When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What means the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? They understood that the ark of Yahweh was come into the camp.
This was probably the time when Shiloh, the religious centre of the nation, was destroyed (Psalms 78:60-61; Jeremiah 7:12,Jeremiah 7:14; Jeremiah 26:6). But the priests managed to escape to Nob, taking with them whatever they could of the house of God (see 21:1-6; 22:18-19; 1 Kings 8:4).