Ark Was Captured and returned by Philistines

This biblical story sounds authentic (the place of the first battle has even been conclusively identified) – and it proves beyond the reasonable doubt that by itself the Ark of the Covenant had no magical powers. All power was God’s – the Ark was only the conduit of that power at best.

According to the biblical narrative, elders of Israel decided to take the Ark out of its sanctuary at Shiloh onto the battlefield to assist them against the Philistines, having recently been defeated at the battle of Eben-Ezer. It turned out to be a very bad decision on their part.

For an unknown reason, they suffered another defeat – this time a genuinely catastrophic one. According to the biblical narrative, they lost 30,000 men (in reality probably much fewer but still suffered disastrous losses).

Both Hophni and Phinehas (acting High Priest and his assistant) were killed in the battle and Ark of the Covenant was captured by the victorious Philistines (pagans of Greek origin who resided in southern Canaan).

Prior to their death in battle, Hophni and Phinehas were criticized for engaging in illicit behavior, such as appropriating the best portion of sacrifices for themselves, and having sexual relations with the sanctuary’s serving women.

Transgressions of both kinds happened (and still happen) in just about every religion with no serious consequences for the perpetrators, but it appears that this time their sins got out of bounds… so God arranged for their defeat and death.

Interestingly, in the Talmud, In the Talmud, some commentators argue that Phinehas was innocent of the crimes ascribed to him and that Hophni alone committed them.

Jonathan ben Uzziel (a famous Jewish sage) declared that neither was wicked, and that this part of the biblical narrative, in which the crimes are imputed to them, should be regarded as having a figurative meaning. So, the jury is still out on these two – and on the true cause of the defeat of Israelites by the Philistines.

The Philistines took the Ark to several places in their country, and at each place misfortune befell them. At Ashdod it was placed in the temple of Dagon (regarded as the “father of gods” in Philistine mythology).

The next morning the statue of Dagon was found prostrate, bowed down, before it; and on being restored to his place, it was on the following morning again found prostrate and broken. This time, and this time its head and hands had also been broken off.

The people of Ashdod were smitten with tumors; and a “plague of rodents” (most likely, the bubonic plague) befell on the land of the Philistines. After the Ark was moved to Gath and then to Ekron, the “tumor curse” followed it.

Finally, the Philistines decided that they had enough – and returned the Ark to its rightful owners, But not before consulting their sages on the right way to do it to make sure that their misfortunes will end for good.

On the advice of these diviners, the Philistines made a guilt offering of five golden tumors and five gold mice (representing the five Philistine rulers). They then placed the gold along with the ark on a cart drawn by two milch cows, who head straight for Israel and do not waver.

The Ark was set up in the field of Joshua of Beit Shemesh, and the people of Beit Shemesh offered sacrifices and burnt offerings. According to the biblical narrative, out of curiosity, the people of Beit Shemesh gazed at the Ark, and as a punishment, God struck down seventy of them (powerful radiation appears to be involved).

It is important to mention that the Israelites often consulted the Ark (actually, God via the Ark of course) before each major battle – i.e., when they were planning to attack the Benjaminites at the Battle of Gibeah.

However, although under King Saul, the Ark was with the army before he first met the Philistines, Saul was too impatient to consult it before engaging in battle. Later the practice of consulting the Ark before the battle apparently fell out of favor.