4. So the people sent men to Shiloh to bring back the ark of the covenant of the Lord of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5. When the ark of the covenant of the Lord entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a loud shout that the ground shook.
6. The Philistines heard the sound of the war cry and asked, “What’s this loud shout in the Hebrews’ camp? ” When the Philistines discovered that the ark of the Lord had entered the camp,
7. they panicked. “The gods have entered their camp! ” they said. “Woe to us, nothing like this has happened before.
8. Woe to us, who will rescue us from the hand of these magnificent gods? These are the gods that slaughtered the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
9. Show some courage and be men, Philistines! Otherwise, you’ll serve the Hebrews just as they served you. Now be men and fight! ”
10. So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was severe — 30,000 of the Israelite foot soldiers fell.
11. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12. That same day, a Benjaminite man ran from the battle and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn, and there was dirt on his head.
13. When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair beside the road watching, because he was anxious about the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the entire city cried out.
14. Eli heard the outcry and asked, “Why this commotion? ” The man quickly came and reported to Eli.