1 Samuel 4:1

1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 Samuel 4:1 The ark of the covenant was the visible sign of God’s presence with Israel. After a disastrous defeat by the Philistines, the elders of Israel realize that the defeat was the work of the Lord, but apparently they do not seek to know how they have sinned. Instead, they decide that bringing the ark to the battlefield will save them. But that plan does not work. Israel is defeated, the ark is captured by the Philistines, and Eli and his sons die. However, the Lord cannot let the enemy think that they have defeated him. For seven months he causes plagues and disturbances wherever the Philistines take the ark, until they give up and send it back to Israel with a tribute of gold. The ark will then remain in Kiriath-jearim until David takes it to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:1). Samuel is completely absent from this story (reappearing in 1 Samuel 7:3), which indicates that these events took place while he was growing up.