Shmuel I - Chapter 5

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

2. And the Philistines took the Ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon, and set it up beside Dagon.

3. And the Ashdodites arose early on the morrow, and behold, Dagon was falling face downward to the ground before the Ark of the Lord, and they returned him to his place.

4. And they arose early the next morning, and behold, Dagon was falling face downward to the ground, before the Ark of the Lord, and Dagon's head and the two palms of his hands were cut off, (and lying) on the threshold; only Dagon('s trunk) alone remained upon him.

5. Therefore, the priests of Dagon and all those who come to the house of Dagon, do not tread upon the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod until this day.

6. And the hand of the Lord became heavy upon the Ashdodites, and He ravaged them, and He smote them with hemorrhoids, Ashdod and its borders.

7. And the people of Ashdod saw that it was so, and they said, "Let not the Ark of the God of Israel dwell with us, for His hand is severe upon us and upon Dagon, our god.

8. And they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and they said, "What shall we do to the Ark of the God of Israel?" And they said, "Let the Ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath," and (thereupon), they brought the Ark of the God of Israel around to Gath.

9. And it was, after they had brought it around, that the hand of the Lord was upon the city (with) a great panic, and He smote the people of the city, both young and old, and hemorrhoids broke out in their hidden parts.

10. And they sent away the Ark of God to Ekron, and it was that when the Ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, "They have brought around the Ark of the God of Israel to me to kill me and my people.

11. And they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, "Send away the Ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its place, so that it will not kill me and my people," for there was a panic of death in the entire city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

12. And the people who did not die, were smitten with hemorrhoids, and the cry of the city ascended to heaven.