1. The word of Samuel came to all Israel.Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
2. The Philistines put themselves in array against Israel. When they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field.
3. When the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let’s get the ark of the Lord’s covenant out of Shiloh and bring it to us, that it may come amongst us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies.”
4. So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of Hosts, who sits above the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.