After suffering losses in battle against the Philistines at Ebenezer, the Israelite forces called for the ark of the covenant to be brought to the battle from Shiloh. But the Israelites were defeated again, and the Philistines captured the ark. The ark’s presence in each Philistine city caused the people to suffer terrible tumors, so it was sent away to another city. Eventually the ark was returned to Israel at Beth-shemesh, and then it was brought to Kiriath-jearim, where it remained for some 20 years.
