First Reading1 Samuel 4:1-11
From the First Book of Samuel
1The word of Samuel came to all Israel.
Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle,and encamped beside Ebenezer;and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.2The Philistines put themselves in array against Israel.When they joined battle,Israel was defeated by the Philistines,who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field.3When the people had come into the camp,the elders of Israel said,“Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines?Let’s get the ark of the Lord’s covenant out of Shiloh and bring it to us,that it may come among usand save us out of the hand of our enemies.”
4So the people sent to Shiloh,and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of Armies,who sits above the cherubim;and the two sons of Eli,Hophni and Phinehas,were there with the ark of the covenant of God.5When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp,all Israel shouted with a great shout,so that the earth resounded.6When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout,they said, “What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?”They understoodthat the Lord’s ark had come into the camp.7The Philistines were afraid,for they said, “God has come into the camp.”They said, “Woe to us!For there has not been such a thing before.8Woe to us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods?These are the godsthat struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.9Be strong and behave like men,O you Philistines,that you not be servants to the Hebrews,as they have been to you.Strengthen yourselves like men, and fight!”10The Philistines fought,and Israel was defeated,and each man fled to his tent.There was a very great slaughter;for thirty thousand footmen of Israel fell.11God’s ark was taken;and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.