1 Samuel 5:1-12 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

1 Samuel 5. The Ark in the Philistine Cities.

1 Samuel 5:1. Ashdod. 1 Samuel 5:8. Gath. 1 Samuel 5:10. Ekron: see Joshua 11:22; Joshua 13:3; p 28.

1 Samuel 5:2. Dagon: see Judges 16:23 *.

1 Samuel 5:3. The Ark is thought of as possessing marvellous inherent powers; it brings disaster on those who treat it disrespectfully, Philistines, Bethshemites, Uzzah; and blessing on those whom it favours, Obed-edom (Joshua 3:4 *).

1 Samuel 5:4. stump: this word, absent from the Heb., is found in the versions, and belonged to the original text.

1 Samuel 5:5. Erroneous theory; the rite is found elsewhere [Zephaniah 1:9. For the probable explanation see Exodus 12:22 *. A. S. P.]

1 Samuel 5:6. tumours: better plague boils (mg.). A natural theory would be that contagion was carried from one Philistine city to another, and then to Beth-shemesh. [8. The advice seems strange, for if the Ark inflicted such mischief on Ashdod, similar calamities might be expected to fall on Gath; and the Ekronites in fact anticipate fatal consequences after its deadly work at Ashdod and Gath. The principle seems to be analogous to that on which Balak acts. When after sacrifice on one spot Balaam is forced to bless Israel, Balak changes the place, hoping that Yahweh who has frustrated his purpose in one locality will prove more amenable in another (* Numbers 23:13; Numbers 23:27). So the Philistines seem to argue; at first the thought does not occur to them to send back this most precious trophy, this powerful talisman. But obviously the deity resident in the Ark dislikes Ashdod, perhaps Gath will be more agreeable. A. S. P.]

Related Commentaries of 1 Samuel 5:1

1 Samuel 5:1-12

1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.

5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.

6 But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.

7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.

8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.

9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.

10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people:a for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.