Bible Commentaries
1 Samuel 5

Introduction

Overview

1 Samuel 5:1, The Philistines having brought the ark into Ashdod, set it in the house of Dagon; 1 Samuel 5:3, Dagon is smitten down and cut in pieces, and they of Ashdod smitten with emerods; 1 Samuel 5:8, So God deals with them of Gath, when it was brought thither; 1 Samuel 5:10, and so with them of Ekron, when it was brought thither.

Verse 1

took: 1 Samuel 4:11, 1 Samuel 4:17, 1 Samuel 4:18, 1 Samuel 4:22, Psalms 78:61

Ebenezer: 1 Samuel 4:1, 1 Samuel 7:12

Ashdod: Ashdod, called Azotus by the Greeks, was one of the five satrapies of the Philistines, and a place of great strength and consequence. It was situated near the Mediterranean, between Askelon and Jamnia, thirty-four miles north of Gaza, according to Diodorus Siculus, and the Antonine and Jerusalem Itineraries. It is now called Shdood; and Dr. Richardson says they neither saw nor heard of any ruins there. "The ground," he observes, "around Ashdod is beautifully undulating, but not half stocked with cattle. The site of the town is on the summit of a grassy hill; and, if we are to believe historians, was anciently as strong as it was beautiful." Joshua 11:22, Acts 8:40, Azotus

Reciprocal: Joshua 15:46 - near 1 Samuel 6:1 - the ark 1 Samuel 6:17 - Ashdod 2 Chronicles 26:6 - about Nehemiah 4:7 - Ashdodites Nehemiah 13:23 - Ashdod Daniel 5:23 - and they Amos 3:9 - Ashdod

Verse 2

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

Verse 3

Dagon was: Exodus 12:12, Psalms 97:7, Isaiah 19:1, Isaiah 46:1, Isaiah 46:2, Zephaniah 2:11, Mark 3:11, Luke 10:18-20, 2 Corinthians 6:14-16

set him: Isaiah 19:1, Isaiah 40:20, Isaiah 41:7, Isaiah 44:17-20, Isaiah 46:1, Isaiah 46:2, Isaiah 46:7, Jeremiah 10:8

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 5:7 - upon Dagon our god 1 Samuel 6:1 - the ark 1 Samuel 6:5 - off your 1 Samuel 11:14 - renew Isaiah 41:6 - helped Isaiah 44:11 - all his Jeremiah 22:28 - a despised Jeremiah 48:13 - ashamed Acts 19:28 - and cried

Verse 4

the head: Isaiah 2:18, Isaiah 2:19, Isaiah 27:9, Jeremiah 10:11, Jeremiah 50:2, Ezekiel 6:4-6, Daniel 11:8, Micah 1:7

of Dagon: The name of this idol, Dagon, signifies a fish, and it is supposed to be the Atergatis of the Syrians, corruptly called Derceto by the Greeks, which had the upper part like a woman, and the lower part like a fish; as Lucian informs us:

וסךופןץע הו ויהןע ום ןיםיךח וטוחףבלחם, טוחלב מוםןם; חליףוח לום דץםח; פן הו ןךןףןם וך לחסשם וע בךסןץע נןהבע, יקטץןע ןץסח בנןפויםופבי. "In Phoenicia I saw the image of Derceto; a strange sight truly! For she had the half of a woman, but from the thighs downward a fish's tail."

Diodorus (1. ii.) describing the same idol, as represented at Askelon, says, פן לום נסןףשנןם וקוי דץםביךןע, פן הב̓ככן ףשלב נבם יקטץןע. "It had the head of a woman, but all the rest of the body a fish's."

Probably Horace alludes to this idol, in De Art. Poet. 4; Desinat in piscem, mulier formosa superne." "The upper part a handsome woman, and the lower part a fish." If such was the form of this idol, then everything that was human was broken off from what resembled a fish.

the stump: or, the fishy part

Reciprocal: Exodus 20:23 - General 1 Samuel 5:7 - upon Dagon our god 1 Samuel 6:5 - off your Isaiah 40:20 - shall not Hosea 10:2 - break down

Verse 5

neither: Psalms 115:4-7, Psalms 135:15-18

tread: Joshua 5:15, Zephaniah 1:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 32:32 - eat not Exodus 20:23 - General

Verse 6

the hand: 1 Samuel 5:7, 1 Samuel 5:11, Exodus 9:3, Psalms 32:4, Acts 13:11

emerods: 1 Samuel 5:9, 1 Samuel 5:11, 1 Samuel 6:5, Deuteronomy 28:27, Job 31:3, Psalms 78:66

thereof: The LXX and Vulgate add:

בי לוףןם פחע קשסבע בץפחע בםוצץחףבם לץוע ךבי ודוםופן ףץדקץףיע טבםבפןץ לודבכח ום פח נןכוי.

(Et ebullierunt ville et agri in medio regionis illius, et nati sunt mures; et facta est confusio mortis magne in civitate).

"And [the cities and fields in Vulg.] the midst of that region produced mice; [Vulg. burst up, and mice were produced;] and there was the confusion of a great death in the city." 1 Samuel 6:4, 1 Samuel 6:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 41:31 - grievous Deuteronomy 2:15 - the hand of the Joshua 15:46 - near 2 Chronicles 26:6 - about Psalms 38:2 - thy hand Psalms 44:2 - how thou didst afflict Isaiah 26:11 - they shall Revelation 16:2 - a noisome

Verse 7

saw: 1 Samuel 4:8, Exodus 8:8, Exodus 8:28, Exodus 9:28, Exodus 10:7, Exodus 12:33

The ark: 1 Samuel 6:20, 2 Samuel 6:9, 1 Chronicles 13:11-13, 1 Chronicles 15:13

upon Dagon our god: 1 Samuel 5:3, 1 Samuel 5:4, Jeremiah 46:25, Jeremiah 48:7

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 5:6 - the hand 1 Samuel 6:3 - known 1 Samuel 6:5 - off your Psalms 32:4 - hand Psalms 44:2 - how thou didst afflict Ezekiel 39:21 - and my

Verse 8

What shall: Zechariah 12:3

Gath: 1 Samuel 17:4, Amos 6:2

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 6:17 - Gath 1 Samuel 6:20 - General 1 Samuel 29:2 - the lords 1 Chronicles 18:1 - Gath

Verse 9

the hand: 1 Samuel 5:6, 1 Samuel 7:13, 1 Samuel 12:15, Deuteronomy 2:15, Amos 5:19, Amos 9:1-4

with a very: 1 Samuel 5:11

and they had emerods: 1 Samuel 5:6, 1 Samuel 6:4, 1 Samuel 6:5, 1 Samuel 6:11, Psalms 78:66

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 28:27 - emerods 1 Samuel 6:3 - known 2 Kings 23:2 - both small and great Psalms 32:4 - hand Psalms 107:40 - contempt Acts 13:11 - hand Revelation 16:2 - a noisome

Verse 10

God to Ekron: Joshua 15:45, Judges 1:18, 2 Kings 1:2, Amos 1:8

us, to slay us and our people: Heb. me, to slay me and my people

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:18 - General Joshua 15:11 - Ekron Joshua 19:43 - Ekron 1 Samuel 6:1 - the ark 1 Samuel 6:16 - they returned 1 Samuel 6:17 - Ekron 2 Samuel 6:9 - afraid 1 Chronicles 13:12 - afraid of God

Verse 11

us not, and our people: Heb. me not, and my people

a deadly: Isaiah 13:7-9, Jeremiah 48:42-44

the hand: 1 Samuel 5:6, 1 Samuel 5:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:17 - General Deuteronomy 2:15 - the hand of the Ruth 1:13 - the hand 1 Samuel 6:1 - the ark 1 Samuel 6:3 - known 1 Samuel 6:5 - lighten 2 Samuel 6:9 - afraid 1 Chronicles 13:12 - afraid of God Psalms 32:4 - hand Psalms 38:2 - thy hand Ezekiel 39:21 - and my Acts 13:11 - hand

Verse 12

died: 1 Kings 19:17, Amos 5:19

the cry: 1 Samuel 9:16, Exodus 12:30, Isaiah 15:3-5, Jeremiah 14:2, Jeremiah 25:34, Jeremiah 48:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:17 - General Deuteronomy 28:27 - emerods Jeremiah 46:12 - thy cry