The Ark Among the Philistines

During a battle at Eben-ezer, the Philistines defeated Israel, prompting the Israelites to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh to their camp. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, accompanied the Ark (1 Samuel 4:4). In a second engagement, the Philistines killed 30,000 Israelite footmen, Hophni and Phinehas died, and the Philistines captured the Ark of God. Upon hearing that the Ark was taken and his sons were dead, Eli fell backward from his seat by the gate, broke his neck, and died (1 Samuel 4:18).

The Philistines carried the Ark to Ashdod and placed it in the house of Dagon. The next morning, the idol Dagon was found fallen on its face; after being reset, it was found the following day fallen again with its head and hands broken off (1 Samuel 5:4). The inhabitants of Ashdod were then afflicted with tumors. The Ark was moved to Gath and then to Ekron, but the hand of God brought destruction and tumors upon these cities as well. The text does not say the specific medical nature of these tumors, only that the cry of the city went up to heaven (1 Samuel 5:12).

After seven months, the Philistine lords returned the Ark to Israel on a new cart drawn by two cows, including an offering of golden tumors and golden mice. The cart arrived at Beth-shemesh, where the Levites took the Ark down (1 Samuel 6:15). Because the men of Beth-shemesh looked into the Ark, the Lord struck down many of the people. The Ark was subsequently moved to the house of Abinadab in Kiriath-jearim. Twenty years later, Samuel spoke to the house of Israel, directing them to put away foreign gods and serve the Lord only (1 Samuel 7:3). Under Samuel's leadership at Mizpah, the Israelites fasted, and when the Philistines attacked, the Lord thundered against them, allowing Israel to subdue them.