1 Samuel 5Previous Chapter | Next ChapterThe Philistines’ Troubles because of the Ark1The Philistines took the Ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.2Then the Philistines took the Ark of God, brought it to the temple of Dagon,Dagon was the principal deity of the Philistines.and placed it beside Dagon.3When the people of Ashdod got up the next morning, there was Dagon, lying on the ground before the Ark of the LORD. They took Dagon and put him back in his place.4But when they got up the next morning, there was Dagon, lying on the ground before the Ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both of his armsLit. both of the palms of his handswere broken off and lying on the threshold.Lit. broken off on the thresholdOnly the trunk ofThe Heb. lacks the trunk ofDagon was left intact.Lit. on it5This is why neither the priests of Dagon nor anyone who enters the temple of Dagon step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.6The hand of the LORD was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he devastated and afflicted them, Ashdod, and its territories with tumors of the groin.7When the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “Don’t let the Ark of the God of Israel stay with us, because his hand is severe against us and against Dagon our god.”8They sent messengersThe Heb. lacks messengersand gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “What shall we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?” They said, “Let the Ark of the God of Israel move to Gath.” So they moved the Ark of the God of Israel.9After they moved it, the hand of the LORD came against the town, causingLit. witha very great panic. He struck the men of the town, from young to old, and tumors of the groin broke out on them.10Then they sent the Ark of God to Ekron. When the Ark of God arrived in Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the Ark of the God of Israel to us to kill us and our people!”11They sent messengersThe Heb. lacks messengersand gathered together all the Philistine lords, saying, “Send away the Ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its place so that it does not kill us and our people.” For a deadly panic was all over the town, and the hand of God was very heavy there.12The people who did not die were afflicted with tumors of the groin, and the cry of the town went up to heaven.
and placed it beside Dagon.3When the people of Ashdod got up the next morning, there was Dagon, lying on the ground before the Ark of the LORD. They took Dagon and put him back in his place.4But when they got up the next morning, there was Dagon, lying on the ground before the Ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both of his arms
