Chapter 5: The Plague That Followed the Ark

But Dagon was only the beginning. The hand of the Lord fell heavy on the people of Ashdod. He struck them with tumors, and the city was thrown into panic. (1 Samuel 5:6)

THE PEOPLE OF ASHDOD“The Ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.”— 1 Samuel 5:7

They sent the Ark to Gath. The moment it arrived, the Lord struck that city too. Tumors broke out among the people, young and old, and a great panic seized the entire city. (1 Samuel 5:9)

They sent it to Ekron. But when the Ark entered the city, the people of Ekron saw what had happened to Ashdod and Gath, and they cried out before it even reached the center of town.

THE PEOPLE OF EKRON“They have brought the Ark of the God of Israel around to us to kill us and our people!”— 1 Samuel 5:10

The Philistine lords gathered to decide what to do. The Ark had destroyed their god, plagued their cities, and spread death wherever it was taken. Every city that received it begged to be rid of it.

THE PHILISTINE LORDS“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.”— 1 Samuel 5:11

The hand of the Lord was against every city that held the Ark. Those who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the cities went up to heaven. (1 Samuel 5:12) The Ark remained in Philistine territory for seven months. Seven months of plagues, panic, and death. The nation that had defeated Israel's army could not survive the presence of Israel's God. The question was no longer whether they would send the Ark back, but how.