was at the point of death when the women about her said, Take heart, thou hast borne a son; but she gave no answer, and took no heed.

And when she was upon the point of death, they that stood about her said to her: Fear not, for thou hast borne a son. She answered them not, nor gave heed to them.

Et vocabit puerum Ichabod, dicens: Translata est gloria de Israël, quia capta est arca Dei, et pro socero suo et pro viro suo;

Only she gave her son the name of Ichabod, thinking how the divine presence had left Israel, now the ark was taken; thinking, too, of her father-in-law and her husband;

And she called the child Ichabod, saying: The glory is gone from Israel, because the ark of God was taken, and for her father in law, and her husband:

et ait: Translata est gloria ab Israël, eo quod capta esset arca Dei.

but it was the loss of God’s ark that made her say, The splendour has passed away from Israel.

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