The Ark with the Philistines

1 Samuel 5

Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. The Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of YHWH! They took Dagon and set him in his place again. When they arose early on the following morning, there was Dagon fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of YHWH! The head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were broken off on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso was intact. 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. But YHWH’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and he destroyed them and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders.

When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay with us, for ʜɪꜱ hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.” They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”

They answered, “Have the ark of the God of Israel be moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel there. It was so, that after they had carried it there, YHWH’s hand was against the city with a very great confusion; and he struck the men of the city, both small and great, so that tumors broke out on them. So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.

As the ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel here to us, to kill us and our people.” They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, “Y’all must send the ark of the God of Israel away, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly panic throughout all the city. The hand of God was very heavy there. Those who did not die were struck with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.