Well, maybe. In the KJV, the Philistines are afflicted with hemorrhoids. (Actually it uses the archaic word emorods, but that's what it means.) In verse 9, they specifically had emorods in their "secret parts." Hey, it isn't funny -- Preparation H had yet to be invented.
However, later translators have decided that the Hebrew word has a more general meaning, and most translate it as tumors. One hypothesis is that this is intended as a reference to bubonic plague. A footnote in the New International Version, which I'm giving here, says that the Septuagint has rats appearing in the land in verse 5, which would support that except that it's lacking in the Masoretic text which suggests it's an interpolation. The Septuagint also has tumors in the groin, where the KJV has "secret parts," and swollen lymph nodes in the groin is one symptom of bubonic plague. Make of it what you will.
The whole point of this seems to be, as usual, to prove Yahweh's power and superiority over other Gods. We can deduce that he allowed the ark to be captured so he could carry out this demonstration.
I assume I don't have to tell you that Dagon is a statue.
5 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 5 That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.
6 The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors.[a] 7 When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?”
They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
9 But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.[b] 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.
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 of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it[c] will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it. 12 Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 5:6 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate tumors. And rats appeared in their land, and there was death and destruction throughout the city
- 1 Samuel 5:9 Or with tumors in the groin (see Septuagint)
- 1 Samuel 5:11 Or he
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