The ark in Ashdod and Ekron
1After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. 3When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 5That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.
6The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumours.5:6 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate tumours. And rats appeared in their land, and there was death and destruction throughout the city 7When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, ‘The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.’ 8So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, ‘What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?’
They answered, ‘Let the ark of the god of Israel be moved to Gath.’ So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
9But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumours.5:9 Or with tumours in the groin (see Septuagint) 10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.
As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, ‘They have brought the ark of the god of Israel round to us to kill us and our people.’ 11So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, ‘Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it5:11 Or he will kill us and our people.’ For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it. 12Those who did not die were afflicted with tumours, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
Arken hos filistrene
1Imidlertid bragte filistrene Guds Ark fra slagmarken ved Eben-Ezer til byen Ashdod 2og ind i deres afgudstempel, hvor den blev stillet ved siden af statuen af deres afgud, som hed Dagon. 3Næste morgen kom byens indbyggere til templet for at se arken. Men dér lå Dagon næsegrus på jorden foran Guds Ark. De skyndte sig at stille ham på plads igen, 4men næste morgen lå Dagon igen næsegrus på jorden foran Guds Ark. Hovedet og hænderne var tilmed brækket af og lå på dørtærskelen, kun kroppen var tilbage. 5(Det er grunden til, at Dagons præster og de, som dyrker ham, den dag i dag undgår at træde på dørtærsklen til Dagons tempel i Ashdod.)
6Herrens straf kom over indbyggerne i Ashdod. Han sendte en frygtelig plage over dem, så der udbrød en epidemi af bylder både i Ashdod og i de omliggende landsbyer. 7Da folk blev klar over sammenhængen, udbrød de: „Vi vil ikke have Israels Guds Ark her i byen længere. Han er imod os og vil gøre det af med både os og vores gud, Dagon.” 8Så sammenkaldte de filisterbyernes fem konger til rådslagning. „Hvad skal vi gøre ved Israels Guds Ark?” spurgte de. „Lad os flytte den til Gat,” var der nogen der foreslog.
9Men da arken ankom til Gat, sendte Herren den samme plage over indbyggerne der. Både unge og gamle fik bylder, og de blev grebet af rædsel. 10Derfor sendte de arken videre til Ekron.
Da indbyggerne i Ekron så arken komme, protesterede de: „Nu bringer de Israels Guds Ark til os for at slå os ihjel!” 11Byens ledere sendte straks bud til filisterkongerne og bad dem om at sørge for at få arken sendt tilbage til israelitterne, for ellers ville de alle blive udryddet. Byldeplagen var allerede begyndt i Ekron, og indbyggerne var rædselsslagne. 12Nogle døde, mens resten blev dækket af bylder, og deres klageråb lød overalt.
