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El arca en Asdod y Ecrón

Después de capturar el arca de Dios, los filisteos la llevaron de Ebenezer a Asdod y la pusieron junto a la estatua de Dagón, en el templo de ese dios. Al día siguiente, cuando los habitantes de Asdod se levantaron, vieron que la estatua de Dagón estaba tirada en el suelo, boca abajo, frente al arca del Señor. Así que la levantaron y la colocaron en su sitio. Pero, al día siguiente, cuando se levantaron, volvieron a encontrar la estatua tirada en el suelo, boca abajo, frente al arca del Señor. Sobre el umbral estaban su cabeza y sus dos manos, separadas del tronco. Por eso, hasta el día de hoy, ninguno de los que entran en el templo de Dagón en Asdod, incluso los sacerdotes, pisan el umbral.

Entonces el Señor descargó su mano sobre la población de Asdod y sus alrededores, y los azotó con tumores. La gente de Asdod reconoció lo que estaba pasando, y declaró: «El arca del Dios de Israel no puede quedarse en medio nuestro, porque ese dios ha descargado su mano sobre nosotros y contra nuestro dios Dagón».

Así que convocaron a todos los jefes filisteos y les preguntaron:

―¿Qué vamos a hacer con el arca del Dios de Israel?

―Trasladad el arca del Dios de Israel a la ciudad de Gat —respondieron los jefes.

Y así lo hicieron. Pero, después de que la trasladaron, el Señor castigó a esa ciudad, afligiendo con una erupción de tumores a sus habitantes, desde el más pequeño hasta el mayor. Eso provocó un pánico horrible. 10 Entonces enviaron el arca de Dios a Ecrón, pero, tan pronto como entró el arca en la ciudad, sus habitantes se pusieron a gritar: «¡Nos han traído el arca del Dios de Israel para matarnos a todos!» 11 Por eso convocaron a todos los jefes filisteos y protestaron: «¡Llevaos el arca del Dios de Israel! ¡Devolvedla a su lugar de origen, para que no nos mate a nosotros y a todos los nuestros!» Y es que el terror de la muerte se había apoderado de la ciudad, porque Dios había descargado su mano sobre ese lugar. 12 Los que no murieron fueron azotados por tumores, de modo que los gritos de la ciudad llegaban hasta el cielo.

The Philistines and the Ark

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it (A)from Ebenezer to Ashdod. When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of (B)Dagon[a] and set it by Dagon. And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, (C)fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and (D)set it in its place again. And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. (E)The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only [b]Dagon’s torso was left of it. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house (F)tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

But the (G)hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He (H)ravaged them and struck them with (I)tumors,[c] both Ashdod and its (J)territory. And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the (K)God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.” Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the (L)lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”

And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to (M)Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away. So it was, after they had carried it away, that (N)the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, [d]and tumors broke out on them.

10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!” 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 back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the (O)cry of the city went up to heaven.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 5:2 A Philistine idol
  2. 1 Samuel 5:4 So with LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT Dagon
  3. 1 Samuel 5:6 Probably bubonic plague. LXX, Vg. add And in the midst of their land rats sprang up, and there was a great death panic in the city.
  4. 1 Samuel 5:9 Vg. and they had tumors in their secret parts

The Philistines and the Ark

When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from (A)Ebenezer to (B)Ashdod. Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside (C)Dagon. And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, (D)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, (E)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 (F)do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

(G)The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with (H)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 (I)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, (J)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 (K)tumors broke out on them. 10 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.” 11 (L)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. (M)The hand of God was very heavy there. 12 The men who did not die were struck with (N)tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.