The burden concerning the beasts of the Negev: Through a land of trouble and anguish, in which are lioness and lion, viper and flying serpent, they are carrying their riches on the backs of young donkeys, their treasures on camel humps, to a people who cannot profit them.
Yet with the rest he makes a god, his carved image. He falls down before it and worships. He even prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”
“Assemble yourselves and come, draw near together, fugitives of the nations! Those who carry their wooden idols have no knowledge, praying to a god who cannot save.
For because of your trust in your works and your treasures, you will be captured, too. Chemosh will go into exile, together with his priests and princes.
He will also carry off their gods into captivity to Egypt, along with their metal images and their precious articles of silver and gold. For a few years he will stay away from the king of the north.
Adonai has issued a command against you: no more will your name be spread. From the house of your gods I will cut off the idol and metal image. I will prepare your grave— for you have become worthless.
“You have taken away my gods which I made,” he said, “and the priest, and walked away! What do I have left? And how then do you say to me, ‘What’s the matter with you?’”
But when the Ashdodites arose early next morning, to everyone’s surprise, Dagon had fallen to his face on the ground before the ark of Adonai. So they took Dagon up and put him back in his place.