సమూయేలు~ మొదటి~ గ్రంథము 5
൧ഫെലിസ്ത്യർ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പെട്ടകം എടുത്ത് അതിനെ ഏബെൻ-ഏസെരിൽനിന്ന് അസ്തോദിലേക്ക് കൊണ്ടുപോയി.
൨അവർ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പെട്ടകം ദാഗോന്റെ ക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ കൊണ്ടുചെന്ന് ദാഗോന്റെ വിഗ്രഹത്തിന്റെ അരികെ വച്ചു.
3 ౩ అయితే మరుసటి రోజు అష్డోదు ప్రజలు ఉదయాన్నే లేచి చూసినప్పుడు యెహోవా మందసం ముందు దాగోను విగ్రహం నేలపై బోర్లా పడి ఉంది. వారు దాగోనును పైకి లేపి దాని స్థానంలో తిరిగి నిలబెట్టారు.
൩അടുത്ത ദിവസം രാവിലെ അസ്തോദ്യർ എഴുന്നേറ്റപ്പോൾ ദാഗോൻ യഹോവയുടെ പെട്ടകത്തിന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ കമിഴ്ന്നുവീണ് കിടക്കുന്നത് കണ്ടു. അവർ ദാഗോനെ എടുത്ത് വീണ്ടും അവന്റെ സ്ഥാനത്ത് നിർത്തി.
4 ౪ ఆ తరువాతి రోజు ఉదయం కూడా దాగోను యెహోవా మందసం ఎదురుగా నేలపై బోర్లా పడి ఉంది. దాగోను విగ్రహం తల, రెండు అరచేతులు నరికివేసి గుమ్మం దగ్గర పడి ఉన్నాయి. దాని మొండెం మాత్రం దానికి మిగిలి ఉంది.
൪അതിനടുത്ത ദിവസവും രാവിലെ അവർ എഴുന്നേറ്റപ്പോൾ ദാഗോൻ യഹോവയുടെ പെട്ടകത്തിന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ കമിഴ്ന്നുവീണ് കിടക്കുന്നത് കണ്ടു. ദാഗോന്റെ തലയും അവന്റെ കൈപ്പത്തികളും വാതിൽ പടിമേൽ മുറിഞ്ഞുകിടന്നു; തലയില്ലാത്ത ഉടൽ മാത്രം ശേഷിച്ചിരുന്നു.
5 ౫ అందువల్ల ఈ రోజు వరకూ దాగోను యాజకులుగాని, గుడికి వచ్చేవారు గానీ, ఎవరూ అష్డోదులో దాగోను గుడి గడప తొక్కరు.
൫അതുകൊണ്ട് ദാഗോന്റെ പുരോഹിതന്മാരും ദാഗോന്റെ ക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ കടക്കുന്നവരും അസ്തോദിൽ ദാഗോന്റെ വാതിൽ പടിമേൽ ഇന്നും ചവിട്ടുകയില്ല.
6 ౬ యెహోవా హస్తం అష్డోదు వారిపై బహు భారంగా ఉంది. అష్డోదులో, దాని సరిహద్దుల్లో ఉన్నవారికి ఆయన తీవ్రమైన గడ్డలు రప్పించి వారిని చంపివేశాడు.
൬എന്നാൽ യഹോവയുടെ ശിക്ഷ അസ്തോദ്യരുടെമേൽ കഠിനമായിരുന്നു; അവൻ അവരെ നശിപ്പിച്ചു. അസ്തോദിലും അതിന്റെ അതിരുകളിലും ഉള്ളവർക്ക് മൂലരോഗം ബാധിച്ചു.
7 ౭ అష్డోదు ప్రజలు జరిగింది చూసి “ఇశ్రాయేలీయుల దేవుని మందసం మన మధ్య ఉండ కూడదు. ఎందుకంటే ఆయన హస్తం మనమీదా, మన దేవుడు దాగోను మీదా తీవ్రంగా ఉంది.” అని చెప్పుకున్నారు.
൭അങ്ങനെ സംഭവിച്ചത് അസ്തോദ്യർ മനസ്സിലാക്കിയിട്ട്: “യിസ്രായേലിന്റെ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പെട്ടകം നമ്മുടെ അടുക്കൽ ഇരിക്കരുത്; യഹോവയുടെ ശിക്ഷ നമ്മുടെമേലും നമ്മുടെ ദേവനായ ദാഗോന്റെ മേലും കഠിനമായിരിക്കുന്നു” എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു.
8 ౮ కాబట్టి వారు ఫిలిష్తీయుల నాయకులందరినీ పిలిపించి “ఇశ్రాయేలీయుల దేవుని మందసాన్ని మనం ఏమి చేద్దాం?” అని అడిగారు. అందుకు పెద్దలు “ఇశ్రాయేలీయుల దేవుని మందసాన్ని ఇక్కడనుండి గాతు పట్టణానికి పంపించండి” అని చెప్పారు. అప్పుడు వారు ఇశ్రాయేలీయుల దేవుని మందసాన్ని అక్కడనుండి గాతుకు తీసుకు వెళ్లారు.
൮പിന്നീട് അവർ ആളയച്ച് ഫെലിസ്ത്യരുടെ എല്ലാ പ്രഭുക്കന്മാരെയും വിളിച്ചുകൂട്ടി: “യിസ്രായേല്യരുടെ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പെട്ടകം സംബന്ധിച്ച് നാം എന്ത് ചെയ്യേണം?” എന്ന് ചോദിച്ചു. അതിന് അവർ: “യിസ്രായേല്യരുടെ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പെട്ടകം ഗത്ത് എന്ന സ്ഥലത്തേക്കു് കൊണ്ടുപോകട്ടെ” എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു. അങ്ങനെ അവർ യിസ്രായേല്യരുടെ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പെട്ടകം കൊണ്ടുപോയി.
9 ౯ వారు అష్డోదు నుండి గాతుకు దాన్ని మోసుకు పోయిన తరువాత యెహోవా హస్తం గాతులో పెద్ద కలవరం పుట్టించింది. ఆయన పెద్దలకు, పిల్లలకు వినాశం కలిగించాడు. వారి దేహాలపై గడ్డలు వచ్చాయి.
൯അവർ അത് കൊണ്ടുചെന്നശേഷം യഹോവയുടെ ശിക്ഷ ആ പട്ടണത്തെയും പട്ടണക്കാരെയും ബാധിച്ചു; അവർക്ക് മൂലരോഗം ബാധിച്ചു.
10 ౧౦ వెంటనే వారు దేవుని మందసాన్ని ఎక్రోనుకు పంపివేశారు. దేవుని మందసం ఎక్రోనులోకి వచ్చినప్పుడు ఎక్రోనీయులు కేకలు వేసి “మనలనూ మన ప్రజలనూ చంపివేయాలని వీరు ఇశ్రాయేలీయుల దేవుని మందసాన్ని మన దగ్గరికి తీసుకువచ్చారు” అన్నారు.
൧൦അതുകൊണ്ട് അവർ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പെട്ടകം എക്രോനിലേക്ക് കൊടുത്തയച്ചു. ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പെട്ടകം എക്രോനിൽ എത്തിയപ്പോൾ എക്രോന്യർ: “നമ്മെയും നമുക്കുള്ളവരെയും കൊല്ലുവാൻ അവർ യിസ്രായേല്യരുടെ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പെട്ടകം നമ്മുടെ അടുക്കൽ കൊണ്ടുവന്നിരിക്കുന്നു” എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞ് നിലവിളിച്ചു.
11 ౧౧ అప్పుడు ప్రజలు ఫిలిష్తీయుల పెద్దలను పిలిపించి “ఇశ్రాయేలీయుల దేవుని మందసం మనలను మన ప్రజలను చంపకుండా ఉండేలా దాన్ని దాని స్వస్థలానికి పంపించండి” అని చెప్పారు. దేవుని హస్తం శిక్ష అక్కడ ఎంతో భారంగా ఉంది. అందువల్ల మరణ భయం ఆ పట్టణం వారందరినీ అల్లకల్లోలం చేసింది.
൧൧അവർ ആളയച്ച് ഫെലിസ്ത്യരുടെ എല്ലാ പ്രഭുക്കന്മാരെയും കൂട്ടിവരുത്തി: “യിസ്രായേല്യരുടെ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പെട്ടകം നമ്മെയും നമ്മുടെ ജനത്തെയും കൊല്ലാതിരിക്കേണ്ടതിന് അതിനെ തിരിച്ചയയ്ക്കണം; അത് വീണ്ടും അതിന്റെ സ്ഥലത്തേക്ക് പോകട്ടെ” എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു. ആ പട്ടണത്തിലെങ്ങും മരണകരമായ പരിഭ്രമം ഉണ്ടായി; എന്തെന്നാൽ യഹോവയുടെ ശിക്ഷ അവിടെയും അതികഠിനമായിരുന്നു.
൧൨മരിക്കാതിരുന്നവർ മൂലരോഗത്താൽ ബാധിതരായി; പട്ടണത്തിലെ നിലവിളി ആകാശത്തിലേക്കുയർന്നു.
