1 Samuel 4:12-22 - Eli's Death And Ichabod's Birth

¹² And running out of the battle, a man of Benjamin came to Shiloh that same day with his clothes rent and with earth upon his head. ¹³ And when he came, behold 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 gave the news, all the city cried out.

¹⁴ And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What is the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily and told Eli. ¹⁵ Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes had become dim so that he could not see.

¹⁶ And the man said unto Eli, I come from the battle; I fled today out of the army. And he said unto him, What has happened, my son?

¹⁷ And the messenger answered and said, Israel fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God was taken. ¹⁸ And it came to pass when he made mention of the ark of God, Eli fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old man and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

¹⁹ And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas's 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 had come upon her. ²⁰ And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not, for thou hast given birth to a son. But she did not answer, neither did she regard it. ²¹ And 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.) ²² Therefore, she said, The glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.