I Samuelis 5

1 Philisthiim autem tulerunt arcam Dei, et asportaverunt eam a Lapide adiutorii in Azotum.

After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

2 Tuleruntque Philisthiim arcam Dei, et intulerunt eam in templum Dagon, et statuerunt eam iuxta Dagon.

They brought the Ark of God into the Temple of Dagon and placed it next to Dagon.

3 Cumque surrexissent diluculo Azotii altera die, ecce Dagon iacebat pronus in terra ante arcam Domini: et tulerunt Dagon, et restituerunt eum in locum suum.

When the people of Ashdod got up early the next day, they saw Dagon had fallen on his face in front of the Ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him back up.

4 Rursumque mane die altera consurgentes, invenerunt Dagon iacentem super faciem suam in terra coram arca Domini: caput autem Dagon, et duæ palmæ manuum eius abscissæ erant super limen:

When they got up early the next morning, they saw Dagon had fallen on his face in front of the Ark of the Lord, with his head and hands broken off lying on the doorstep. Only his body remained intact.

5 porro Dagon solus truncus remanserat in loco suo. Propter hanc causam non calcant sacerdotes Dagon, et omnes qui ingrediuntur templum eius, super limen Dagon in Azoto, usque in hodiernum diem.

(That's why the priests of Dagon, and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod, don't tread on the doorstep, even up to now.)

6 Aggravata est autem manus Domini super Azotios, et demolitus est eos: et percussit in secretiori parte natium Azotum, et fines eius. Et ebullierunt villæ et agri in medio regionis illius, et nati sunt mures, et facta est confusio mortis magnæ in civitate.

The Lord punished the people of Ashdod and its surrounding area, devastating them and plaguing them with swellings.

7 Videntes autem viri Azotii huiuscemodi plagam, dixerunt: Non maneat arca Dei Israel apud nos: quoniam dura est manus eius super nos, et super Dagon deum nostrum.

When the people of Ashdod saw what was going on, they said, “We can't let the Ark of the God of Israel remain here with us, because he is punishing us and Dagon our god.”

8 Et mittentes congregaverunt omnes satrapas Philisthinorum ad se, et dixerunt: Quid faciemus de arca Dei Israel? Responderuntque Gethæi: Circumducatur arca Dei Israel. Et circumduxerunt arcam Dei Israel.

So they sent for all the Philistine rulers and asked them, “What should we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?” “Take the Ark of the God of Israel to Gath,” they replied. So they moved it to Gath.

9 Illis autem circumducentibus eam, fiebat manus Domini per singulas civitates interfectionis magnæ nimis: et percutiebat viros uniuscuiusque urbis, a parvo usque ad maiorem, et computrescebant prominentes ex tales eorum. Inieruntque Gethæi consilium, et fecerunt sibi sedes pelliceas.

But once they'd moved the Ark to Gath, the Lord also took action against that town, throwing it into great confusion and attacking the people of the town, young and old, with a plague of swellings.

10 Miserunt ergo arcam Dei in Accaron. Cumque venisset arca Dei in Accaron, exclamaverunt Accaronitæ, dicentes: Adduxerunt ad nos arcam Dei Israel, ut interficiat nos et populum nostrum.

So they sent the Ark of God to Ekron, but as soon as it arrived, the leaders of Ekron shouted, “They've moved the Ark of the God of Israel here to kill us and our people!”

11 Miserunt itaque et congregaverunt omnes satrapas Philisthinorum: qui dixerunt: Dimittite arcam Dei Israel, et revertatur in locum suum, et non interficiat nos cum populo nostro.

So they sent for all the Philistine rulers and said, “Send the Ark of the God of Israel away, back to where it came from, otherwise it's going to kill us and our people.” People were dying throughout the town, creating terrible panic, for God's punishment was very hard.

12 Fiebat enim pavor mortis in singulis urbibus, et gravissima valde manus Dei: viri quoque, qui mortui non fuerant, percutiebantur in secretiori parte natium: et ascendebat ululatus uniuscuiusque civitatis in cælum.

Those who didn't die were plagued with swellings, and the cry for help from the town reached up to heaven.