When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it
from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then the Philistines took the ark of God
and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon.
And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold,
Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the
LORD. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. But when
they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face
downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD, and the head of
Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only
the trunk of Dagon was left to him. This is why the priests of
Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the
threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

  The hand of the LORD was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and
he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its
territory. And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they
said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for
his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.” So they
sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and
said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They
answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to
Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there. But
after they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against
the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of
the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them. So
they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God
came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought
around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our
people.” They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of
the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel,
and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our
people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city.
The hand of God was very heavy there. The men who did not die were
struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001
by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.