Yisra’el went out to meet the Pelishtites [Philistines] in battle, and camped at Help Stone [Eben Ha’ezer], while the Pelishtites camped at Apheq. The Pelishtites lined up to meet Yisra’el and the battle spread, and Yisra’el took a beating before the Pelishtites. They struck down some 4,000 men in their line in the fields.
The company came to the camp and Yisra’el’s elders said, ‘Why did Yahweh defeat us today before the Pelishtites? Let’s get Yahweh’s pact chest from Shiloh for ourselves, so he will come among us and deliver us from our enemies’ fist.’ So the company sent to Shiloh and carried from there the pact chest of Yahweh of Armies, who sits above the sphinxes. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Pinhas, were with God’s pact chest there. When Yahweh’s pact chest came into the camp, all Yisra’el gave a great shout, and the earth resounded. The Pelishtites heard the sound of the shout and said, ‘What’s this sound of a great shout in the Hebrews’ camp?’ They came to know that Yahweh’s chest had come into the camp. The Pelishtites were afraid, because they said, ‘A god has come into the camp’, and they said, ‘Alas for us! A thing like this has not happened to us in previous days. Alas for us! Who will rescue us from the hand of these august gods? These are the gods that struck down the Misrayimites (Egyptians) in total defeat in the wilderness. Summon up your strength, be men, Pelishtites, so you don’t serve the Hebrews as they served you. Be men! Do battle!’
So the Pelishtites did battle and Yisra’el took a beating. They fled, each one to his tents. The rout was very great, and from Yisra’el 30,000 men on foot fell, while God’s chest was taken, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Pinhas, died.
Goldingay, John; The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.
Grant, Lord,
that we may hold to you without parting,
worship you without wearying,
serve you without failing;
faithfully seek you,
happily find you,
and forever possess you,
the only God,blessed now and for ever.
Amen
St Anselm