Philistines defeat Israel and capture Ark of The Covenant

Philistines defeat Israel and capture Ark of The Covenant

1And the word of Samuel came to all [a]Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. 2Then the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was [b]defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field. 3And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has YHVH defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring אֶת ark of the covenant of YHVH from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.” 4So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there אֵ֣ת ark of the covenant of YHVH 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.

5And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. 6Now when the Philistines heard אֶת 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 YHVH had come into the camp. 7So 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. 8Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck אֶת Egypt with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. [c]Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!”

10So the Philistines fought, and Israel was [d]defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11Also the ark of Elohim was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

1 Samuel 4:1-11

“Shiloh was destroyed at the end of the Middle Bronze Age… inside and on top of the Middle Bronze fortification wall, there was an accumulation of earth, ashes and stones, nearly five feet thick.”

Professor Israel Finkelstein

Professor Finkelstein’s post MB (LB IIA) destruction level would correspond to destruction meted out by the Philistines after the Battle of Ebenezer.

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