The elders should have led the people in national repentance and inquired from the Lord after the battle defeat (see Joshua 7:1–26).1 From 1 Samuel 4:1 it is clear that all Israel knew that Samuel was a prophet called by God. Nevertheless, he is not consulted following the defeat of the Israelites. Presumably, because Eli and his sons were still in charge of things at the tabernacle, if any consultation did take place it would have included them and they did not have a problem with the ark being taken to the site of battle. This confirms to us that if the word of the Lord is to be heard in Israel, then the house of Eli must first come to an end.
3 And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.”