5After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,H6430H3947H727H430H935H72H7952brought it into the temple of Dagonand placed it next to his statue.H6430H3947H727H430H935H1004H1712H3322H681H17123When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.H796H7925H4283H1712H5307H6440H776H6440H727H3068H3947H1712H7725H4725H77254But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. [This time], both Dagon's head and the palms of his hands were broken off and lying on the threshold. Only Dagon's torso remained.H7925H4283H1242H1712H5307H6440H776H6440H727H3068H7218H1712H8147H3709H3027H3772H4670H1712H76045That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and everyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on Dagon's threshold.H3548H1712H935H1712H1004H1869H4670H1712H795H31176The LORD severely oppressed the people of Ashdod, terrorizing and afflicting the people of Ashdod and its territory with tumors.H3027H3068H3513H796H8074H5221H2914H6076H795H13667When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, "The ark of Israel's God must not stay here with us, because His hand is severe against us and our god Dagon."H582H795H7200H559H727H430H3478H3427H3027H7185H1712H4308So they called all the Philistine rulers together and asked, "What should we do with the ark of Israel's God?" "The ark of Israel's God should be moved to Gath," they replied. So the men of Ashdod moved the ark.H7971H622H5633H6430H559H6213H727H430H3478H559H727H430H3478H5437H1661H5437H727H430H3478H54379After they had moved it, the LORD's hand was against the city of Gath, causing a great panic. He afflicted the men of the city, from the youngest to the oldest, with an outbreak of tumors.H310H5437H3027H3068H5892H3966H1419H4103H5221H582H5892H6996H1419H2914H6076H836810The Gathites then sent the ark of God to Ekron, but when it got there, the Ekronites cried out, "They've moved the ark of Israel's God to us to kill us and our people!"H7971H727H430H6138H727H430H935H6138H6139H2199H559H5437H727H430H3478H4191H597111The Ekronites called all the Philistine rulers together. They said, "Send the ark of Israel's God away. It must return to its place so it won't kill us and our people!" For the fear of death pervaded the city; God's hand was very heavy there.H7971H622H5633H6430H559H7971H727H430H3478H7725H4725H4191H5971H4194H4103H5892H3027H430H3966H351312The men who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.H582H4191H5221H2914H6076H7775H5892H5927H8064