1 Samuel 5

1 Then the Philistims tooke the Arke of God and caried it from Eben-ezer vnto Ashdod,

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

2 Euen the Philistims tooke ye Arke 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 when they of Ashdod rose the next day in the morning, beholde, Dagon was fallen vpon his face on the ground before the Arke of the Lord, and they tooke vp Dagon, and set him in his place againe.

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 Also they rose vp earely in the morning the next day, and beholde, Dagon was fallen vpon his face on the ground before the Arke of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and the two palmes of his hands were cut off vpon the thresholde: onely the stumpe of Dagon was left to him.

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 the Priests of Dagon, and all that come into Dagons house tread not on the thresholde of Dagon in Ashdod, vnto 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 heauie vpon them of Ashdod, and destroyed them, and smote them with the emerods, both Ashdod, and the coastes thereof.

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

7 And when the men of Ashdod sawe this, they sayd, Let not the Arke of the God of Israel abide with vs: for his hand is sore vpon vs and vpon 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 They sent therefore and gathered all the princes of the Philistims vnto them, and sayde, What shall we doe with the Arke of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the Arke of the God of Israel be caried about vnto Gath: and they caried the Arke of the God of Israel about.

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 when they had caried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the citie with a very great destruction, and he smote the men of the citie both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret partes.

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 Therefore they sent the Arke of God to Ekron: and assoone as the Arke of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cryed out, saying, They haue brought the Arke of the God of Israel to vs to slay vs 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 Therefore they sent, and gathered together all the princes of the Philistims and sayd, Sende away the Arke of the God of Israel, and let it returne to his owne place, that it slay vs not and our people: for there was a destruction and death throughout all the citie, and the hand of God was very sore 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 And the men that dyed not, were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the citie went vp to heauen.

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