1 Samuel 6:1

The burden of Egypt. “Behold, Yahweh rides on a swift cloud, and comes to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence; and the heart of Egypt will melt within it.

Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Yahweh helped us until now.”

Arise, Yahweh, into your resting place, you, and the ark of your strength.

The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.

They bear it on their shoulder. They carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands there. It cannot move from its place. Yes, one may cry to it, yet it can not answer. It cannot save him out of his trouble.

from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, which is counted as Canaanite; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,

She named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because God’s ark was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

Seek Yahweh and his strength. Seek his face forever more.

Bel bows down. Nebo stoops. Their idols are carried by animals, and on the livestock. The things that you carried around are heavy loads, a burden for the weary.

Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see what unrest is in her, and what oppression is among them.”

For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. I am Yahweh.

Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and Yahweh’s glory filled the tabernacle.

There were none of the Anakim left in the land of the children of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, did some remain.

from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.

The children of Dan set up for themselves the engraved image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.

God’s ark was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

He who brought the news answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and God’s ark has been captured.”

She said, “The glory has departed from Israel; for God’s ark has been taken.”

Now the Philistines had taken God’s ark, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark. They took Dagon and set him in his place again.

These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

Then Samuel said to the people, “Come! Let’s go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.”

“Now therefore arise, Yahweh God, into your resting place, you, and the ark of your strength. Let your priests, Yahweh God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in goodness.

He went out and fought against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab;

Lift up your heads, you gates! Be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in.

So I have seen you in the sanctuary, watching your power and your glory.

and delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversary’s hand.

Let all them be shamed who serve engraved images, who boast in their idols. Worship him, all you gods!

In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it;

He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up a carved image for him that will not be moved.

So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smoothes with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.

But they are together brutish and foolish, instructed by idols! It is just wood.

Yahweh will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the shores of the nations.

The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, “You are the Son of God!”

But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.

who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises;

Seek Yahweh and his strength. Seek his face forever more.