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1 Samuel 4:17
ESV He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
NIV The man who brought the news replied, 'Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.'
NASB Then the one who brought the news replied, 'Israel has fled before the Philistines and there has also been a great defeat among the people, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas are also dead; and the ark of God has been taken.'
CSB The messenger answered, "Israel has fled from the Philistines, and also there was a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured."
NLT Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,' the messenger replied. 'The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.'
KJV And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.

What does 1 Samuel 4:17 mean?

The runner unloads all the terrible news at once. This is message was brought nearly the length of a modern athletic marathon from the battlefield near Ebenezer (1 Samuel 4:1). It is delivered to Eli, the priest and judge of Israel, and it is grim news indeed. The Israelites have been thoroughly defeated and the survivors have fled (1 Samuel 4:10). In essence, the army of Israel is no more, and the Philistines will be able to march farther into Israel unopposed.

Adding to the sting of defeat is personal news: Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead. They had been sent as priests to shepherd the ark of God to the battlefield (1 Samuel 4:4). This fulfills a prophecy given to Eli many years before (1 Samuel 2:34) and reiterated by the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 3:18). As promised, Eli has lived to see the death of his sons (1 Samuel 2:33).

Not only has his nation been defeated, and his sons killed, but also the enemy has captured the ark of the covenant. It's hard to imagine worse news for Eli than this. It will be the death of him, as explained in the following verse (1 Samuel 4:18).
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