1 Samuel
1 Samuel takes its name from Samuel, the prophet and judge who plays a central role in Israel’s transition from the period of the judges to the monarchy. The book follows the rise and fall of King Saul, the anointing of David, and the growing tension between outward appearance and inward faithfulness. Through Samuel, Saul, and David, 1 Samuel explores leadership, obedience, trust, and the consequences of turning away from God. It reveals the Lord as the true King who sees the heart, guides His people, and works through faithful obedience rather than human strength or status.
1 Samuel 5
The Ark Afflicts the Philistines
1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,
2 carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.
3 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 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 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 Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.
7 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 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 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.
10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!”
11 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 Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
Footnotes:
5:2 Literally set it beside Dagon
5:6 Hebrew; LXX and Vulgate include And rats appeared in their land, and death and destruction were throughout the city.
5:11 Or He will not
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) printed 2016, 2020, 2022, 2025 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, unfoldingWord, Bible Aquifer, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain. Free downloads and unlimited usage available. See also the Berean Literal Bible and Berean Interlinear Bible.Berean Standard Bible (BSB) • Audio narration by Barry Hays • Dedicated to the public domain (CC0)
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