|
|
|
|
1. The Philistines carried God's Holy Box, from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
|
1. And the Philistines H6430 took H3947 H853 the ark H727 of God H430 , and brought H935 it from Ebenezer H4480 H72 unto Ashdod H795 .
|
|
2. They carried God's Holy Box into the temple of Dagon and put it next to the statue of Dagon.
|
2. When the Philistines H6430 took H3947 H853 the ark H727 of God H430 , they brought H935 it into the house H1004 of Dagon H1712 , and set H3322 it by H681 Dagon H1712 .
|
|
3. The next morning, the people of Ashdod got up and found Dagon lying face down on the ground before the Lord's Box. The people of Ashdod put the statue of Dagon back in its place.
|
3. And when they of Ashdod H795 arose early H7925 on the morrow H4480 H4283 , behold H2009 , Dagon H1712 was fallen H5307 upon his face H6440 to the earth H776 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 . And they took H3947 H853 Dagon H1712 , and set H7725 him in his place H4725 again.
|
|
4. But the next morning when the people of Ashdod got up, they found Dagon on the ground again. Dagon had fallen down before the Lord's Holy Box. This time, Dagon's head and hands were broken off and were lying in the doorway. Only his body was still in one piece.
|
4. And when they arose early H7925 on the morrow H4480 H4283 morning H1242 , behold H2009 , Dagon H1712 was fallen H5307 upon his face H6440 to the ground H776 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 ; and the head H7218 of Dagon H1712 and both H8147 the palms H3709 of his hands H3027 were cut off H3772 upon H413 the threshold H4670 ; only H7535 the stump of Dagon H1712 was left H7604 to H5921 him.
|
|
5. That is why, even today, the priests or other people refuse to step on the threshold when they enter Dagon's temple at Ashdod.
|
5. Therefore H5921 H3651 neither H3808 the priests H3548 of Dagon H1712 , nor any H3605 that come H935 into Dagon H1712 's house H1004 , tread H1869 on H5921 the threshold H4670 of Dagon H1712 in Ashdod H795 unto H5704 this H2088 day H3117 .
|
|
6. The Lord made life hard for the people of Ashdod and their neighbors. He gave them many troubles and caused them to get tumors. He also sent mice to them. The mice ran all over their ships and then onto their land. The people in the city were very afraid.
|
6. But the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 was heavy H3513 upon H413 them of Ashdod H795 , and he destroyed H8074 them , and smote H5221 them with emerods H6076 , even H853 Ashdod H795 and the coasts H1366 thereof.
|
|
7. They saw what was happening and said, "The Holy Box of the God of Israel can't stay here. God is punishing us and Dagon our god."
|
7. And when the men H376 of Ashdod H795 saw H7200 that H3588 it was so H3651 , they said H559 , The ark H727 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 shall not H3808 abide H3427 with H5973 us: for H3588 his hand H3027 is sore H7185 upon H5921 us , and upon H5921 Dagon H1712 our god H430 .
|
|
8. The people of Ashdod called the five Philistine rulers together and asked them, "What must we do with the Holy Box of the God of Israel?" The rulers answered, "Move the Holy Box of the God of Israel to Gath." So the Philistines moved God's Holy Box.
|
8. They sent H7971 therefore and gathered H622 H853 all H3605 the lords H5633 of the Philistines H6430 unto H413 them , and said H559 , What H4100 shall we do H6213 with the ark H727 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 ? And they answered H559 , Let the ark H727 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 be carried about H5437 unto Gath H1661 . And they carried H5437 H853 the ark H727 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 about thither .
|
|
9. But after the Philistines had moved God's Holy Box to Gath, the Lord punished that city. The people became very frightened. God caused many troubles for all the people�young and old. He caused the people in Gath to have tumors.
|
9. And it was H1961 so , that, after H310 they had carried it about H5437 H853 , the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 was H1961 against the city H5892 with a very H3966 great H1419 destruction H4103 : and he smote H5221 H853 the men H376 of the city H5892 , both small H4480 H6996 and great H1419 , and they had emerods H6076 in their secret parts H8368 .
|
|
10. So the Philistines sent God's Holy Box to Ekron. But when God's Holy Box came into Ekron, the people of Ekron complained. They said, "Why are you bringing the Box of the God of Israel to our city Ekron? Do you want to kill us and our people?"
|
10. Therefore they sent H7971 H853 the ark H727 of God H430 to Ekron H6138 . And it came to pass H1961 , as the ark H727 of God H430 came H935 to Ekron H6138 , that the Ekronites H6139 cried out H2199 , saying H559 , They have brought about H5437 H853 the ark H727 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 to H413 us , to slay H4191 us and our people H5971 .
|
|
11. The people of Ekron called all the Philistine rulers together and said to the rulers, "Send the Box of the God of Israel back home before it kills us and our people!" The people of Ekron were deathly afraid because God severely punished them there.
|
11. So they sent H7971 and gathered together H622 H853 all H3605 the lords H5633 of the Philistines H6430 , and said H559 , Send away H7971 H853 the ark H727 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 , and let it go again H7725 to his own place H4725 , that it slay H4191 us not H3808 , and our people H5971 : for H3588 there was H1961 a deadly H4194 destruction H4103 throughout all H3605 the city H5892 ; the hand H3027 of God H430 was very H3966 heavy H3513 there H8033 .
|
|
12. Many people died, and those who did not, had tumors. The people of Ekron cried loudly to heaven.
|
12. And the men H376 that H834 died H4191 not H3808 were smitten H5221 with the emerods H6076 : and the cry H7775 of the city H5892 went up H5927 to heaven H8064 .
|