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The word of Samuel came to all Israel.

Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. The Philistines put themselves in array against Israel. When they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field. When the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has Yahweh defeated us today before the Philistines? Let’s get the ark of Yahweh’s covenant out of Shiloh and bring it to us, that it may come among us and save us out of the hand of our enemies.”

So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of Armies, who sits above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. When the ark of Yahweh’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded. When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” They understood that Yahweh’s ark had come into the camp. The Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” They said, “Woe to us! For there has not been such a thing before. Woe to us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. Be strong and behave like men, O you Philistines, that you not be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Strengthen yourselves like men, and fight!” 10 The Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter; for thirty thousand footmen of Israel fell. 11 God’s ark was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

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The Battle of Aphek

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines for battle, and they encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. The Philistines lined up for the battle to meet Israel, and the battle was prolonged[a] until Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who[b] killed about four thousand men on the battlefield.[c] When the army[d] came back to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has Yahweh defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to us from Shiloh so that it may come into our midst and deliver[e] us from the hand of our enemies.” So the army sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of hosts who sits between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. Now when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh arrived at the camp, all Israel let out a loud shout[f] so that the earth shook.

When the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What is the noise of this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?” Then they learned that the ark of Yahweh had come into the camp. So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come[g] to the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us, for this has never happened before![h] Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the same gods who struck the Egyptians with all sorts of plagues in the desert. Take courage and be men, you Philistines, lest you end up serving the Hebrews just like they have served you. Be men and fight!” 10 So the Philistines fought and Israel was defeated and each man fled to his tent, for the slaughter was very great. Thirty thousand foot soldiers from Israel fell. 11 Furthermore, the ark of God was captured,[i] and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 4:2 Or “drawn out”
  2. 1 Samuel 4:2 Literally “and they”
  3. 1 Samuel 4:2 Literally “in the battle line in the field”
  4. 1 Samuel 4:3 Or “people”
  5. 1 Samuel 4:3 Or “save”
  6. 1 Samuel 4:5 Literally “shouted a great shout”
  7. 1 Samuel 4:7 Or “gods have come”
  8. 1 Samuel 4:7 Literally “it has not happened like this since yesterday and since the day before that”
  9. 1 Samuel 4:11 Or “taken”