Léctio libri primi Samuélis (4,1-11)
Factum est in diébus illis, convenérunt Philísthim in pugnam; et egréssus est Israel óbviam Philísthim in próelium et castrametátus est iúxta Abenézer. Porro Philísthim venérunt in Aphec et instruxérunt áciem contra Israel. Crescénte autem certámine, terga vertit Israel Philisthǽis; et cæsi sunt in illo certámine passim per agros quasi quáttuor mília virórum. Et revérsus est pópulus ad castra, dixerúntque maióres natu de Israel: “quáre percússit nos Dóminus hódie coram Philísthim? Afferámus ad nos de Silo arcam fóederis Dómini, et véniat in médium nostri, ut salvet nos de manu inimicórum nostrórum.” Misit ergo pópulus in Silo, et tulérunt inde arcam fóederis Dómini exercítuum sedéntis super chérubim; erántque duo fílii Heli cum arca fóederis Dei, Ophni et Phínees. Cumque venísset arca fóederis Dómini in castra, vociferátus est omnis Israel clamóre grandi, et persónuit terra. Et audiérunt Philísthim vocem clamóris dixerúntque: “quǽnam est hæc vox clamóris magni in castris Hebræórum?” Et cognovérunt quod arca Dómini venísset in castra. Timuerúntque Philísthim dicéntes: “Venit Deus in castra!” Et ingemuérunt dicéntes: “Væ nobis! Non enim fuit tanta exsultátio heri et nudiustértius. Væ nobis! Quis nos servábit de manu deórum sublímium istórum? Hi sunt dii, qui percussérunt Ægýptum omni plaga in desérto. Confortámini et estóte viri, Philísthim, ne serviátis Hebrǽis, sicut illi serviérunt vobis. Estóte viri et belláte!” Pugnavérunt ergo Philísthim, et cæsus est Israel, et fugit unusquísque in tabernáculum suum; et facta est plaga magna nimis, et cecidérunt de Israel trigínta mília péditum. Et arca Dei capta est; duóque fílii Heli mórtui sunt, Ophni et Phínees.
It came to pass in those days, the Philisthiims assembled together to fight: and Israel went forth to meet the Philisthiims into battle, & camped beside the Stone of help. Moreover the Philisthiims came into Aphec, & put their army in array against Israel. And after they had joined battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philisthiims: and there were slain in the fight here & there through the fields, as it were four thousand men. And the people returned to the camp: & the ancients of Israel said: Why hath our Lord struck us today before the Philisthiims? Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of our Lord from Silo, and let it come into the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies. The people therefore sent into Silo, and they took from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts sitting upon the Cherubims: and the two sons of Heli were with the ark of the covenant of God, Ophni and Phinees. And when the ark of the covenant of our Lord was come into the camp, all Israel made a shout with a great cry, and the earth sounded. And the Philisthiims heard the voice of the cry, & said: What is this voice of a great cry in the camp of the Hebrews? And they knew that the ark of our lord was come into the camp. And the Philisthiims were afraid, saying: God is come into the camp. And they mourned, saying: Woe to us: for there was no so great rejoicing yesterday and the day before: woe to us. Who shall keep us from the hand of these high gods? These be the gods that struck Ægypt with all plague, in the desert. Take courage, & be men, ye Philisthiims: lest you be servants to the Hebrews, as they also have served you: take courage & fight. The Philisthiims therefore fought, and Israel was slain, and every man fled into his tabernacle: and there was made an exceeding great plague: and there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken: the two sons also of Heli died, Ophni and Phinees.
