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1 Samuel 5:2
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The Philistines and the Ark

1 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it afrom Ebenezer to Ashdod.  
2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of aDagon and set it by Dagon.  
3 And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, afallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and bset it in its place again.  
4 And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. aThe head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only1 Dagon’s torso was left of it.  
5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house atread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.  
6 But the ahand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He bravaged them and struck them with ctumors, both Ashdod and its dterritory.  
7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the aGod of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.”  
8 Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the alords of the Philistines, 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 away to bGath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away.  
9 So it was, after they had carried it away, that athe hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great,1 and tumors broke out on them.  
Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
<< 1 Samuel 5:1   1 Samuel 5:3 >>


1 Samuel 5:2

The house of Dagon - On this idol, which was supposed to be partly in a human form, and partly in that of a fish, see the note on Judges 16:23. Some think that this idol was the same with Dirceto, Attergatis, the Venus of Askelon, and the Moon. - See Calmet' s Dissertation on the gods of the Philistines.

The motive which induced the Philistines to set up the ark in the temple of Dagon, may be easily ascertained. It was customary, in all nations, to dedicate the spoils taken from an enemy to their gods:

1.As a gratitude-offering for the help which they supposed them to have furnished; and,

2.As a proof that their gods, i.e., the gods of the conquerors, were more powerful than those of the conquered.

It was, no doubt, to insult the God of Israel, and to insult and terrify his people, that they placed his ark in the temple of Dagon. When the Philistines had conquered Saul, they hung up his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, I Samuel 31:10. And when David slew Goliath, he laid up his sword in the tabernacle of the Lord, I Samuel 21:8, I Samuel 21:9. We have the remains of this custom in the depositing of colors, standards, etc., taken from an enemy, in our churches; but whether this may be called superstition or a religious act, is hard to say. If the battle were the Lord' s, which few battles are, the dedication might be right.




Other Adam Clarke entries containing 1 Samuel 5:2:

Judges 10:6

 

<< 1 Samuel 5:1   1 Samuel 5:3 >>

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