⁹ But when the Ark arrived at Gath, the Lord’s heavy hand fell on its men, young and old; he struck them with a plague of tumors, and there was a great panic.

⁶ Then the Lord’s heavy hand struck the people of Ashdod and the nearby villages with a plague of tumors.^[a]

¹³ So the Philistines were subdued and didn’t invade Israel again for some time. And throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the Lord’s powerful hand was raised against the Philistines.

¹⁵ The Lord struck them down until they had all been eliminated from the community.

¹⁵ But if you rebel against the Lord’s commands and refuse to listen to him, then his hand will be as heavy upon you as it was upon your ancestors.

A Vision of God at the Altar

9 Then I saw a vision of the Lord standing beside the altar. He said,

¹¹ Then the Ark of the Lord and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors were placed on the cart.

⁴ “What sort of guilt offering should we send?” they asked.

And they were told, “Since the plague has struck both you and your five rulers, make five gold tumors and five gold rats, just like those that have ravaged your land. ⁵ Make these things to show honor to the God of Israel. Perhaps then he will stop afflicting you, your gods, and your land.