1 Samuel5
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Now the Philistines had taken God’s ark, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
2The Philistines took God’s ark, and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon.
3When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark. They took Dagon and set him in his place again.
4When they arose early on the following morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso was intact.
5Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
6But Yahweh’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and he destroyed them and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders.
7When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us, for his hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.”
8They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over to Gath.” They carried the ark of the God of Israel there.
9It was so, that after they had carried it there, Yahweh’s hand was against the city with a very great confusion; and he struck the men of the city, both small and great, so that tumors broke out on them.
10So they sent God’s ark to Ekron. As God’s ark came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel here to us, to kill us and our people.”
11They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, “Send the ark of the God of Israel away, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly panic throughout all the city. The hand of God was very heavy there.
12The men who didn’t die were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Samuel 5.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Dagon is broken before the ark. (1–5). The Philistine smitten. (6–12).
vv1-5
See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be ready to sink, even then we may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. When Christ, the true Ark of the covenant, really enters the heart of fallen man, which is indeed Satan's temple, all idols will fall, every endeavour to set them up again will be vain, sin will be forsaken, and unrighteous gain restored; the Lord will claim and possess the throne. But pride, self-love, and worldly lusts, though dethroned and crucified, still remain within us, like the stump of Dagon. Let us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have them more entirely destroyed.
vv6-12
The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have enough of it.
Key Words
פְּלִשְׁתִּי: a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth
לָקַח: to take (in the widest variety of applications)
אָרוֹן: a box
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
אֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר: Eben-ha-Ezer, a place in Palestine
אַשְׁדּוֹד: Ashdod, a place in Palestine
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
דָּגוֹן: Dagon, a Philistine deity
יָצַג: to place permanently
Cross References
1 Samuel 5Explicit fulfillment of the covenant curse of botches/emerods threatened for disobedience.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explicitly censures those who leap or tread on the threshold, a superstition originating here.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Poetic description of God smiting His enemies in the hinder parts with emerods.
Supported by JFB
Establishes Dagon as the premier god of the Philistines, previously credited with defeating Samson.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels God executing judgment against foreign gods (Dagon) just as He did in Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The great cry going up to heaven echoes the plague of Egypt's midnight cry.
Prophetic parallel of the idols of Egypt trembling and falling before the presence of the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Prophetic parallel of Babylonia's idols (Bel and Merodach) being broken and confounded.
Mockery of helpless idols that have hands but cannot handle, mirroring Dagon's severed hands.
Geographical connection tracing the ark's journey from Eben-ezer, where Israel was defeated.
Supported by Matthew Poole