1 Samuel 5
1 The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
2 The Philistines took the ark of God, brought it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside Dagon.
3 The next day, the people of Ashdod rose early, and there was Dagon, fallen face down on the ground before the ark of the LORD. They took Dagon and put him back in his place.
4 The next day, they rose early in the morning, and there was Dagon, fallen face down on the ground before the ark of the LORD; Dagon’s head and both palms of his hands had been cut off at the threshold, and only Dagon remained on it.
5 That is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon do not step on Dagon’s threshold in Ashdod, to this day.
6 The hand of the LORD weighed heavily on the people of Ashdod; he devastated them and afflicted them with tumors, Ashdod and its territory alike.
7 When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel cannot stay with us, because his hand weighs heavily on us and on Dagon, our god.”
8 They sent for all the Philistine rulers and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They replied, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be taken to Gath.” So they took the ark of the God of Israel there.
9 After they had taken it there, the hand of the LORD came against the city, causing great panic; he struck the people of the city, young and old, and tumors broke out on them.
10 Then they sent the ark of God to Ekron. When the ark of God arrived in Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to me to kill me and my people!”
11 They sent for all the Philistine rulers and said, “Send the ark of the God of Israel away; let it return to its place, so it will not kill me and my people.” For there was deadly panic throughout the city; the hand of God weighed very heavily there.
12 Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the city’s outcry rose to heaven.
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