After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they carried it from Ebenezer to the city of Ashdod. There, they placed the Ark inside the temple of their god Dagon, setting it right beside the giant statue.
But early the next morning, the people of Ashdod came in and were shocked—Dagon had fallen forward, lying face-down on the ground before the Ark of the Lord.
Embarrassed, they lifted their god back into position.
The next morning, things got worse.
Dagon had fallen again—but this time, his head and both hands were snapped off, lying on the temple's threshold. Only the main part of his body remained.
From that day onward, no priest or worshipper of Dagon would step on that threshold in Ashdod.
Then the Lord's hand came heavily against the people of Ashdod. Disaster struck the city, and the people were afflicted with painful tumors.
Realizing what was happening, the people cried, "The Ark of the God of Israel cannot stay here! His hand is against us and against Dagon, our god!"
They gathered the rulers of the Philistines to decide what to do.
The leaders said, "Send the Ark to Gath."
So they moved it there.
But as soon as the Ark arrived in Gath, the Lord's hand struck that city too. Panic filled the streets, and young and old alike were afflicted with tumors. The people of Gath could not bear it.
So they sent the Ark to Ekron. But as soon as the Ark entered Ekron, the people cried out in terror, "They've brought the Ark of Israel's God here to kill us!"
The rulers of the Philistines were called together once again, and the people pleaded,
"Send the Ark back to Israel! If it stays here, it will destroy us completely!"
The whole city was gripped with fear, because the Lord's hand pressed heavily on them. Many were dying, and those who survived were still afflicted with tumors.
The cries of the city rose all the way to heaven.