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(I Samuel 4:1-11)
1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel
went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped
beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
2 Then the Philistines put themselves in battle array
against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was
defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four
thousand men of the army in the field.
3 And when the people had come into the camp, the elders
of Israel said, "Why has the LORD defeated us today
before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the
covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us, that when it
comes among us it may save us from the hand of our
enemies."
4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring
from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts,
who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli,
Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the
covenant of God.
5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into
the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth
shook.
6 Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout,
they said, "What does the sound of this great shout
in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" Then they
understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the
camp.
7 So the Philistines were afraid, for they said,
"God has come into the camp!" And they said,
"Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened
before.
8 "Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of
these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the
Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
9 "Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you
Philistines, that you do not become servants of the
Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves
like men, and fight!"
10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated,
and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great
slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot
soldiers.
11 Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of
Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
(NKJV)
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