1 Samuel 5

Capture of the Ark Provokes God

1Now the PhilistinesH6430 tookH3947 the arkH727 of GodH430 and 1broughtH935 it from EbenezerH72 to 2AshdodH795. 2Then the PhilistinesH6430 tookH3947 the arkH727 of GodH430 and broughtH935 it into 3the houseH1004 of DagonH1712, and placedH3322 it besideH681 DagonH1712. 3When the AshdoditesH796 gotH7925 upH7925 earlyH7925 the nextH4283 dayH4283, beholdH2009, 4DagonH1712 had fallenH5307 on his faceH6440 to the groundH776 beforeH6440 the arkH727 of the LordH3068. So they tookH3947 DagonH1712 and 5setH7725 him backH7725 in his placeH4725. 4But when they gotH7925 upH7925 earlyH7925 the nextH4283 morningH1242, beholdH2009, 6DagonH1712 had fallenH5307 on his faceH6440 to the groundH776 beforeH6440 the arkH727 of the LordH3068. And the headH7218 of DagonH1712 and bothH8147 palmsH3709 of his handsH3027 were cutH3772 offH3772 on the thresholdH4670; 7onlyH7534 the torso of DagonH1712 was leftH7604. 5For thatH3651 reasonH3651 neitherH3808 the priestsH3548 of DagonH1712 norH3808 anyH3605 who enterH935 Dagon’sH1712 houseH1004 8stepH1869 on the thresholdH4670 of DagonH1712 in AshdodH795 to thisH2088 dayH3117.

6Now 9the handH3027 of the LordH3068 wasH3513 heavyH3513 on the AshdoditesH796, and 10He made them feelH8074 devastatedH8074 and struckH5221 them with 11tumorsH6076, both AshdodH795 and its territoriesH1366. 7When the menH376 of AshdodH795 sawH7200 that it was soH3651, they saidH559, “The arkH727 of the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 must not remainH3427 with us, becauseH3588 His handH3027 isH7185 severeH7185 on us and on DagonH1712 our godH430.” 8So they sentH7971 word and 12gatheredH622 allH3605 the governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 to them, and saidH559, “WhatH4100 shall we doH6213 with the arkH727 of the GodH430 of IsraelH3478?” And they saidH559, “Have the arkH727 of the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 13broughtH5437 to GathH1661.” So they tookH5437 the arkH727 of the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 awayH5437. 9AfterH310 they had takenH5437 it awayH5437, 14the handH3027 of the LordH3068 was against the cityH5892, creating a veryH3966 greatH1419 panicH4103; and He struckH5221 the peopleH376 of the cityH5892, from the youngH6996 to the oldH1419, so that 15tumorsH6076 brokeH8368 outH8368 on them. 10So they sentH7971 the arkH727 of GodH430 to EkronH6138. And as the arkH727 of GodH430 cameH935 to EkronH6138, the EkronitesH6139 criedH2199 outH2199, sayingH559, “They have broughtH5437 the arkH727 of the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 to 16us, to killH4191 17us and 18our peopleH5971!” 11Therefore they 19sentH7971 word and gatheredH622 allH3605 the governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430, and saidH559, “SendH7971 awayH7971 the arkH727 of the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 and let it returnH7725 to its own placeH4725, so that it will not killH4191 20us and 21our peopleH5971!” For there was a deadlyH4194 panicH4103 throughoutH3605 the cityH5892; 22the handH3027 of GodH430 wasH3513 veryH3966 heavyH3513 thereH8033. 12And the peopleH376 whoH834 did not dieH4191 were struckH5221 with tumorsH6076, and 23the outcryH7775 of the cityH5892 wentH5927 upH5927 to heavenH8064.