Now the Philistines took the ark of God and ^abrought it from Ebenezer to ^bAshdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into ^athe house of Dagon, and placed it beside Dagon. 3 When the Ashdodites got up early the next day, behold, ^aDagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and ^bset him back in his place. 4 But when they got up early the next morning, behold, ^aDagon 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; ¹only the torso of Dagon was left. 5 For that reason neither the priests of Dagon nor any who enter Dagon’s house ^astep on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 Now ^athe hand of the LORD was heavy on the Ashdodites, and ^bHe made them feel devastated and struck them with ^ctumors, 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 ^agathered 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 ¹brought to Gath.” So they took the ark of the God of Israel away. 9 After they had taken it away, ^athe 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 ^btumors 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 ¹us, to kill ²us and ³our people!” 11 Therefore they ^asent 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 ¹us and ²our people!” For there was a deadly panic throughout the city; ^bthe hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the people who did not die were struck with tumors, and ^athe outcry of the city went up to heaven.

Then the Philistines ^atook the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to ^1bAshdod. 2 They took the ark of God and brought it into ^athe house of Dagon and set it beside the image of Dagon their chief idol. 3 When the people of Ashdod got up early the next day, behold, ^aDagon had fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and ^breturned him to his place. 4 But when they got up early the next morning, behold, ^aDagon had again fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD, and his head and both palms of his hands were lying cut off on the threshold; only the trunk portion of the idol of Dagon was left on him. 5 This is the reason neither the priests of Dagon nor any who enter Dagon’s house ^astep on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 Then ^athe hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and ^bHe caused them to be dumbfounded and struck them with ^1ctumors, both Ashdod and its territory. 7 When the men of Ashdod saw what had happened, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 So they sent word and ^agathered all the lords (governors) of the Philistines to them and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to ¹Gath.” So they took the ark of the God of Israel there. 9 But it happened that after they had taken it to Gath, ^athe hand of the LORD was against the city, causing an extremely great panic because of the deaths from the plague, for He struck the people of the city, both young and old, and ^btumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to ¹Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel from Gath to ²us, to kill us and ³our people.” 11 So they ^asent word and gathered all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel; let it be returned to its own place, so that it will not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly panic throughout the city; ^bthe hand of God was very heavy (severe) there. 12 The men who had not died were stricken with tumors and ^athe cry of the city for help went up to heaven.

Now the Philistines took the ark of God and ^abrought it from Ebenezer to ^bAshdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to ^athe house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, ^aDagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and ^bset him in his place again. 4 But when they arose early the next morning, behold, ^aDagon had fallen on 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 on the threshold; ¹only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house ^atread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 Now ^athe hand of the LORD was heavy on the Ashdodites, and ^bHe ravaged them and smote them with ^ctumors, 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 ^agathered 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, ^athe hand of the LORD was against the city with very great confusion; and He smote the men of the city, both young and old, so that ^btumors 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 ¹us, to kill ²us and ³our people.” 11 They ^asent 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 ¹us and ²our people.” For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city; ^bthe hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men who did not die were smitten with tumors and ^athe cry of the city went up to heaven.