4 And Samuel’s word came to all Israel.

The Philistines Capture the Ark

Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer,^(A) and the Philistines at Aphek.^(B)

² The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield.

¹⁰ So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated^(A) and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.

¹¹ The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.^(A)