1 Samuel 5 The Ark in the Land of the Philistines

1 Samuel 5 – 7 Judgement on the Philistines

The Philistines place the ark in the temple of their chief god, Dagon, as a trophy.  The next day the idol has fallen on its face before the ark.  They prop up Dagon, but when another night has passed he is found fallen again, with hands and head broken off.

 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.

6  But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.

Now the people suffer a plague of tumors (emerods in KJV).  The ark is moved from Ashdod to Gath, and the epidemic breaks out there as well!  In panic, the Philistines return the ark to the Israelites.

11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: [1] for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.