4 Kwakhona ngentsasa elandelayo bafike tyhini kwakhona nanko uDagoni equngquluze ngaphambi kwetyesi kaNdikhoyo! Ngoku wayeqhawuke intloko nezandla, zingasemgubasini wendlu leyo, yena uDagoni esele esisibhukubhuku nje. (
5 Unanamhla oku ababingeleli bakaDagoni, nabani na ongena endlwini kaDagoni eseAshdode, uyawutsiba umgubasi ngenxa yale ntlekele.)
6 UNdikhoyo wabaphatha gadalala abantu baseAshdode neziphaluka zayo. Wabathobela izibetho, wabathuthumbisa ngamathumba.
7 Athi amadoda alapho akuqonda le meko: “Le tyesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli mayisuke apha phakathi kwethu. Naku esimise kakubi kunye noDagoni uthixo wethu.”
8 Kwabizwa intlanganiso yeenkosi zamaFilistiya, kwabuzwa kuzo kwathiwa: “Nithi mayithiweni na le tyesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli?”Zaphendula zathi: “Mayisiwe eGati ityesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli.” Yasiwa apho ke.
9 Nalapho uNdikhoyo wabamisa kakubi abantu, batsho bazizantanta, wabathuthumbisa ngamathumba, omncinci nomdala ngokufanayo.
10 Yadluliselwa e-Ekron ityesi yomnqophiso kaThixo.Yathi isafikanje abantu balapho bakhalaza besithi: “Baze kusibulalisa ngalaa tyesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli thina nabantu bethu!”