« | 1 Samuel 4 | » |
1 News about Samuel spread throughout Israel. Eli was very old. His sons kept doing bad things before the Lord. At that time the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites made their camp at Ebenezer. The Philistines made their camp at Aphek.
2 The Philistines lined up their soldiers in front of the Israelites and began the attack. The Philistines defeated the Israelites. They killed about 4000 soldiers from Israel's army.
3 The rest of the Israelite soldiers went back to their camp. The elders of Israel asked, "Why did the Lord let the Philistines defeat us? Let's bring the Lord's Box of the Agreement from Shiloh. God will go with us into battle and save us from our enemies."
4 So the people sent men to Shiloh. The men brought back the Lord All-Powerful's Box of the Agreement. On top of the Box are the Cherub angels. They are like the throne that the Lord sits on. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, came with the Box.
5 When the Lord's Box of the Agreement came into the camp, all the Israelites gave a great shout loud enough to make the ground shake.
6 The Philistines heard Israel's shout and asked, "Why are the people so excited in the Hebrew camp?" Then the Philistines learned that the Lord's Holy Box had been brought into Israel's camp.
7 They became afraid and said, "Gods have come to their camp! We're in trouble. This has never happened before.
8 We are worried. Who can save us from these powerful gods? These gods are the same ones that gave the Egyptians those diseases and terrible sicknesses.
9 Be brave, Philistines. Fight like men. In the past they were our slaves, so fight like men or you will become their slaves."
10 So the Philistines fought very hard and defeated the Israelites. The Israelite soldiers ran away and went home. It was a terrible defeat for Israel. 30,000 Israelite soldiers were killed.
11 The Philistines took God's Holy Box and killed Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas.
12 One of the men who ran from the battle was a man from the tribe of Benjamin. He tore his clothes and put dust on his head to show his great sadness.
13 Eli was worried about the Holy Box, so he was sitting there by the city gate waiting and watching when the Benjamite man came into Shiloh and told the bad news. All the people in town began to cry loudly.
14 Eli was 98 years old. He was blind, so he could not see what was happening, but he could hear the loud noise of the people crying. Eli asked, "Why are the people making this loud noise?" The Benjamite man ran to Eli and told him what happened.
15
16 He said, "I am the man who just came from the battle. I ran away from the battle today." Eli asked, "What happened, son?"
17 The Benjamite man answered, "Israel ran away from the Philistines. The Israelite army has lost many soldiers. Your two sons are both dead, and the Philistines took God's Holy Box."
18 When the Benjamite man mentioned God's Holy Box, Eli fell backward off his chair near the gate and broke his neck. Eli was old and fat, so he died. He had led Israel for 20 years.
19 Eli's daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant. It was nearly time for her baby to be born. She heard the news that God's Holy Box was taken. She also heard that her father-in-law Eli and her husband Phinehas were both dead. As soon as she heard the news, her pain started and she began giving birth to her baby.
20 She was about to die when the women who were helping her said, "Don't worry, you have given birth to a son." But she did not answer or pay attention.
21 She named the baby Ichabod, that is to say, "Israel's glory has been taken away." She did this because God's Holy Box was taken away and because both her father-inlaw and her husband were dead.
22 She said, "Israel's glory has been taken away" because the Philistines had taken God's Holy Box.
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) is a Bible translation specifically designed to be accessible and comprehensible for people with limited reading skills or those for whom English is a second language. Originally published in 1987 by the World Bible Translation Center, the ERV was initially developed to serve the deaf community, using a simplified vocabulary and straightforward sentence structures. The goal of the ERV is to make the scriptures understandable to a wide range of readers, ensuring that everyone can grasp the essential messages of the Bible without being hindered by complex language or archaic terms.
One of the defining characteristics of the ERV is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators employed a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, focusing on conveying the meaning of the original texts in plain, everyday English. This approach ensures that readers can easily comprehend the Bible’s teachings and narratives, making it a valuable resource for children, new Christians, and those with limited literacy skills. The ERV avoids technical theological terms and instead uses language that is commonly spoken, making it accessible for personal study and public reading alike.
The ERV also pays careful attention to the cultural and contextual nuances of the original manuscripts. The translators sought to present the Bible’s messages in a way that is relevant and meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts. This cultural sensitivity helps bridge the gap between ancient scriptures and modern readers, allowing them to connect more deeply with the biblical stories and teachings. Additionally, the ERV includes helpful footnotes and cross-references that provide further explanation and context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the ERV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the simplified language and thought-for-thought approach can sometimes result in a loss of depth and richness found in the original texts. Some theologians believe that the ERV’s emphasis on accessibility may lead to oversimplification of complex theological concepts. Nonetheless, the Easy-To-Read Version remains a highly valuable translation for its target audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps people of all backgrounds engage with and understand the scriptures.