4 ¹ And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

The Ark of God Captured

In those days the Philistines mustered for war against Israel,^[a] and Israel went out to battle against them;^[b] they encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek.^(A)

The Philistines Reject David

29 Now the Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, while the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.^(A)

¹² Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah^[a] and named it Ebenezer,^[b] for he said, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”^(A)

The Philistines and the Ark

5 When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod;^(A)

³⁰ The rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left.

Ben-hadad also fled and entered the city to hide.^(A)

¹¹ Then the Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.^(A)

³⁰ Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob—twenty-two towns with their villages.^(A)

⁵³ Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,