1 Samuel 5

1 Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

Now the Philistines had captured the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

2 The Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

The Philistines took the ark of God, brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it up beside Dagon.

3 And the Ashdodites rose early on the next day, and look, Dagon had fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they raised up Dagon and set him in his place again.

When the people of Ashdod got up early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen facedown on the ground before the ark of Yahweh. So they took Dagon and set him up in his place again.

4 And it happened when they arose early the next morning, look, Dagon had fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold. Only Dagon's torso was intact.

But when they got up early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen facedown on the ground before the ark of Yahweh. The head of Dagon and both of his hands were lying cut off in the doorway. Only the trunk of Dagon remained.

5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon's house, step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.

This is why, even today, the priests of Dagon and anyone who comes into Dagon's house does not step on the doorway of Dagon in Ashdod.

6 But the hand of the LORD was heavy on the Ashdodites, and he ravaged them and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. And he brought up against them mice, and they burst out in their ships, and mice sprang up in the midst of their land, and there was a great terror of death in the city.

Yahweh's hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod. He destroyed them and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories.

7 When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, "The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is severe on us, and on Dagon our god."

When the men of Ashdod realized what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay with us, because his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.”

8 So they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them, and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" Then the Gittites answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over to us." So they brought the ark of God to Gath.

So they sent for and gathered together all of the rulers of the Philistines; they said to them, “What should 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 carried the ark of the God of Israel there.

9 And it happened after they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them.

But after they brought it around, Yahweh's hand was against the city, causing a very great confusion. He afflicted the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them.

10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. It happened, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, "Why have you brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people?"

So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came into Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.”

11 And they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, so that it will not kill us and our people." For there was a very heavy terror of death throughout all the city when the ark of God arrived there.

So they sent for and gathered together all of the rulers of the Philistines; they said to them, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

12 The men who did not die were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

The men who did not die were afflicted with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to the heavens.