When the menof Ashdodsawthat it was so,they said,"The arkof the Godof Israelmust not remainwith us, for His handis severeon us and on Dagonour god."
So Davidwas afraidof the LORDthat day;and he said,"Howcan the arkof the LORDcometo me?"
"Becauseyou did not [carry it] at the first,the LORDour Godmadean outburston us, for we did not seekHim according to the ordinance."
Pharaoh'sservantssaidto him, "Howlongwill thisman be a snareto us? Letthe mengo,that they may servethe LORDtheir God.Do you not realizethat Egyptis destroyed?"
The Egyptiansurgedthe people,to sendthem out of the landin haste,for they said,"We will allbe dead."
Pharaohsaid,"I will letyou go,that you may sacrificeto the LORDyour Godin the wilderness;onlyyou shall not govery faraway. Makesupplicationfor me."
Then Pharaohcalledfor Mosesand Aaronand said,"Entreatthe LORDthat He removethe frogsfrom me and from my people;and I will letthe peoplego,that they may sacrificeto the LORD."
"Makesupplicationto the LORD,for there has been enoughof God'sthunderand hail;and I will letyou go,and you shall staynolonger."
The LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,says,"Behold,I am going to punishAmonof Thebes,and Pharaoh,and Egyptalong with her godsand her kings,even Pharaohand those who trustin him.
"For becauseof your trustin your own achievementsand treasures,Evenyou yourselfwill be captured;And Chemoshwill gooffinto exileTogetherwith his priestsand his princes.
"Woeto us! Whoshall deliverus from the handof thesemightygods?Theseare the godswho smotethe Egyptianswith all[kinds of] plaguesin the wilderness.
Now the handof the LORDwas heavyon the Ashdodites,and He ravagedthem and smotethem with tumors,both Ashdodand its territories.
So they sentand gatheredallthe lordsof the Philistinesto them and said,"Whatshall we dowith the arkof the Godof Israel?"And they said,"Let the arkof the Godof Israelbe broughtaroundto Gath."And they broughtthe arkof the Godof Israel[around].
The menof Beth-shemeshsaid,"Whois ableto standbeforethe LORD,thisholyGod?And to whomshall He goup from us?"
