1 GLT Now the Philistines had taken the Box of God. And they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. BSB BSB: After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,
2 GLT And the Philistines took the Box of God, and brought it to the house of Dagon. And they placed it beside Dagon. BSB BSB: carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.
3 GLT And the Ashdodites rose early on the next day, and behold, Dagon had fallen to his face to the ground before the face of the Box of Yahweh! And they took Dagon and returned him to his place. BSB BSB: When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.
4 GLT And they rose early in the morning on the next day, and behold, Dagon had fallen to his face to the ground before the face of the Box of Yahweh! And the head of Dagon and the two of the palms of his hands were cut off, on the threshhold. Only Dagon was left on him. BSB BSB: But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained.
5 GLT Therefore, the priests of Dagon and all the ones who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshhold of Dagon in Ashdod, until this day. BSB BSB: That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the threshold.
6 GLT And the hand of Yahweh was heavy on the Ashdodites and he devastated them. And he struck them with tumors, Ashdod and its territories. BSB BSB: Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.
7 GLT And the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, and they said,“The Box of the God of Israel should not stay with us because his hand is hard on us and on Dagon our god.” BSB BSB: And when the men 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 upon us and upon our god Dagon.”
8 GLT And they sent and gathered all of the rulers of the Philistines to them. And they said,“What should we do with the Box of the God of Israel?” And they said,“Let the Box of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” And they brought around the Box of the God of Israel. BSB BSB: So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel.
9 GLT And it happened after they brought it around, that the hand of Yahweh was on the city, a very great tumult. And he struck the men of the city from small and as far as great. And tumors broke out to them. BSB BSB: But after they had moved the ark to Gath, the LORD’s hand was also against that city, throwing it into great confusion and afflicting the men of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.
11 GLT And they sent and gathered all the rulers of the Philistines. And they said,“Send away the Box of the God of Israel, and let it return to its place, and it will not put me and my people to death.” For there was a tumult of death in all the city. The hand of God was very heavy there. BSB BSB: Then the Ekronites called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people!” For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was very heavy upon it.
12 GLT And the men who did not die were struck with the tumors. And the cry of the city went up to the heavens. BSB BSB: Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.