1 Samuel 5:2

Contextual Overview

¹ Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Eben-ezer to Ashdod. ¹ After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from the battleground at Ebenezer to the town of Ashdod. ¹ Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Eben–ezer unto Ashdod. ¹ After the Philistines had captured the Ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. ¹ Now the Philistines had captured the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. ¹ And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben-ezer to Ashdod. ¹ Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Eben-ezer to Ashdod. ¹Then the Philistines took the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. ¹ When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. ¹ Forsothe Filisteis token the arke of God, and baren awey it fro the stoon of help in to Azotus.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

of Dagon: Judges 16:23, 1 Chronicles 10:10, Daniel 5:2, Daniel 5:23, Habakkuk 1:11, Habakkuk 1:16

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:30 - my gods Joshua 19:27 - Bethdagon Judges 10:6 - the gods of the Philistines 1 Samuel 14:18 - For the ark 2 Samuel 5:21 - David 1 Chronicles 14:12 - were burned Nehemiah 4:7 - Ashdodites Psalms 78:61 - his strength Isaiah 19:1 - the idols Daniel 1:2 - and he Joel 3:5 - into 2 Corinthians 6:14 - for 2 Corinthians 6:15 - what concord

Cross-References

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27
And God created the man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27
So God created human beings in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female.

Genesis 1:27
God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Genesis 1:27
God created man in his own image. In God's image he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:27
And God made of nouyt a man to his ymage and liknesse; God made of nouyt a man, to the ymage of God; God made of nouyt hem, male and female.

Genesis 1:27
And God prepareth the man in His image; in the image of God He prepared him, a male and a female He prepared them.

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When the Philistines took the ark of God,.... And had brought it to Ashdod:

they brought it into the house of Dagon; a temple dedicated to that idol, and in which his image stood; of which :-,

and set it by Dagon; by the side of him, either in honour to the ark, as Abarbinel, designing to give it homage and adoration, as to their own deity; for though the Gentiles did not choose to change their gods, yet they would add the gods of other nations to them; and such the Philistines might take the ark to be: or else, as Procopius Gazaeus, they brought it into their idol's temple, as a trophy of victory, and as a spoil taken from their enemies, and which they dedicated to their idol. Laniado r observes, that the word here used signifies servitude, as in Genesis 33:15 and that the ark was set here to minister to, or serve their god Dagon. The temple of Dagon at Ashdod or Azotus was in being in the times of the Maccabees, and was burnt by Jonathan,

"83 The horsemen also, being scattered in the field, fled to Azotus, and went into Bethdagon, their idol's temple, for safety. 84 But Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them that were fled into it, he burned with fire.'' (1 Maccabees 10)

r Cli Yaker, fol. 162. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They brought it into the house of Dagon (see the marginal reference) in order to enhance the triumph of the gods of the Philistines over the God of Israel. (Compare 1 Samuel 31:9; Judges 16:23; Isaiah 37:12.)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 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 armour in the temple of Ashtaroth, 1 Samuel 31:10. And when David slew Goliath, he laid up his sword in the tabernacle of the Lord, 1 Samuel 21:8-9. We have the remains of this custom in the depositing of colours, standards, c., 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.