The five leaders of the Philistines watched what was happening and then returned to Ekron on the same day.p>

So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.p> <p class="bodytext">But when the ark of God arrived at Ekron, the residents of Ekron cried out saying, &#8220;They have brought the ark of the God of Israel here<n id="1" /> to kill our<n id="2" /> people!&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward, shouting a battle cry.<n id="1" /> They chased the Philistines to the valley<n id="2" /> and to the very gates of Ekron. The Philistine corpses lay fallen along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.

<p class="bodytext">These are the gold sores that the Philistines brought as a guilt offering to the <sc>Lordsc> &#8211; one for each of the following cities: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.

<p class="bodytext">The cities that the Philistines had captured from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath. Israel also delivered their territory from the control<n id="1" /> of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.