1 Samuel 4:1-11

The Philistines Capture the Ark

4¹ And the word of Samuel is to all Israel, and Israel goeth out to meet the Philistines for battle, and they encamp by Eben-Ezer, and the Philistines have encamped in Aphek, ² and the Philistines set themselves in array to meet Israel, and the battle spreadeth itself, and Israel is smitten before the Philistines, and they smite among the ranks in the field about four thousand men. ³ And the people cometh in unto the camp, and the elders of Israel say, 'Why hath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? we take unto us from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and it cometh into our midst, and He doth save us out of the hand of our enemies.' ⁴ And the people sendeth to Shiloh, and they take up thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of Hosts, inhabiting the cherubs, and there 'are' two sons of Eli, with the ark of the covenant of God, Hophni and Phinehas. ⁵ And it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto the camp, that all Israel shout—a great shout—and the earth is moved. ⁶ And the Philistines hear the noise of the shouting, and say, 'What 'is' the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?' and they perceive that the ark of Jehovah hath come in unto the camp. ⁷ And the Philistines are afraid, for they said, 'God hath come in unto the camp;' and they say, 'Wo to us, for there hath not been like this heretofore. ⁸ Wo to us, who doth deliver us out of the hand of these honourable gods? these 'are' the gods who are smiting the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness. ⁹ Strengthen yourselves, and become men, O Philistines, lest ye do service to Hebrews, as they have done to you—then ye have become men, and have fought.'

¹⁰ And the Philistines fight, and Israel is smitten, and they flee each to his tents, and the blow is very great, and there fall of Israel thirty thousand footmen; ¹¹ and the ark of God hath been taken, and the two sons of Eli have died, Hophni and Phinehas.