Eli hears the news and he dies
12 That same day, a soldier of the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battle. He ran to Shiloh. He had torn his clothes and he had put dirt on his head.
4:12People tore their clothes and they put dirt on their heads to show that they were very upset.
13 Eli was sitting on his chair at the side of the road in Shiloh. He was waiting for news of the battle. He was worried about God's Covenant Box. He wanted to know if it was safe. When the soldier arrived in the city, he told the people what had happened in the battle. All the people started to cry loudly.
14 Eli heard the people's loud voices. He asked, ‘What is causing all the noise?’
The soldier quickly went to tell Eli the news. 15 Eli was now 98 years old and he could not see at all. 16 The soldier said to Eli, ‘I am the man who ran here today from the battle.’
Eli asked him, ‘What happened, my son?’
17 The soldier replied, ‘The Israelites ran away while the Philistines chased them. The Philistines killed many of our soldiers. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead. And the Philistines have taken away God's Covenant Box.’
