1 T hen the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

The Philistines brought the ark of God from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

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

They took the ark of God into the house of Dagon and set it beside Dagon.

3 A nd when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again.

When they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon had fallen upon his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him in his place again.

4 A nd when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it.

But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had again fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and head and both the palms of his hands were lying cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left him.

5 T herefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

This is the reason neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 B ut the hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.

But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon the people of Ashdod, and He caused very deadly destruction and He smote the people with tumors or boils, both Ashdod and its territory.

7 A nd when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.”

When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.

8 T herefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away.

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? They answered, Let be carried around to Gath. So they carried the ark of the God of Israel there.

9 S o it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.

But after they had carried it to Gath, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing an exceedingly great panic, for He afflicted the people of the city, both small and great, and tumors or boils broke out on them.

10 T herefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!”

So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as came, the people of Ekron cried out, They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us to slay us and our people!

11 S o they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

So they sent and assembled all the lords of the Philistines and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel; let it return to its own place, that it may not slay us and our people. For there was a deadly panic throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

12 A nd the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

The men who had not died were stricken with very painful tumors or boils, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.