5 When the Philistines took God's Covenant Box, they took it from Ebenezer to the town of Ashdod. [ a ] 2 They carried it into the temple of Dagon, their god. They put the box next to the idol of Dagon. 3 The next morning, the people in Ashdod got up early. They saw that Dagon had fallen down in front of the Lord 's Covenant Box. The idol's face was touching the ground. So they took Dagon and they put him back in his place.
4 The next morning, they got up early again. They saw that Dagon had fallen down in front of the Lord 's Covenant Box again! His head and both his hands had broken off. They were lying on the step of the temple's door. Only his body remained together. 5 Because of that, even today Dagon's priests and other people never walk on the step of Dagon's temple in Ashdod.
6 The Lord punished the people who lived in Ashdod. He caused them to have a lot of pain, as well as the people in the places near Ashdod. He caused tumours to grow on their bodies. [ b ] 7 When the people in Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, ‘The Covenant Box of Israel's God must not stay here with us. He is punishing us and our god Dagon.’
8 So the Philistine rulers met together. Ashdod's people asked them, ‘What should we do with the Covenant Box of Israel's God?’
The rulers answered, ‘Take it away to Gath.’ So the men took it to that city. [ c ]
9 After they had moved the Covenant Box to Gath, the Lord punished the people in that city too. He made them all very afraid. He caused tumours to grow on them, young people as well as old people. 10 So then they took God's Covenant Box to Ekron. [ d ]
When God's Covenant Box arrived in Ekron, the people screamed. They said, ‘They have brought the Covenant Box of Israel's God here! They want to kill us all!’ 11 So they called the Philistine rulers to meet together. Ekron's people said to them, ‘Take away the Covenant Box of Israel's God! Send it back to its proper place. If you leave it here, it will kill us and all our families.’
All the people in the town were afraid of death. God had already started to punish them a lot. 12 Many people had already died. All the other people in the town had tumours on their bodies. So they cried loudly up to the skies for help.
5 The Philistines carried God’s Holy Box, from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 They carried God’s Holy Box into the temple of Dagon and put it next to the statue of Dagon. 3 The next morning, the people of Ashdod got up and found Dagon lying face down on the ground before the Lord ’s Box.
The people of Ashdod put the statue of Dagon back in its place. 4 But the next morning when the people of Ashdod got up, they found Dagon on the ground again. Dagon had fallen down before the Lord ’s Holy Box. This time, Dagon’s head and hands were broken off and were lying in the doorway. Only his body was still in one piece. 5 That is why, even today, the priests or other people refuse to step on the threshold when they enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod.
6 The Lord made life hard for the people of Ashdod and their neighbors. He gave them many troubles and caused them to get tumors. He also sent mice to them. The mice ran all over their ships and then onto their land. The people in the city were very afraid. [ a ] 7 They saw what was happening and said, “The Holy Box of the God of Israel can’t stay here. God is punishing us and Dagon our god.”
8 The people of Ashdod called the five Philistine rulers together and asked them, “What must we do with the Holy Box of the God of Israel?”
The rulers answered, “Move the Holy Box of the God of Israel to Gath.” So the Philistines moved God’s Holy Box.
9 But after the Philistines had moved God’s Holy Box to Gath, the Lord punished that city. The people became very frightened. God caused many troubles for all the people—young and old. He caused the people in Gath to have tumors. 10 So the Philistines sent God’s Holy Box to Ekron.
But when God’s Holy Box came into Ekron, the people of Ekron complained. They said, “Why are you bringing the Box of the God of Israel to our city Ekron? Do you want to kill us and our people?” 11 The people of Ekron called all the Philistine rulers together and said to the rulers, “Send the Box of the God of Israel back home before it kills us and our people!”
The people of Ekron were deathly afraid because God severely punished them there. 12 Many people died, and those who did not, had tumors. The people of Ekron cried loudly to heaven.
5 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord . And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord ; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
6 But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
7 And 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 upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto 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 about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.
9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, 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 slay us and our people.
11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
5 Now the Philistines took the ark of God and ( A ) brought it from Ebenezer to ( B ) Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into ( C ) the house of Dagon, and placed it beside Dagon. 3 When the Ashdodites got up early the next day, behold, ( D ) Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord . So they took Dagon and ( E ) set him back in his place. 4 But when they got up early the next morning, behold, ( F ) Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord . And the head of Dagon and both palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; [ a ] only the torso of Dagon was left. 5 For that reason neither the priests of Dagon nor any who enter Dagon’s house ( G ) step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
6 Now ( H ) the hand of the Lord was heavy on the Ashdodites, and ( I ) He made them feel devastated and struck them with ( J ) tumors, both Ashdod and its territories. 7 When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, because His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 So they sent word and ( K ) gathered all the governors of the Philistines to them, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they said, “Have the ark of the God of Israel [ b ] brought to Gath.” So they took the ark of the God of Israel away. 9 After they had taken it away, ( L ) the hand of the Lord was against the city, creating a very great panic; and He struck the people of the city, from the young to the old, so that ( M ) tumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to [ c ] us, to kill [ d ] us and [ e ] our people!” 11 Therefore they ( N ) sent word and gathered all the governors 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 will not kill [ f ] us and [ g ] our people!” For there was a deadly panic throughout the city; ( O ) the hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the people who did not die were struck with tumors, and ( P ) the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
5 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer ( A ) to Ashdod. ( B ) 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. ( C ) 3 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. 4 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. 5 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 )
6 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 ) 7 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.” 8 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.
9 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.
