When the Ashdoditesaroseearlythe nextmorning,behold,Dagonhad fallenon his faceto the groundbeforethe arkof the LORD.So they tookDagonand sethim in his placeagain.
Then they tookthe oxwhichwas giventhem and they preparedit and calledon the nameof Baalfrom morninguntilnoonsaying,"O Baal,answerus." But therewas novoiceand nooneanswered.And they leapedaboutthe altarwhichthey made.
They have hands,but they cannotfeel;They have feet,but they cannotwalk;They cannotmakea soundwith their throat.
Let allthose be ashamedwho servegravenimages,Who boastthemselves of idols;WorshipHim, allyou gods.
For I will gothroughthe landof Egypton that night,and will strikedownallthe firstbornin the landof Egypt,bothmanand beast;and against allthe godsof EgyptI will executejudgments--I am the LORD.
The oracleconcerning Egypt.Behold,the LORDis ridingon a swiftcloudand is about to cometo Egypt;The idolsof Egyptwill trembleat His presence,And the heartof the Egyptianswill meltwithinthem.
He who is too impoverishedfor [such] an offeringSelectsa treethat does not rot;He seeksout for himself a skillfulcraftsmanTo preparean idolthat will not totter.
So the craftsmanencouragesthe smelter,[And] he who smooths[metal] with the hammer[encourages] him who beatsthe anvil,Sayingof the soldering,"It is good";And he fastensit with nails,[So that] it will not totter.
"They liftit upon the shoulder[and] carryit; They setit in its placeand it stands[there]. It does not movefrom its place.Thoughone may cryto it, it cannotanswer;It cannotdeliverhim from his distress.
But they are altogetherstupidand foolish[In their] disciplineof delusion--their idol is wood!
The LORDwill be terrifyingto them, for He will starveallthe godsof the earth;and allthe coastlandsof the nationswill bowdownto Him, everyonefrom his [own] place.
Wheneverthe uncleanspiritssawHim, they would fall down beforeHim and shout,"You are the Sonof God!"
Now the arkof the LORDhad beenin the countryof the Philistinessevenmonths.
"So you shall makelikenessesof your tumorsand likenessesof your micethat ravagethe land,and you shall givegloryto the Godof Israel;perhapsHe will easeHis handfrom you, your gods,and your land.
