8. Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with various plagues in the desert.
9. Take courage and act like soldiers, Philistines; otherwise you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they were your slaves. Fight like soldiers!”
10. The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; everyone fled to their own tents. It was a disastrous defeat; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.
11. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were dead.
12. A Benjaminite fled from the battlefield and reached Shiloh that same day, with his clothes torn and his head covered with dirt.
13. When he arrived, Eli was sitting in his chair beside the gate, watching the road, for he was troubled at heart about the ark of God. The man, however, went into the city to announce his news; then the whole city cried out.