1 Samuel 5:1-12
The Ark in Ashdod and Ekron
1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen 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 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.
6 The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors. 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 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.” 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. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.
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 of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it 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 were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
The Philistines carried God’s Holy Box, from Ebenezer to Ashdod... They carried God’s Holy Ark into the temple of Dagon and put it next to the statue of Dagon...The next morning, the people of Ashdod got up and found Dagon lying face down on the ground before the LORD's Ark...The people of Ashdod put the statue of Dagon back in its place...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 Ark...This time, Dagon’s head and hands were broken off and were lying in the doorway...Only his body was still in one piece...That is why, even today, the priests or other people refuse to step on the threshold when they enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod...
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...They saw what was happening and said, “The Holy Ark of the God of Israel can’t stay here...God is punishing us and Dagon our god.”...The people of Ashdod called the five Philistine rulers together and asked them, “What must we do with the Holy Ark of the God of Israel?”...The rulers answered, “Move the Holy Ark of the God of Israel to Gath.”...So the Philistines moved God’s Holy Ark...But after the Philistines had moved God’s Holy Ark 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...So the Philistines sent God’s Holy Ark to Ekron...But when God’s Holy Ark 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?”...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...Many people died, and those who did not, had tumors...The people of Ekron cried loudly to heaven...