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Then the Philistines took the Ark of God and carried it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

The Philistines took the Ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

And when they of Ashdod rose the next day, in the morning, behold, Dagon had fallen upon his face on the ground, before the Ark of the LORD. And they took up Dagon and set him in his place again.

They also rose up early in the morning the next day. And behold, Dagon had fallen upon his face on the ground, before the Ark of the LORD. And the head of Dagon and the two palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold. Only the stump of Dagon was left of him.

Therefore, the priests of Dagon, and all who come into Dagon’s house, do not walk on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.

But the Hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories.

And when the men of Ashdod saw this, they said, “Do not let the Ark of the God of Israel remain with us! For His Hand is severe upon us, and upon Dagon, our god!”

They sent, therefore, and gathered all the princes of the Philistines to them, and said, “What shall we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?” And they answered, “Let the Ark of the God of Israel be carried around to Gath.” And they carried the Ark of the God of Israel around.

And when they had carried it around, the Hand of the LORD was against the city with very great destruction. And He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and they had tumors break out.

10 Therefore, they sent the Ark of God to Ekron. And as soon as the Ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought theArk of the God of Israel to us to kill us and our people!”

11 Therefore they sent and gathered together all the princes of the Philistines, and said, “Send away the Ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people!” For there was a destruction and death throughout all the city; and the Hand of God was very severe there.

12 And the men who did not die were struck with the tumors. And the cry of the city went up to Heaven.

The Ark in Ashdod and Ekron

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer(A) to Ashdod.(B) Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.(C) When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen(D) on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken(E) off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.(F)

The Lord’s hand(G) was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation(H) on them and afflicted them with tumors.[a](I) When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.” So they called together all the rulers(J) of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?”

They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.(K)” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.

But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic.(L) He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.[b] 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.(M)

As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.” 11 So they called together all the rulers(N) of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it[c] will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it. 12 Those who did not die(O) were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 5:6 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate tumors. And rats appeared in their land, and there was death and destruction throughout the city
  2. 1 Samuel 5:9 Or with tumors in the groin (see Septuagint)
  3. 1 Samuel 5:11 Or he

The Philistines and the Ark

When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from (A)Ebenezer to (B)Ashdod. Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside (C)Dagon. And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, (D)Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, (E)and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon (F)do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

(G)The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with (H)tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.” So they sent and gathered together all (I)the lords of the Philistines and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there. But after they had brought it around, (J)the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that (K)tumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.” 11 (L)They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. (M)The hand of God was very heavy there. 12 The men who did not die were struck with (N)tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.