שמואל א' ד-ח: 'וַאֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים נִלְקָחָה'

And the word of Shemu᾽el came to all Yisra᾽el. Now Yisra᾽el went out against the Pelishtim to battle, and they pitched by Even-ha῾ezer: and the Pelishtim pitched in Afeq. And the Pelishtim put themselves in battle order against Yisra᾽el: and when they joined battle, Yisra᾽el was beaten before the Pelishtim: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men. And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Yisra᾽el said, Why has the Lord smitten us to day before the Pelishtim? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shilo to us, that, when it comes among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. So the people sent to Shilo, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who sits upon the keruvim: and the two sons of ῾Eli, Ĥofni and Pineĥas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Yisra᾽el shouted with a great shout, so that the earth trembled. And when the Pelishtim heard the noise of the shout, they said, What is the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp. And the Pelishtim were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe to us for there has not been such a thing before now. Woe to us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? these are the gods that smote Miżrayim with all the plagues in the wilderness. Strengthen yourselves and act like men, O Pelishtim, lest you fall slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been slaves to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight. And the Pelishtim fought, and Yisra᾽el was beaten, and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Yisra᾽el thirty thousand foot soldiers. And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of ῾Eli, Ĥofni and Pineĥas, were slain.

And there ran a man of Binyamin out of the army, and came to Shilo the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. And when he came, ῾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 told it, all the city cried out. And when ῾Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What is the noise of this multitude? And the man came in hastily, and told ῾Eli. Now ῾Eli was ninety eight years old; and his eyes were dim, and he could not see. And the man said to ῾Eli, I am he that came out of the battle line: indeed I fled to day out of the battle line. And he said, What has happened, my son? And the messenger answered and said, Yisra᾽el is fled before the Pelishtim, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Ĥofni and Pineĥas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backwards by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Yisra᾽el for forty years. And his daughter in law, the wife of Pineĥas 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 gave birth; for her pains came upon her. And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said to her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. And she named the child I-khavod, saying, Honour is departed from Yisra᾽el: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. And she said, Honour is departed from Yisra᾽el: for the ark of God is taken.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying: ‘The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, are these.’ Nay, but if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute justice between a man and his neighbour; if ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt; then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and offer unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye have not known, and come and stand before Me in this house, whereupon My name is called, and say: ‘We are delivered’, that ye may do all these abominations? Is this house, whereupon My name is called, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, saith the LORD. For go ye now unto My place which was in Shiloh, where I caused My name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of My people Israel.