1 Samuel 4:18 - Plain English Version

¹⁸ Eli was still on his chair at the door. After he heard that the Philistia mob stole the special box, he fell over backwards, and he broke his neck and died. You see, he was an old man and very fat. He was boss of the Israel mob for 40 years. (We have not yet translated 4:19-22.)

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

¹⁸ And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

¹⁸ And when he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

American Standard Version (1901)

¹⁸ And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

Common English Bible

¹⁸ At the mention of God’s chest, Eli fell backward off the chair beside the gate. His neck broke, and he died because he was an old man and overweight. Eli had judged Israel for forty years.

Catholic Public Domain Version

¹⁸ And when he had named the ark of God, he fell from the seat backwards, toward the door, and, having broken his neck, he died. For he was an old man of great age. And he judged Israel for forty years.

1 Samuel 4:18 Cross References

1 Samuel 4:13

Eli was a really old man by this time. He was 98 years old, and he was blind. He sat in a chair beside the road. He worried about God’s special box. He was afraid something bad might happen to it. After the messenger arrived at that place, he went around and told the bad news, and lots of people started to cry. Eli heard it and called out to the man, “What’s happening? Why is everybody crying like that?”

1 Samuel 4:17

He answered, “We Israel mob ran away from the Philistia mob. They killed dead lots of our soldiers, and your 2 sons are dead too. And they even stole God’s special box from us.”