8. So they sent messengers and called together all five of the Philistine kings and asked them, “What shall we do with the Covenant Box of the God of Israel?”“Take it over to Gath,” they answered; so they took it to Gath, another Philistine city.
9. But after it arrived there, the Lord punished that city too and caused a great panic. He punished them with tumours which developed in all the people of the city, young and old alike.
10. So they sent the Covenant Box to Ekron, another Philistine city; but when it arrived there, the people cried out, “They have brought the Covenant Box of the God of Israel here, in order to kill us all!”
11. So again they sent for all the Philistine kings and said, “Send the Covenant Box of Israel back to its own place, so that it won't kill us and our families.” There was panic throughout the city because God was punishing them so severely.
12. Even those who did not die developed tumours and the people cried out to their gods for help.