The Philistines captured the sacred chest

At that time the Israeli army went to fight against the army of the Philistine people. The Israeli army set up their tents at Ebenezer, and the Philistine army set up their tents at Aphek. 2 The Philistine army attacked the Israeli army, and as the battle continued, the Philistines defeated the Israelis and killed about 4,000 of their soldiers. 3 When the remaining Israeli soldiers returned to their camp, the Israeli elders/leaders said, “Why did Yahweh allow the Philistine army to defeat us today? We should bring the chest that contains the Ten Commandments here from Shiloh, in order that Yahweh will go with us when we go to the battle again, and in order that our enemies will not defeat us again!”

4 So the soldiers did that. They sent some men to Shiloh, and those men brought back the chest that contained the Ten Commandments. They thought that if they did that, Yahweh would help them. They believed that Yahweh sat on a throne between the statues of winged creatures that were on top of the chest that Yahweh Almighty had given them. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, went with them.

5 When the Israeli people saw the men bringing the box into their camp, they were so happy that they shouted loudly. They shouted so loudly that they made the ground shake! 6 The Philistines asked, “What are the people in the Hebrew camp shouting about?” Someone told them that they were shouting because the chest that contained the Ten Commandments of Yahweh had been brought to them. 7 Then the Philistines became very afraid. They said, “One of the Israelis’ gods has come into their camp to help them We are in big trouble now! Nothing like this has happened to us before! 8 ◄Who can/Can anyone► save us from their powerful gods [RHQ]? They are the gods who struck the people of Egypt with many plagues before the Israelis left Egypt and traveled through the desert. 9 You Philistine men, be courageous! Fight very hard! If you do not do that, they will defeat us, and then you will become their slaves, just like they have been our slaves previously!”

10 So the Philistine men fought very hard, and they defeated the Israelis. They killed 30,000 Israeli soldiers, and the other Israeli soldiers fled and ran away to their tents. 11 The Philistines captured the sacred chest, and they killed Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas.