1 Now the Philistines took the ark of God and abrought it from Ebenezer to bAshdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to athe house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, aDagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and bset him in his place again. 4 But when they arose early the next morning, behold, aDagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon's house atread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. 6 Now athe hand of the Lord was heavy on the Ashdodites, and bHe ravaged them and smote them with ctumors, both Ashdod and its territories. 7 When 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." 8 So they sent and agathered 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. 9 After they had brought it around, athe 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 btumors broke out on them. 10 So 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 us, to kill us and our people." 11 They asent 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 us and our people." For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city; bthe hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men who did not die were smitten with tumors and athe cry of the city went up to heaven.