1 Now the Philistines took the ark of God and A1 Sam 4:1; 7:12brought it from Ebenezer to BJosh 13:3Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to AJudg 16:23-30; 1 Chr 10:8-10the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, AIs 19:1; 46:1, 2Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Loʀᴅ. So they took Dagon and BIs 46:7set him in his place again. 4 But when they arose early the next morning, behold, AEzek 6:4, 6; Mic 1:7Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Loʀᴅ. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; 1So with ancient versions; Heb only Dagononly the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house AZeph 1:9tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 Now AEx 9:3; 1 Sam 5:7, 11; Ps 32:4; 145:20; 147:6; Acts 13:11the hand of the Loʀᴅ was heavy on the Ashdodites, and B1 Sam 6:5He ravaged them and smote them with CDeut 28:27; Ps 78:66tumors, 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, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 So they sent and A1 Sam 5:11; 29:6-11gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they said, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” And they brought the ark of the God of Israel around. 9 After they had brought it around, ADeut 2:15; 1 Sam 5:11; 7:13; 12:15the hand of the Loʀᴅ was against the city with very great confusion; and He smote the men of the city, both young and old, so that B1 Sam 5:6tumors 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 around to 1Lit meus, to kill 1Lit meus and 2Lit myour people.” 11 They A1 Sam 5:8sent therefore and gathered all the lords 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 1Lit meus and 2Lit myour people.” For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city; B1 Sam 5:6, 9the hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men who did not die were smitten with tumors and AEx 12:30; Is 15:3the cry of the city went up to heaven.