7. Then they were frightened and said, “A god has come into ⌊their⌋ camp.” They also said, “Oh no! Nothing like this has ever happened before.
8. We’re in trouble now! Who can save us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every kind of plague in the desert.
9. Be strong, Philistines, and act like men, or else you will serve the Hebrews as they served you. Act like men and fight.”
10. The Philistines fought and defeated Israel. Every ⌊Israelite⌋ soldier fled to his tent. It was a major defeat in which 30,000 Israelite foot soldiers died.
11. The ark of God was captured. Both of Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12. A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the front line of the battle. He went to Shiloh that day with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
13. When he arrived, Eli was sitting on a chair beside the road, watching. He was worried about the ark of God. The man went into the city to tell the news. The whole city cried out.