⁹ But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic.^(A) He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.^{[a] 10} So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.^(B)

As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.” ¹¹ So they called together all the rulers^(C) of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it^[b] will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it.