1 Samuel 5
5
The Philistines and the Ark
1When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from #ch. 4:1; 7:12 Ebenezer to #Josh. 13:3Ashdod. 2Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside #Judg. 16:23Dagon. 3And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, #[Isa. 46:1, 2]Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, #[Jer. 50:2; Ezek. 6:4, 6; Mic. 1:7]and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon #[Zeph. 1:9]do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
6 # [Ex. 9:3; Ps. 32:4; Acts 13:11] The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with #ch. 6:5tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. 7And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.” 8So they sent and gathered together all #Josh. 13:3the lords of the Philistines 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 Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there. 9But after they had brought it around, #ch. 7:13; 12:15; Deut. 2:15 the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that #[See ver. 6 above]tumors broke out on them. 10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.” 11#[See ver. 8 above] They sent therefore and gathered together 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, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. #[See ver. 6 above]The hand of God was very heavy there. 12The men who did not die were struck with #[See ver. 6 above]tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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1 Samuel 5
5
The Ark in Philistia
1After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from the battleground at Ebenezer to the town of Ashdod. 2They carried the Ark of God into the temple of Dagon and placed it beside an idol of Dagon. 3But when the citizens of Ashdod went to see it the next morning, Dagon had fallen with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord! So they took Dagon and put him in his place again. 4But the next morning the same thing happened—Dagon had fallen face down before the Ark of the Lord again. This time his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. Only the trunk of his body was left intact. 5That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor anyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod will step on its threshold.
6Then the Lord’s heavy hand struck the people of Ashdod and the nearby villages with a plague of tumors.#5:6 Greek version and Latin Vulgate read tumors; and rats appeared in their land, and death and destruction were throughout the city. 7When the people realized what was happening, they cried out, “We can’t keep the Ark of the God of Israel here any longer! He is against us! We will all be destroyed along with Dagon, our god.” 8So they called together the rulers of the Philistine towns and asked, “What should we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?”
The rulers discussed it and replied, “Move it to the town of Gath.” So they moved the Ark of the God of Israel to Gath. 9But when the Ark arrived at Gath, the Lord’s heavy hand fell on its men, young and old; he struck them with a plague of tumors, and there was a great panic.
10So they sent the Ark of God to the town of Ekron, but when the people of Ekron saw it coming they cried out, “They are bringing the Ark of the God of Israel here to kill us, too!” 11The people summoned the Philistine rulers again and begged them, “Please send the Ark of the God of Israel back to its own country, or it#5:11 Or he. will kill us all.” For the deadly plague from God had already begun, and great fear was sweeping across the town. 12Those who didn’t die were afflicted with tumors; and the cry from the town rose to heaven.
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