First Reading
1 Samuel 4:1-11
Read this as the first big movement of the day. Notice what God is doing, who is speaking, and what part of the story or teaching should stay with you.
1And it happened in those days, that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight: and Israel went out to war against the Philistines, and camped by the Stone of help. And the Philistines came to Aphec,
2And put their army in array against Israel. And when they had joined battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, and there was killed in that fight here and there in the fields about four thousand men.
3And the people returned to the camp: and the leaders of Israel said: Why has the Lord defeated us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch to us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.
4So the people sent to Silo, and they brought from from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts sitting upon the cherubim: and the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were with the ark of the covenant of God.
5And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord was come into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, and the earth rang again.
6And the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, and they said: What is this noise of a great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
7And the Philistines were afraid, saying: God is come into the camp. And sighing, they said:
8Sorrow to us: for there was no such great joy yesterday and the day before: Sorrow to us. Who shall deliver us from the hand of these high gods? these are the gods that struck Egypt with all the plagues in the desert.
9Take courage and behave like men, you Philistines: lest you come to be servants to the Hebrews, as they have served you: take courage and fight.
10So the Philistines fought, and Israel was overthrown, and every man fled to his own dwelling: and there was an exceeding great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
11And the ark of God was taken: and the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were killed.