And whenthey of Ashdodaroseearly on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallenupon his face to the earthbefore the ark of the LORD. And theytookDagon, and set him in his placeagain.
And whentheyaroseearly on the morrowmorning, behold, Dagon was fallenupon his face to the groundbefore the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his handswere cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, theysaid, The ark of the God of Israelshall not abidewith us: for his hand is soreupon us, and uponDagon our god.
Theysenttherefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistinesuntothem, and said, Whatshall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And theyanswered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carriedaboutuntoGath. And theycarried the ark of the God of Israelaboutthither.
And it was so, that, afterthey had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the citywith a verygreatdestruction: and he smote the men of the city, bothsmall and great, and they had emerods in theirsecretparts.
Thereforetheysent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronitescried out, saying, Theyhavebroughtabout the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
So theysent and gatheredtogether all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Sendaway the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadlydestructionthroughout all the city; the hand of God was veryheavythere.