5. When the ark of the Lord arrived in the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook.
6. The Philistines, hearing the uproar, asked, “What does this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” On learning that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp,
7. the Philistines were frightened, crying out, “Gods have come to their camp. Woe to us! This has never happened before.
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.