[1] Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from
Eben-ezer to Ashdod. [2] The Philistines took the ark of God, and brought
it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. [3] When they of Ashdod
arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the
ground before the ark of Yahweh. They took Dagon, and set him in his place
again. [4] When they arose early on the next day morning, behold, Dagon was
fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh; and the head of
Dagon and both the palms of his hands [lay] cut off on the threshold; only
[the stump of] Dagon was left to him. [5] Therefore neither the priests of
Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon`s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon
in Ashdod, to this day. [6] But the hand of Yahweh was heavy on them of
Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and
the borders of it. [7] When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they
said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us; for his hand is
sore on us, and on Dagon our god. [8] They sent therefore and gathered all
the lords of the Philistines to them, 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 carried about to Gath. They carried the ark of the God of Israel
[there]. [9] It was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand of
Yahweh was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the
men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them. [10]
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. It happened, as the ark of God came
to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the
ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people. [11] They sent
therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they
said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its
own place, that it not kill us and our people. For there was a deadly
confusion throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
[12] The men who didn`t die were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the
city went up to heaven.
