1 Samuel 5:6-6:9

Christian Standard Bible

⁶ The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod.^(A) He terrified^(B) the people of Ashdod and its territory and afflicted them with tumors.^{[a][b](C) 7} When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of Israel’s God must not stay here with us, because his hand is strongly against us and our god Dagon.” ⁸ So they called all the Philistine rulers together^(D) and asked, “What should we do with the ark of Israel’s God?”

“The ark of Israel’s God should be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they moved the ark of Israel’s God. ⁹ After they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against the city of Gath,^(E) causing a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, from the youngest to the oldest, with an outbreak of tumors.^(F)

¹⁰ The people of Gath then sent the ark of God to Ekron, but when it got there, the Ekronites cried out, “They’ve moved the ark of Israel’s God to us to kill us and our people!” ^[c]

¹¹ The Ekronites called all the Philistine rulers together.^(G) They said, “Send the ark of Israel’s God away. Let it return to its place so it won’t kill us and our people!” ^[d] For the fear of death pervaded the city; God’s hand was oppressing them.^{(H) 12} Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.^(I)

The Return of the Ark

6 When the ark of the Lord had been in Philistine territory for seven months, ² the Philistines summoned the priests and the diviners^(J) and pleaded, “What should we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we can send it back to its place.”

³ They replied, “If you send the ark of Israel’s God away, do not send it without an offering.^(K) Send back a guilt offering to him,^(L) and you will be healed. Then the reason his hand hasn’t been removed from you will be revealed.”^[e]

⁴ They asked, “What guilt offering should we send back to him?”

And they answered, “Five gold tumors and five gold mice^(M) corresponding to the number of Philistine rulers,^(N) since there was one plague for both you^[f] and your rulers. ⁵ Make images of your tumors and of your mice that are destroying the land. Give glory to Israel’s God,^(O) and perhaps he will stop oppressing you,^[g](P) your gods, and your land.^{(Q) 6} Why harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened theirs?^(R) When he afflicted them, didn’t they send Israel away, and Israel left?^(S)

⁷ “Now then, prepare one new cart and two milk cows that have never been yoked.^(T) Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. ⁸ Take the ark of the Lord, place it on the cart, and put the gold objects that you’re sending him as a guilt offering in a box^(U) beside the ark.^(V) Send it off and let it go its way. ⁹ Then watch: If it goes up the road to its homeland toward Beth-shemesh,^(W) it is the Lord who has made this terrible trouble for us. However, if it doesn’t, we will know that it was not his hand that punished^(X) us—it was just something that happened to us by chance.”