1 Samuel 4:1-11

The Philistines Capture the Ark

1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at aEbenezer, and the Philistines encamped at bAphek.
2The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here cfrom Shiloh, that it
Or he
may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.”
4So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, ewho is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel fgave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. 6And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, 7the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. 9 gTake courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews has they have been to you; be men and fight.”

10So the Philistines fought, iand Israel was defeated, jand they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 kAnd the ark of God was captured, land the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

Copyright information for ESV