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1 Samuel 5

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¹Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

²The Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

³When they of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. They took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

⁴When they arose early on the next day morning, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands [lay] cut off on the threshold; only [the stump of] Dagon was left to him.

⁵Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.

⁶But the hand of Yahweh was heavy on them 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 all the lords of the Philistines to them, and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" They answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over to Gath." They carried the ark of the God of Israel [there].

⁹It was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand of Yahweh was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them.

¹⁰So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. It happened, 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 kill us and our people."

¹¹They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people." For there was a deadly confusion 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.

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1 Samuel 5:1-5 Verses 1-5

See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be ready to sink, even then we may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. When Christ, the true Ark of the covenant, really enters the heart of fallen man, which is indeed Satan's temple, all idols will fall, every endeavour to set them up again will be vain, sin will be forsaken, and unrighteous gain restored; the Lord will claim and possess the throne. But pride, self-love, and worldly lusts, though dethroned and crucified, still remain within us, like the stump of Dagon. Let us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have them more entirely destroyed.

1 Samuel 5:6-12 Verses 6-12

The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have enough of it.

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Ark of the Covenant: Miracles Connected With: Fall of Dagon 1 Samuel 5:1–4

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod, / carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue. / When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.

Ark of the Covenant: Miracles Connected With: Philistines Plagued 1 Samuel 5:6–12

Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors. / And when the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay here with us, because His hand is heavy upon us and upon our god Dagon.” / So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel.

Ashdod: Dagon's Temple In, where the Ark of the Covenant Was Put Temporarily 1 Samuel 5:1

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,

Boil of the Philistines (Rv , Tumors) 1 Samuel 5:6, 9

Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors. / But after they had moved the ark to Gath, the LORD’s hand was also against that city, throwing it into great confusion and afflicting the men of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.

Cities were Frequently: Wasted by Pestilence 1 Samuel 5:11

Then the Ekronites assembled all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people!” For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was heavy upon it.

Dagon: An Idol of the Philistines 1 Samuel 5:1

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,

Diseases: Emerods 1 Samuel 5:6, 12

Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors. / Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

Ebenezer: Philistines Remove the Ark of the Covenant From 1 Samuel 5:1

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,

Ekron: The Ark of God Taken To 1 Samuel 5:10

So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!”

Gath: The Ark of the Covenant Taken To 1 Samuel 5:8

Hand was heavy 1 Samuel 5:6

Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.

Hemorrhoids: A Disease with Which the Philistines Were Afflicted 1 Samuel 5:6, 12

Idolatry: Folly of 1 Samuel 5:3, 4

When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place. / But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained.

Idolatry: Idols Mentioned in Scripture: Dagon 1 Samuel 5:1–3

Judgments: Upon Nations - Exemplified: People of Ashdod 1 Samuel 5:6

Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.

Lord: A Prince 1 Samuel 5:8

Miracles: Catalogue of The Falling of the God Dagon 1 Samuel 5:1–4

Miracles: Catalogue of The Plague of Hemorrhoids on the Philistines 1 Samuel 5:9–12

But after they had moved the ark to Gath, the LORD’s hand was also against that city, throwing it into great confusion and afflicting the men of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors. / So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!” / Then the Ekronites assembled all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people!” For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was heavy upon it.

Philistines: Lords of 1 Samuel 5:8, 11

So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel. / Then the Ekronites assembled all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people!” For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was heavy upon it.

Superstition: Philistines 1 Samuel 5:5

That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the threshold.

Temple: Idolatrous of Dagon, at Ashdod 1 Samuel 5:2

carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.

The Anger of God: Exemplified Against: Enemies of Israel 1 Samuel 5:6

Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.

The Philistines: Character of Idolatrous 1 Samuel 5:2

carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.

The Philistines: Plagued for Retaining the Ark 1 Samuel 5:6–12

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Philistines (Gen. 10:14, R.V.; but in A.V., "Philistim"), a tribe allied… Threshold (1.) Heb. miphtan, probably a projecting beam at a higher… Temple First used of the tabernacle, which is called "the temple… Ashdod Stronghold, a Philistine city (Josh. 15:47), about midway between Gaza… Israel The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at… Heaven (1.) Definitions. The phrase "heaven and earth" is used to… Ekron Firm-rooted, the most northerly of the five towns belonging to… Dagon Little fish; diminutive from dag = a fish, the fish-god;… Lord There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered. (1.)… Face Means simply presence, as when it is recorded that Adam… City The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which… Hand Called by Galen "the instrument of instruments." It is the… Gath A wine-vat, one of the five royal cities of the…