Di Ark of our Papa Fall Enter Philistine Hand
Israel lose one battle, so dem go carry we Papa ark like weapon. The Philistines still win: thirty thousand die, dem capture the ark, Eli sons die, and Eli fall backward when e hear the news. One woman wey dey die name her pikin Ichabod, the glory don comot from Israel.
4 1Samuel word reach all Israel. Israel go fight di Philistines, dem camp for Ebenezer; di Philistines camp for Aphek.
2Di Philistines line up against Israel; di battle spread, di Philistines beat Israel, dem kill like 4,000 men for di field. 3As di soldiers return come camp, Israel elders ask, “Why our Papa let di Philistines beat us today? Make we bring di Covenant ark of our Papa from Shiloh, so e go come dey among us and save us from our enemies.”
4So di people send go Shiloh come carry di ark of di Covenant of di Papa of heaven army, wey sidon on top di cherubim. Eli two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, dey there with di ark of di Covenant of our Papa. 5As di ark of di Covenant of our Papa enter di camp, all Israel shout so loud wey di ground shake. 6Di Philistines hear di shout and ask, “Wetin be dis big shout for di Hebrew camp?” Then dem know say di ark of our Papa don enter di camp. 7Di Philistines fear, for dem talk, “A god don enter di camp!” Then dem talk, “We don finish—dis kind thing never happen before. 8We don finish! Who go save us from di hand of dis mighty gods? Na dis gods strike di Egyptians with every plague for di wilderness. 9Make una strong, una Philistines! Be men, or una go serve di Hebrews di same way dem serve una. Be men—fight!” 10Di Philistines fight; dem beat Israel, everybody run go im own tent. Di killing plenty well well: 30,000 Israel foot-soldier fall. 11Dem capture di ark of our Papa, and Eli two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, die.
Eli Fall and di Glory Comot
12One Benjamin man run comot from di battle line go Shiloh dat same day, im cloth tear, sand dey im head. a a v12 To tear person cloth and put sand for head na ancient sign of deep sorrow and mourning. 13As e reach, Eli sidon on top im seat for road side dey watch, im heart dey shake for di ark of our Papa. Di man enter di city, tell dem, and di whole city cry out. 14As Eli hear di cry, e ask, “Wetin be dis noise?” Then di man hurry come tell Eli.
15Eli don reach ninety-eight years, and im eye don dim so tey e no fit see. 16Di man tell Eli, “Na from di battle I comot, I run comot from di battle line today.” Eli ask, “Wetin happen, my pikin?”
17Di messenger answer, “Israel run before di Philistines; and plenty people die among di soldiers; and your two sons Hophni and Phinehas don die; and dem capture di ark of our Papa.”
18As e mention di ark of our Papa, Eli fall backward comot for im seat by di gate, im neck break, and e die—e don old and e heavy. E don judge Israel for forty years.
19Im daughter-in-law, Phinehas wife, dey pregnant, near to born. As she hear say dem seize di ark of our Papa and say her father-in-law and her husband don die, she bend down and born, for di pain overpower am. 20As she dey lie down dey die, di women wey dey by her side talk, “No fear, for you don born a son.” But she no answer or notice am. 21She name di boy Ichabod, dey talk, “Di glory don comot from Israel”—because dem capture di ark of our Papa, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. b b v21 Di name Ichabod mean “no glory” — na di mama cry say di glory of our Papa don comot from Israel with di ark. 22She talk, “Di glory don comot from Israel, for dem capture di ark of our Papa.”
