what seemeth him good."

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and let none of his words
fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew
that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

HOW THE WICKEDNESS OF THE LEADERS BROUGHT SORE DEFEAT UPON ISRAEL AND
HOW ELI DIED WHEN HE HEARD THE NEWS.

Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and camped
beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines camped in Aphek. And the
Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they
joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they
slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.

{343}{344}

[Illustration]
THE RUINS OF SHILOH (SEILUN), FROM THE NORTHEAST
Used by special permission of the Palestine Exploration Fund.

The mound is covered with foundations, heaps of stones, and walls.

"And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh
the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head."
Shiloh was one of the principal sanctuaries of Israel throughout the
time of the Judges. Here the ark was kept, and here Eli was living
when the man of Benjamin came out of the fatal fight to tell Eli
that his sons were slain and the Ark of God was taken by the
Philistines.
[End illustration]

{345}

And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel
said, "Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to-day before the
Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of
Shiloh unto us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand
of our enemies."

So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from thence the ark of
the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which sitteth upon the cherubim:
and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark
of the covenant of God. And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord
came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the
earth rang again. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the
shout, they said, "What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the
camp of the Hebrews?"

And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God is come into the
camp." And they said, "Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a
thing heretofore. Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of
these mighty gods? these are the gods that smote the Egyptians