The Ark among the Philistines
1 Now the Philistines had taken the ark of the Lord, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 The Philistines took the ark of the Lord and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod arose early the next day, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. They took Dagon and set him in his place again.
4 When they arose early the following morning, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both palms of its hands were cut off on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso was intact. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor anyone who comes into Dagon’s house step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. 6 But the Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and he destroyed them and struck them with tumors, Ashdod and its borders.
7 When the men of Ashdod saw this, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us, for his hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 They sent for all the rulers of the Philistines therefore, and they gathered together 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 over to Gath.” They carried the ark of the God of Israel there. 9 It was so, that after they had carried it there, the Lord’s hand was against the city, in great confusion; and he struck the men of the city, both small and great, so that tumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of the Lord to Ekron.
As the ark of the Lord came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel here to us, to kill us and our people.” 11 They sent for all the rulers of the Philistines, and they said, “Send the ark of the God of Israel away and let it go back to its own place, that it not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly panic throughout all the city. The hand of the Lord was very heavy there. 12 The men who did not die were struck with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.