The Wanderings of the Ark of the Covenant among the Philistines

After the Ark was captured by the Philistines in Aphek, they took it to Ashdod where it toppled the image of Dagon in his temple and brought about a plague. The Philistines then sent it inland to Gath, where it also caused an outbreak of plague. In desperation, it was next sent to Ekron, the Philistine town nearest to the territory of Israel and then returned to the Israelites in Beth Shemesh.