1 Samuel 4:1–11

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside ^aEben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched in ^bAphek. ²And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men. ³And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistines? ^cLet us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of ^dShiloh unto us, that when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. ⁴So the people sent to ^dShiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, ^ewhich dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. ⁵And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel ^fshouted with a great shout, so that the earth ^grang again. ⁶And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp. ⁷And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us: for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. ⁸Woe unto us: who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. ^9hBe strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, ⁱas they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight. ¹⁰And the Philistines fought, and ^jIsrael was smitten, and ^kthey fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. ¹¹And ^lthe ark of God was taken; and ^mthe two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.