1 The Philistines, having taken the ark of God, carried it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
2 The Philistines took the ark of God, brought it into Dagon's temple, and set it next to Dagon.
3 Early the next day the people of Ashdod got up, and there was Dagon fallen face down on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They lifted Dagon and returned him to his place.
4 Early the following morning they got up, and once more Dagon was fallen face down on the ground before the ark of the LORD. Dagon's head and both his hands lay cut off on the threshold; only Dagon's body was left of him.
5 For this reason, to this day, neither Dagon's priests nor anyone who enters Dagon's temple in Ashdod steps on Dagon's threshold.
6 The LORD's hand weighed heavily on the people of Ashdod. He brought devastation on them and struck them with tumors, Ashdod and its territory.
7 The men of Ashdod saw what was happening and said, "The ark of Israel's God must not remain with us, since his hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god."
8 They sent and summoned all the lords of the Philistines to them and asked, "What are we to do with the ark of Israel's God?" They answered, "Have the ark of Israel's God moved over to Gath." So they moved the ark of the God of Israel there.
9 After they had moved it, the LORD's hand came against that city, and there was a very great panic. He struck the men of the city, from the least to the greatest, and tumors broke out on them.
10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As soon as the ark of God reached Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, "They have brought the ark of Israel's God over to me to kill me and my people!"
11 They sent and summoned all the lords of the Philistines and said, "Send the ark of Israel's God away; let it go back to its own place, so it will not kill me and my people." For a deadly panic had spread through the whole city; God's hand weighed very heavily there.
12 Those who did not die were struck with tumors, and the city's cry for help went up to the heavens.