1 Samuel 5

1 After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

Now, the Philistines, having taken the ark of God, —brought it in from Eben-ezer, unto Ashdod.

2 They brought the Ark of God into the Temple of Dagon and placed it next to Dagon.

And, when the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, —and placed it by the side of Dagon.

3 When the people of Ashdod got up early the next day, they saw Dagon had fallen on his face in front of the Ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him back up.

And, when they of Ashdod rose early on the morrow and entered into the house of Dagon, they looked and lo! Dagon, was lying prostrate on his face to the earth, before the ark of Yahweh, —so they took Dagon and restored him to his place.

4 When they got up early the next morning, they saw Dagon had fallen on his face in front of the Ark of the Lord, with his head and hands broken off lying on the doorstep. Only his body remained intact.

And, when they rose up early in the morning of the morrow, lo! Dagon, was lying prostrate on his face to the earth, before the ark of Yahweh—and, the head of Dagon, and both the palms of his hands, had been cut off against the threshold, only, Dagon himself, was left to him.

5 (That's why the priests of Dagon, and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod, don't tread on the doorstep, even up to now.)

For this cause, do not the priests of Dagon, nor any that enter into the house of Dagon, tread upon the threshold of Dagon, in Ashdod, —until this day.

6 The Lord punished the people of Ashdod and its surrounding area, devastating them and plaguing them with swellings.

Then was the hand of Yahweh heavy against them of Ashdod, and he astounded them, —and smote with tumours Ashdod and her bounds.

7 When the people of Ashdod saw what was going on, they said, “We can't let the Ark of the God of Israel remain here with us, because he is punishing us and Dagon our god.”

And, when the men of Ashdod saw that, so, it was, then kept they saying, Let not the ark of the God of Israel abide with us, for, hard, is his hand upon us, and upon Dagon our god.

8 So they sent for all the Philistine rulers and asked them, “What should we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?” “Take the Ark of the God of Israel to Gath,” they replied. So they moved it to Gath.

So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said—What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they said: To Gath, let the ark of the God of Israel go round. So they took round the ark of the God of Israel.

9 But once they'd moved the Ark to Gath, the Lord also took action against that town, throwing it into great confusion and attacking the people of the town, young and old, with a plague of swellings.

And so it was, after they had taken it round, then was the hand of Yahweh against the city, with an exceeding great consternation, and he smote the men of the city, from the least, even unto the greatest, —and they brake out with tumours.

10 So they sent the Ark of God to Ekron, but as soon as it arrived, the leaders of Ekron shouted, “They've moved the Ark of the God of Israel here to kill us and our people!”

Then sent they the ark of God to Ekron, —and so it was, when the ark of God entered Ekron, that the Ekronites made outcry, saying—They have brought round unto me the ark of the God of Israel, to slay me, and my people!

11 So they sent for all the Philistine rulers and said, “Send the Ark of the God of Israel away, back to where it came from, otherwise it's going to kill us and our people.” People were dying throughout the town, creating terrible panic, for God's punishment was very hard.

So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said—Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and restore it to its own place, that it slay not me, and my people. For there had come a deadly consternation, throughout all the city, heavy exceedingly, was the hand of God there.

12 Those who didn't die were plagued with swellings, and the cry for help from the town reached up to heaven.

And, the men who died not, were smitten with the tumours, —so the cry of the city for help, ascended the heavens.