5 Ngenxa yoko ababingeleli bakaDagon, nabo bonke abangenayo endlwini kaDagon, àbanyatheli embundwini womnyango wendlu kaDagon eAshdode unanamhla.
6 Saba nzima isandla sikaYehova phezu kwabaseAshdode, sabaphanzisa, sababetha ngamathumba, iAshdode ke nemida yayo.
7 Akubona amadoda aseAshdode ukuba kunjalo, athi, Ityeya yoThixo kaSirayeli mayingahlali kuthi; ngokuba isandla sakhe sinzima phezu kwethu, naphezu koDagon uthixo wethu.
8 Athumela ahlanganisela kuwo zonke izikhulu zamaFilisti, athi, Síyithini na ityeya yoThixo kaSirayeli? Zathi, Mayijike iye eGati. Ayijika ke ityeya yoThixo kaSirayeli.
9 Kwathi emveni kokujikwa kwayo, isandla sikaYehova saba phezu kwaloo mzi, sasisaqunge esikhulu kunene; wababulala abantu baloo mzi, kwathabathela kwabancinane kwesa kwabakhulu, bathi gqobhogqobho amathumba.
10 Bayithumela ityeya kaThixo e-Ekron. Kwathi, xa ifikayo ityeya kaThixo e-Ekron, bakhala abase-Ekron, besithi, Bayijikéle kuthi ityeya yoThixo kaSirayeli, ukuba isibulale thina nabantu bakowethu.
11 Bathumela, bazihlanganisa zonke izikhulu zamaFilisti, bathi, Yimkiseni ityeya yoThixo kaSirayeli, ibuyele endaweni yayo, ingasibulali thina, nabantu bakowethu; ngokuba ukuqungaqunga kokufa bekukho kuwo wonke umzi, besinzima kunene isandla sikaThixo khona.