I Samuel 5 · שמואל א

And the Pelishtim took the ark of God, and brought it from Even-ha῾ezer to Ashdod.

When the Pelishtim took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

And they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, and behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

And they arose early on the next morning, and behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands lay severed on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with swellings, Ashdod and the surrounding areas.

And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Yisra᾽el shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.

They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Pelishtim unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Yisra᾽el? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Yisra᾽el be brought round to Gat. And they brought the ark of the God of Yisra᾽el there.

And it was so, that, after they had brought it round, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great panic: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they were inwardly struck with swellings.

Therefore they sent the ark of God to ῾Eqron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to ῾Eqron, that the ῾Eqronim cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Yisra᾽el to us, to slay us and our people.

So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Pelishtim, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Yisra᾽el, and let it go back to its own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly panic throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

And the men that died not were smitten with swellings: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.