2 The Philistines attacked the Israelites in formation, and when the battle spread, the Philistines defeated the Israelites, killing 4,000 of them on the battlefield. 3 When the Israelite army returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, "Why did the Lord defeat us before the Philistines today? Let’s go and get the Ark of the Lord’s Agreement from Shiloh, so that he can accompany us and save us from our enemies."

4 So the army sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the Ark of the Lord Almighty’s Agreement, he who sits on his throne between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were there with the Ark of the God’s Agreement. 5 When the Ark of the Lord’s Agreement arrived in the camp, all the Israelites gave such a loud shout it made the ground shake.

6 When the Philistines heard all the shouting, they asked, "What’s the meaning of this shouting in the Israelite camp?" When they found out that the Ark of the Lord had arrived in the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid. "A god has arrived in the camp," they said. "We’re in trouble, for nothing like this has happened before. 8 This is disaster for us! Who will save us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who attacked the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 9 Be brave, and fight like real men, Philistines! Otherwise you’ll end up as slaves to the Israelites, just as they were your slaves. Now be real men and fight!"

10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated—every man ran away home. The death toll was very large: thirty thousand of the Israelite infantry were killed. 11 The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, Eli’s two sons, died.