1 Samuel 5 - The Ark Among the Philistines
The captured ark humbles Dagon and brings plague on the Philistines.
After the Philistines seize the ark in 1 Samuel 4, they set it beside their idol Dagon in Ashdod. Twice the statue is found fallen before the ark, and the second time its head and hands are broken off on the threshold.
Now, the Philistines, having taken the ark of God,—brought it in from Eben-ezer, unto Ashdod.
And, when the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon,—and placed it by the side of Dagon.
And, when they of Ashdod rose early on the morrow and entered into the house of Dagon, they looked and lo! Dagon, was lying prostrate on his face to the earth, before the ark of Yahweh,—so they took Dagon and restored him to his place.
And, when they rose up early in the morning of the morrow, lo! Dagon, was lying prostrate on his face to the earth, before the ark of Yahweh—and, the head of Dagon, and both the palms of his hands, had been cut off against the threshold, only, Dagon himself, was left to him.
For this cause, do not the priests of Dagon, nor any that enter into the house of Dagon, tread upon the threshold of Dagon, in Ashdod,—until this day.
Then was the hand of Yahweh heavy against them of Ashdod, and he astounded them,—and smote with tumours Ashdod and her bounds.
And, when the men of Ashdod saw that, so, it was, then kept they saying, Let not the ark of the God of Israel abide with us, for, hard, is his hand upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said—What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they said: To Gath, let the ark of the God of Israel go round. So they took round the ark of the God of Israel.
And so it was, after they had taken it round, then was the hand of Yahweh against the city, with an exceeding great consternation, and he smote the men of the city, from the least, even unto the greatest,—and they brake out with tumours.
Then sent they the ark of God to Ekron,—and so it was, when the ark of God entered Ekron, that the Ekronites made outcry, saying—They have brought round unto me the ark of the God of Israel, to slay me, and my people!
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said—Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and restore it to its own place, that it slay not me, and my people. For there had come a deadly consternation, throughout all the city, heavy exceedingly, was the hand of God there.
And, the men who died not, were smitten with the tumours,—so the cry of the city for help, ascended the heavens.