The Philistines placed Dagon in their idol temple, but it fell down because Yahweh had caused the staute to fall on it's face during the night. They repeated this for a second night with the same result. The people got sick with bubonic plague. They took it to Gath next (verse eight) and the people of Gath began dying of the plague. They took the Ark to Ekron (verse 10) and the people did not want it there. Finally they sent it back to Israel.