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1 Samuel 5

1

And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben–ezer 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.

1
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: 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.

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1 Samuel 5

The captured ark is brought to the temple of Dagon, the Philistine god, and the next morning Dagon's image is found fallen before the ark (5:3)—a symbolic victory asserting the supremacy of the LORD over pagan deities; when the Philistines restore Dagon, he falls again with his head and hands broken off (5:4), suggesting the ark's power. Yet the Philistines also suffer physical afflictions: tumors (ʿōpālim) appear, interpreted as divine judgment, and the ark is moved from city to city (Gath, Ekron), with tumors and plague spreading wherever it goes (5:6-12), as if the ark's presence brings judgment rather than blessing. The Philistine priests and diviners conclude that the ark must be returned to Israel with an offering ('a guilt offering,' 5:8), recognizing both the power of Israel's God and the necessity of making restitution for their desecration of the sacred object. The chapter ironically demonstrates that the very LORD whose covenant Israel had violated and whose glory had departed from Israel remains powerful enough to defeat and plague Israel's enemies, suggesting that though Israel's leadership has failed, the LORD's sovereignty over all nations persists.

1 Samuel 5:8

So they sent and gathered together all the rulers of the Philistines, and said: What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel? The inhabitants of Gath said: Let the ark of God be moved to us—the council of *Pelishtim* (Philistine lords) seeks counsel. The men of Gath volunteer to receive the ark, perhaps confident in their ability to manage it or unaware of the judgment.

1 Samuel 5:9

But after they had moved it, the hand of the LORD was against the city, causing a very great panic; he struck the inhabitants of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them—even in Gath, the plague (*shikim*) and panic (*mehumah* literally, 'tumult') follow. The *mehumah Elohit* (God-sent panic) is cosmic disorder reflecting divine wrath.

1 Samuel 5:10

So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But when the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, saying: Why have they brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people?—the *ishshe Ekron* (men of Ekron) recognize the ark's deadly presence. Their *za'akah* (cry) is one of desperation; they see themselves as doomed by the ark's arrival.

1 Samuel 5:11

They sent therefore and gathered together all the rulers of the Philistines, and said: Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it will not kill us and our people—the unanimous Philistine judgment is to *shallach et-aron Elohim* (send away the ark), acknowledging that its *own place* (*mekomu*) is not Philistine territory. Their surrender is absolute.

1 Samuel 5:12

For there was a deadly panic throughout the whole city, the hand of God was very heavy there. The people who did not die were struck with tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven—the cumulative effect is total disruption: the plague (*shikim*) and divine hand (*yad Elohim*) reduce the city to chaos. The *tz'akah* (cry) reaches heaven, invoking divine attention to their plight.

1 Samuel 5:1

When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod—*vayiqchu Pelishtim et-aron Elohim* (the Philistines took the ark), transferring it to *Ashdod*, one of the five Philistine city-states. The territorial removal of the ark intensifies the sense of alienation and loss.

1 Samuel 5:2

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it beside Dagon—the *bayit Dagon* (house of Dagon), the Philistine fish-god, becomes the arena for divine encounter. Placing the ark beside Dagon is meant as an act of submission, but the LORD will demonstrate cosmic superiority.

1 Samuel 5:3

When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place—the *Dagon* (fish-god idol) collapses in obeisance before the *aron YHWH*. The supine posture (*naphal al-panav* literally, 'fell upon his face') is submission; the Philistines' attempt to restore the idol is futile.

1 Samuel 5:4

But when they rose early on the next morning, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold; only the fish part was left—the second collapse is accompanied by *gerem* (breaking), severing the head and hands. The *iveret dug* (fish part alone remains) suggests that only the animal portion survives; the humanoid form is obliterated. The destruction is cumulative and irreversible.

1 Samuel 5:5

This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day—the *mizbach* (threshold) becomes *tabu*, untouchable. The permanent memorial marks the site of divine humiliation of Dagon; the practice endures *ad hayom hazeh* (to this day), a formula suggesting continuity of witness.

1 Samuel 5:6

But the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and he terrorized them; he struck them with tumors, both in Ashdod and in the territory belonging to it—*yad YHWH* (the hand of the LORD) falls heavily on Ashdod. *Vayakhem shikim* (he struck them with tumors)—the *tumors* (*ophalem*, Heb. *tehorim*, probably bubonic plague) are a disease of humiliation, affecting the body's most private regions. The plague is simultaneously judgment on Dagon and a sign of the ark's power.

1 Samuel 5:7

When the people of Ashdod saw how things were, they said: The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us; for his hand is heavy on us and on our god Dagon—the Philistine elders recognize *yad YHWH* (the hand of the LORD) as the source of affliction. They acknowledge the superiority of Israel's God, yet they do not repent; they simply wish to be rid of the dangerous presence.