1 Samuel, Chapter 5:

Verses from 1 Samuel, Chapter 5 of the book of 1 Samuel of the Bible.

1 Samuel - Old Testament — 1 Samuel – Old Testament

The ark at Ashdod and Ekron

1. After the Philistines took the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
2. They placed it inside the temple of Dagon, next to the statue.
3. At dawn the next day, when the people of Ashdod got up, they found Dagon lying face down on the ground, before the ark of the Lord! They lifted up Dagon and put it back in its place.
4. But the next morning, when they woke up, there was Dagon again lying face down on the ground, before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken and lay on the threshold, only the body remained in its place.
5. Therefore, to this day, the priests of Dagon and everyone who enters his temple in Ashdod avoid stepping on the threshold.
6. After these events, the hand of the Lord turned against the people of Ashdod and the surrounding regions, bringing devastation to them and afflicting them with tumors.
7. Upon witnessing these events, the men of Ashdod said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is heavy upon us and upon our god Dagon.”
8. Then they called together all the leaders of the Philistines and asked them, “What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They replied, “Take the ark of the God of Israel to Gath.” And so the ark of the God of Israel was taken.
9. However, when the ark arrived in Gath, the hand of the Lord severely punished the city, causing great fear. He afflicted the people, young and old, with an epidemic of tumors.
10. At this, the inhabitants of Gath exclaimed: “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel here to kill us and our people!”
11. Then they called together all the leaders of the Philistines again and said, “Take away the ark of the God of Israel; may it return to its place, as it is bringing destruction and death upon us and our city.” For there was a deadly panic throughout the city, the hand of God was heavy upon them.
12. Those who did not die were afflicted with boils, and the cry of the city went up to the heavens.