1 Samuel 5:1-6

The Ark in Ashdod and Ekron

1 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]

1 Samuel 5:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 5

This chapter relates how that the ark being brought by the Philistines to Ashdod, and placed in the temple of their idol, that fell down before it, 1Sa 5:1-5, that the hand of the Lord was upon the men of Ashdod, and smote them with emerods, 1Sa 5:6,7 and being carried to Gath, the men of Gath were smitten likewise with the same, 1Sa 5:8,9, and after that the men of Ekron, whither it also was carried, 1Sa 5:10-12.

Cross References

• 1. S 1 Samuel 4:1; 1 Samuel 7:12
• 2. S Joshua 11:22; S Joshua 13:3
• 3. S Judges 16:23; Isaiah 2:18; Isaiah 19:1; Isaiah 46:1
• 4. Isaiah 19:1; Isaiah 40:20; Isaiah 41:7; Isaiah 46:7; Jeremiah 10:4
• 5. Ezekiel 6:6; Micah 1:7
• 6. Zephaniah 1:9
• 7. ver 7; S Exodus 9:3; Psalms 32:4; Acts 13:11
• 8. ver 11; 2 Samuel 6:7; Psalms 78:66
• 9. S Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 28:27; 1 Samuel 6:5

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate "tumors. And rats appeared in their land, and there was death and destruction throughout the city"