1 Samuel Chapter 5 — The Ark in the Land of the Philistines
After capturing the Ark of the Covenant, the Philistines face divine judgment as their idol Dagon is destroyed and their cities are struck by a plague.
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 the LORD’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 the LORD’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 the LORD’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?”
9It was so, that after they had carried it there, the LORD’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.
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.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
1 Samuel 5:3
“When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the LORD’s ark.”
This verse illustrates the superiority of the God of Israel over the local Philistine deity in their own temple.
1 Samuel 5:11
“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.”
It highlights the recognition of God's power and the resulting fear among the Philistine leaders.
Chapter Summary
1 Samuel Chapter 5 describes the aftermath of the Philistines capturing the Ark of God from Israel. They bring the Ark to Ashdod and place it in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, they find the statue of Dagon fallen face-down before the Ark. After resetting it, they find it the following day fallen again, this time with its head and hands broken off. As the Ark remains in Ashdod, the people are struck with a severe plague of tumors. Fearing for their lives, the Philistine lords move the Ark to Gath and then to Ekron, but the plague follows, causing deadly panic and suffering in every city it enters. Eventually, the leaders of the Philistines conclude that the Ark must be sent back to its own place in Israel to stop the destruction and death affecting their people.
Frequently Asked Questions
When the Philistines placed the Ark of the Covenant next to the statue of Dagon, the idol fell on its face twice. On the second occasion, Dagon's head and hands were broken off on the threshold, leaving only the torso intact.
The Philistines moved the Ark because everywhere it went, the people were struck with a severe plague of tumors and a deadly panic. They realized the hand of the God of Israel was heavy against them and their god, Dagon.
The chapter mentions Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron as cities that hosted the Ark. In each location, the inhabitants suffered from physical afflictions and many died, leading the Philistine lords to decide the Ark must be returned to Israel.
Study Note
The threshold of Dagon mentioned in verse 5 became a site of superstitious avoidance for Philistine priests, marking a lasting cultural impact of the events in Ashdod.
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