1 Samuel 5:6-12

6Now 1the hand of the Lord was heavy on the Ashdodites, and 2He ravaged them and smote them with 3tumors, both Ashdod and its territories.

7When 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 severe on us and on Dagon our god.”

8So they sent and 4gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they said, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” And they brought the ark of the God of Israel around.

9After they had brought it around, 5the hand of the Lord was against the city with very great confusion; and He smote the men of the city, both young and old, so that 6tumors broke out on them.

10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to 7us, to kill 8us and 9our people.”

11They 10sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it will not kill 11us and 12our people.” For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city; 13the hand of God was very heavy there.

12And the men who did not die were smitten with tumors and 14the cry of the city went up to heaven.