1 Samuel 5:1

1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and bare it away from the stone of help into Ashdod. (And the Philistines took the Ark of God, and carried it away from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.)

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 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and bare it away from the stone of help into Ashdod. (And the Philistines took the Ark of God, and carried it away from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.)

2 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the temple of Dagon, and setted it beside Dagon.

3 And when men of Ashdod had risen early in the tother day, lo! Dagon lay low in the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and restored him in his place. (And when the men of Ashdod had risen early the next day, lo! Dagon lay low on the ground before the Ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and restored him to his place.)

4 And again they rose early in the tother day, and they found Dagon lying on his face upon the earth before the ark of the Lord. And the head of Dagon, and the two palms of his hands, were broken off, (and were lying) upon the threshold; and the stock alone of Dagon (was) left in his place. (And they rose up early the next day, and they found Dagon lying on his face on the ground before the Ark of the Lord. And the head of Dagon, and the two palms of his hands, were broken off, and were lying on the threshold; and only Dagon's body was left in its place.)

5 For this cause the priests of Dagon, and all that enter into his temple, tread not upon the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.