1 Samuel 5

1 Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

Now, the Philistines, having taken the ark of God, —brought it in from Eben-ezer, unto Ashdod.

2 The Philistines took it, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

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.

3 And the Ashdodites rose early on the next day, and look, Dagon had fallen on his face before the ark of YHWH. So they raised up Dagon and set him in his place again.

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.

4 And it happened when they arose early the next morning, look, Dagon had fallen on his face before the ark of YHWH; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold. Only Dagon's torso was intact.

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.

5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon's house, step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.

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.

6 But the hand of YHWH was heavy on the Ashdodites, and he ravaged them and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. And he brought up against them mice, and they burst out in their ships, and mice sprang up in the midst of their land, and there was a great terror of death in the city.

Then was the hand of Yahweh heavy against them of Ashdod, and he astounded them, —and smote with tumours Ashdod and her bounds.

7 When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, "The ark of God shall not stay with us; for his hand is severe on us, and on Dagon our god."

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.

8 So they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them, and said, "What shall we do with the ark of God?" Then the Gittites answered, "Let the ark of God be carried over to us." So they brought the ark of God to Gath.

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.

9 And it came about that after they had brought it around, the hand of YHWH was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them.

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.

10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. It happened, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, "Why have you brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people?"

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!

11 And they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, so that it will not kill us and our people." For there was a panic throughout all the city when the ark of God arrived there.

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.

12 The men who did not die were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

And, the men who died not, were smitten with the tumours, —so the cry of the city for help, ascended the heavens.