The Ark of God Goes Visiting

I Samuel, chapter 5, verses 1 through 8: Whenthe Philistines captured the ark of God, theybrought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Thenthe Philistines took the ark of God andbrought it into the house of Dagon and set itup beside Dagon. 3 And when the people ofAshdod rose early the next day, behold,Dagon had fallen face downward on theground before the ark of the LORD. So theytook Dagon and put him back in his place. 4But when they rose early on the nextmorning, behold, Dagon had fallen facedownward on the ground before the ark ofthe LORD, and the head of Dagon and bothhis hands were lying cut off on thethreshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was leftto him. 5 This is why the priests of Dagonand all who enter the house of Dagon do nottread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdodto this day. 6 The hand of the LORD washeavy against the people of Ashdod, and heterrified and afflicted them with tumors,both Ashdod and its territory. 7 And whenthe men of Ashdod saw how things were,they said, “The ark of the God of Israel mustnot remain with us, for his hand is hardagainst us and against Dagon our god.” 8 Sothey sent and gathered together all the lordsof the Philistines and said, “What shall wedo with the ark of the God of Israel?” Theyanswered, “Let the ark of the God of Israelbe brought around to Gath.” So they broughtthe ark of the God of Israel there.