Go look at the city of Calneh, and from there go to the great city Hamath; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. You are no better than these kingdoms. Your land is no larger than theirs.
Solomon and all the Israelites celebrated the other festival that came at that time. People came from as far away as Lebo Hamath and the brook of Egypt. A great many people celebrated before the Lord for seven days, then seven more days, for a total of fourteen days.
The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and put them in the cities of Samaria to replace the Israelites. These people took over Samaria and lived in the cities.
Uzziah fought a war against the Philistines. He tore down the walls around their towns of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod and built new towns near Ashdod and in other places among the Philistines.
This message is to the city of Damascus: “The towns of Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, because they have heard bad news. They are discouraged. They are troubled like the tossing sea.
You are no better than Thebes, who sits by the Nile River with water all around her. The river was her defense; the waters were like a wall around her.
Then the Philistines sent the Ark of God to Ekron. But when it came into Ekron, the people of Ekron yelled, “Why are you bringing the Ark of the God of Israel to our city? Do you want to kill us and our people?”
The people of Ashdod called all five Philistine kings together and asked them, “What should we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?” The rulers answered, “Move the Ark of the God of Israel to Gath.” So the Philistines moved it to Gath.