1 Samuel 5:1

Capture of the Ark Provokes God

1 Now the Philistines took the ark of God and ¹brought it from Ebenezer to ²Ashdod.

1 Samuel 5:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 5:1

And the Philistines took the ark of God
Which fell into their hands, Israel being beaten, and caused to flee, and the priests that had the care of the ark slain; and when possessed of it, they did not destroy it, nor take out of it what was in it, only took it up:

and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
Ebenezer was the place where the camp of Israel was pitched, ( 1 Samuel 4:1 ) and near to which the battle was fought. Ashdod was one of the five principalities of the Philistines, the same with Azotus, ( Acts 8:40 ) . The distance between these two places, according to Bunting ^F17 was one hundred and sixty miles; though one would think the distance from each other was not so great: why it was carried to Ashdod is not plain; perhaps it might be the nearest place of note in their country; and certain it is that it was one of their most famous cities, if not the most famous; (See Gill on Isaiah 20:1), and had a famous idol temple in it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Travels of the Patriarchs p. 122.

1 Samuel 5:1 In-Context

1 Now the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon.

3 When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD . So they took Dagon and set him in his place again.

4 But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on 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 on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 4:1; 1 Samuel 7:12
• 2. Joshua 13:3