1Now the P’lishtim had taken the Aron HaElohim, and they brought it from Even Ezer unto Ashdod. 2And the P’lishtim took the Aron HaElohim, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 3And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the Aron יהוה. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 4And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the Aron יהוה ; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands lay cut off upon the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
6But the hand of יהוה was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and He destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the borders thereof. 7And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The Aron Elohei Yisra’el shall not abide with us; for His hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.” 8They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the P’lishtim unto them, and said, “What shall we do with the Aron Elohei Yisra’el?” And they answered, “Let the Aron Elohei Yisra’el be carried about unto Gat.” And they carried the Aron Elohei Yisra’el about thither.
9And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of יהוה was against the city with a very great discomfiture; and He smote the men of the city, both small and great, and emerods broke out upon them. 10So they sent the Aron HaElohim to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the Aron HaElohim came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought about the Aron Elohei Yisra’el to us, to slay us and our people.” 11They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the P’lishtim, and they said, “Send away the Aron Elohei Yisra’el, and let it go back to its own place, that it slay us not, and our people.” For there was a deadly discomfiture throughout all the city; the hand of Elohim was very heavy there. 12And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
אוּפְלִשְׁתִּים לָקְחוּ אֵת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים; וַיְבִאֻהוּ מֵאֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר אַשְׁדּוֹדָה. בוַיִּקְחוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים וַיָּבִאוּ אֹתוֹ בֵּית דָּגוֹן; וַיַּצִּיגוּ אֹתוֹ אֵצֶל דָּגוֹן. גוַיַּשְׁכִּמוּ אַשְׁדּוֹדִים מִמָּחֳרָת וְהִנֵּה דָגוֹן נֹפֵל לְפָנָיו אַרְצָה לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן יהוה ; וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת דָּגוֹן וַיָּשִׁבוּ אֹתוֹ לִמְקוֹמוֹ. דוַיַּשְׁכִּמוּ בַבֹּקֶר מִמָּחֳרָת וְהִנֵּה דָגוֹן נֹפֵל לְפָנָיו אַרְצָה לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן יהוה ; וְרֹאשׁ דָּגוֹן וּשְׁתֵּי כַּפּוֹת יָדָיו כְּרֻתוֹת אֶל הַמִּפְתָּן רַק דָּגוֹן נִשְׁאַר עָלָיו. העַל כֵּן לֹא יִדְרְכוּ כֹהֲנֵי דָגוֹן וְכָל הַבָּאִים בֵּית דָּגוֹן עַל מִפְתַּן דָּגוֹן בְּאַשְׁדּוֹד: עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.
ווַתִּכְבַּד יַד יהוה אֶל הָאַשְׁדּוֹדִים וַיְשִׁמֵּם; וַיַּךְ אֹתָם בעפלים (בַּטְּחֹרִים) אֶת אַשְׁדּוֹד וְאֶת גְּבוּלֶיהָ. זוַיִּרְאוּ אַנְשֵׁי אַשְׁדּוֹד כִּי כֵן; וְאָמְרוּ לֹא יֵשֵׁב אֲרוֹן אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עִמָּנוּ כִּי קָשְׁתָה יָדוֹ עָלֵינוּ וְעַל דָּגוֹן אֱלֹהֵינוּ. חוַיִּשְׁלְחוּ וַיַּאַסְפוּ אֶת כָּל סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים אֲלֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה לַאֲרוֹן אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ גַּת יִסֹּב אֲרוֹן אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיַּסֵּבּוּ אֶת אֲרוֹן אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
טוַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי הֵסַבּוּ אֹתוֹ וַתְּהִי יַד יהוה בָּעִיר מְהוּמָה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד וַיַּךְ אֶת אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר מִקָּטֹן וְעַד גָּדוֹל; וַיִּשָּׂתְרוּ לָהֶם עפלים (טְחֹרִים). יוַיְשַׁלְּחוּ אֶת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים עֶקְרוֹן; וַיְהִי כְּבוֹא אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים עֶקְרוֹן וַיִּזְעֲקוּ הָעֶקְרֹנִים לֵאמֹר הֵסַבּוּ אֵלַי אֶת אֲרוֹן אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַהֲמִיתֵנִי וְאֶת עַמִּי. יאוַיִּשְׁלְחוּ וַיַּאַסְפוּ אֶת כָּל סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיֹּאמְרוּ שַׁלְּחוּ אֶת אֲרוֹן אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיָשֹׁב לִמְקוֹמוֹ וְלֹא יָמִית אֹתִי וְאֶת עַמִּי: כִּי הָיְתָה מְהוּמַת מָוֶת בְּכָל הָעִיר כָּבְדָה מְאֹד יַד הָאֱלֹהִים שָׁם. יבוְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לֹא מֵתוּ הֻכּוּ בעפלים (בַּטְּחֹרִים); וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעַת הָעִיר הַשָּׁמָיִם.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 