5. When the chest containing the Lord’s covenant entered the camp, all Israel let out such a loud shout that the ground shook.
6. When the Philistines heard the sound of that shout, they asked, "What is that loud shouting in the Hebrew camp about?" When they learned that the Lord’s chest had come into the camp,
7. the Philistines were afraid and said, "A god has come into that camp! We’re doomed," they said, "because nothing like this has ever happened before.
8. We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the grip of these powerful deities? They are the same gods who struck the Egyptians in the desert with every kind of wound.
9. Pull yourselves together and act like men, Philistines! Otherwise, you’ll serve the Hebrews like they’ve been serving you. Act like men and fight!"
10. So the Philistines fought. Israel was defeated, and everyone fled to their homes. It was a massive defeat: thirty thousand Israelite foot soldiers fell,
11. God’s chest was taken, and Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phinehas died.
12. That very day, a Benjaminite ran from the battle to Shiloh. His clothes were torn, and dirt was on his head.
13. When he got there, Eli was sitting in a chair beside the road, waiting because he was nervous about God’s chest. The man arrived and gave the news to the city, and the whole city cried out.
14. Eli heard the sound of the cry and said, "What’s all this noise about?"The man hurriedly went and told Eli the news. (
15. Now Eli was 98 years old, and his eyes stared straight ahead, unable to see.)
16. The man told Eli, "I’m the one who just came from the battle. I fled from the battle today.""What’s the report, my son?" Eli asked.
17. The messenger answered, "Israel has fled from the Philistines. The army has suffered a massive defeat. Also, your own two sons Hophni and Phinehas have died, and God’s chest has been taken!"
18. At the mention of God’s chest, Eli fell backward off the chair beside the gate. His neck broke, and he died because he was an old man and overweight. Eli had judged Israel for forty years.