I Samuelis 5
1 Philisthiim autem tulerunt arcam Dei, et asportaverunt eam a Lapide adiutorii in Azotum.
After the Philistines had 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.
carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.
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 morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.
4 Rursumque mane die altera consurgentes, invenerunt Dagon iacentem super faciem suam in terra coram arca Domini: caput autem Dagon, et duae palmae manuum eius abscissae erant super limen:
But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained.
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 is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the threshold.
6 Aggravata est autem manus Domini super Azotios, et demolitus est eos: et percussit in secretiori parte natium Azotum, et fines eius. Et ebullierunt villae et agri in medio regionis illius, et nati sunt mures, et facta est confusio mortis magnae in civitate.
Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.
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.
And when the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay here with us, because His hand is heavy upon us and upon our god Dagon.”
8 Et mittentes congregaverunt omnes satrapas Philisthinorum ad se, et dixerunt: Quid faciemus de arca Dei Israel? Responderuntque Gethaei: Circumducatur arca Dei Israel. Et circumduxerunt arcam Dei Israel.
So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel.
9 Illis autem circumducentibus eam, fiebat manus Domini per singulas civitates interfectionis magnae nimis: et percutiebat viros uniuscuiusque urbis, a parvo usque ad maiorem, et computrescebant prominentes extales eorum. Inieruntque Gethaei consilium, et fecerunt sibi sedes pelliceas.
But after they had moved the ark to Gath, the LORD’s hand was also against that city, throwing it into great confusion and afflicting the men of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.
10 Miserunt ergo arcam Dei in Accaron. Cumque venisset arca Dei in Accaron, exclamaverunt Accaronitae, dicentes: Adduxerunt ad nos arcam Dei Israel, ut interficiat nos et populum nostrum.
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order 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.
Then the Ekronites assembled all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people!” For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was heavy upon it.
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 caelum.
Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
