1 Samuel 5
Dagon Fell Face Down Before the Ark
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The Ark in the House of Dagon
5:1The foreigners took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
5:2The foreigners took the ark of the Lord, brought it into Dagon’s house, and placed it beside Dagon.
5:3The Ashdodites rose early, entered Dagon’s house, and looked: there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of God. They raised Dagon and restored him to his place. The Lord’s hand became heavy upon the Ashdodites. He tormented them and struck them on their buttocks—Ashdod and its territory.
5:4When they rose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the Lord’s covenant. Dagon’s head and both soles of his hands were severed, each upon the front parts of amapheth; both wrists of his hands had fallen at the doorway. Only Dagon’s back remained.
5:5That is why Dagon’s priests and everyone entering Dagon’s house do not step on the step of Dagon’s house in Ashdod to this day: they always step over it.
The Hand of the Lord upon Ashdod
5:6The Lord’s hand became heavy upon Ashdod. He brought affliction upon them, and it broke out upon them into the ships. Mice sprang up in the middle of its territory, and there was great deadly turmoil in the city.
5:7When Ashdod’s men saw that it was so, they said, “The ark of Israel’s God must not stay with us, for His hand is harsh upon us and upon Dagon our god.”
5:8They sent and gathered the foreigners’ satraps to them. They said, “What shall we do with the ark of Israel’s God?” The Gathites said, “Let the ark of God come over to us.” So the ark of God came over to Gath.
5:9After it came over, the Lord’s hand was in the city, with exceedingly great turmoil. He struck the city’s men, small and great, and struck them on their buttocks. The Gathites made seats for themselves.
The Ark Sent to Ashkelon
5:10They sent the ark of God away to Ashkelon. When the ark of God entered Ashkelon, the Ashkelonites cried out, “Why have you sent the ark of Israel’s God around to us to kill us and our people?”
5:11They sent and gathered the foreigners’ satraps. They said, “Send away the ark of Israel’s God. Let it settle in its place, and it will certainly not kill us and our people!” For exceedingly heavy deadly turmoil was throughout the city when the ark of Israel’s God entered there.
5:12Those who were alive and had not died were struck on their buttocks, and the city’s cry went up to heaven.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.