1 Samuel 4:1-11
The Philistines Take the Ark
4Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped beside aEbenezer, and the Philistines camped in bAphek. 2And the Philistines arranged themselves to meet Israel. Then the battle spread, and Israel was 1defeated before the Philistines who struck down about 4,000 men on the battlefield. 3Then the people came into the camp, and the elders of Israel said, “aWhy has Yahweh 1defeated us today before the Philistines? bLet us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, that 2it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 4So the people sent to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of hosts awho sits above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5And it happened that as the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, aall Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth was thrown into confusion. 6Then the Philistines heard the noise of the shout and said, “What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they knew that the ark of Yahweh had come into the camp. 7And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” And they said, “aWoe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8“Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 9“aBe strong and become men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews, bas they have been slaves to you; therefore, become men and fight.”