Joshua and God's army went through the promised land, destroying the kingdoms there, because God gave the land to His people. After hundreds of years, the Israelites wandered away from God. Eli did not raise his sons to serve God. Then God gave him Samuel to raise to serve God. Eli's sons died in a battle against the Philistines, because they had taken the Ark of the Covenant to battle as a good luck charm. Eli died when he heard the news. The Israelites lost the war and the Ark of the Covenant. The Philistines were struck with plagues until they returned the Ark of the Covenant to the Israelites.
