Add parallel Print Page Options

When the soldiers came back into camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has the Lord brought defeat upon us today at the hands of the Philistines? Let us go get the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh so that it can go out before us and save us from the hands of our enemies.”

The Ark Is Captured. So the people sent to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned between the cherubim.[a] The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. When the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all of the Israelites raised such a loud shout that it shook the earth.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 4:4 Enthroned between the cherubim: in the Old Testament, cherubim, part human and part beast, are distinct from angels. The golden cherubim on the Ark cover the propitiation (Ex 25:10-22). The Israelites believed that God’s presence on the Ark would bring victory for Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, in battle.

When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why(A) did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark(B) of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh,(C) so that he may go with us(D) and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim.(E) And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout(F) that the ground shook.

Read full chapter