Chapter 5

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

1. The Philistines. A careful study of Ps. 78:60–64 together with Jer. 7:12; 26:6, 9 indicates that God permitted the Philistines not only to discomfit the people of Israel at Ebenezer but probably also to pursue them northeast to Shiloh. The Philistines left part of their army to guard the prize they had taken from Israel, for it was from the camp of Israel (1 Sam. 5:1) that they started their return journey to the cities of the plain. There is archeological evidence for the destruction of Shiloh about this time. In any case it is believed that the tabernacle services ceased when the ark was taken (see PP 609).

What a fearful responsibility rested on the shoulders of the young man Samuel, with Eli dead and the ark, the very center of religious service, in the hands of the enemy! Even after the return of the ark, seven months later, it must indeed have been a heavy task for Samuel, traveling from place to place, to encourage the people and prevent the collapse of the religious life of a nation that for centuries had been accustomed to think of Shiloh as the very center of their corporate life. That the Lord “let none of his words fall to the ground” (ch. 3:19) indicates that the people recognized him as the logical successor to Eli, although it was not until 20 years later that Samuel was formally invested with the authority of judge (ch. 7:1–15; see PP 590; 4T 517, 518).

2. House of Dagon. One of the chief temples of the Philistines, Dagon being their principal deity. The gods of the heathen were never considered as averse to associating with other gods, and the Philistines may have felt fortunate in honoring Israel’s Deity along with the gods they had known for years. They probably placed the ark by the side of Dagon, planning to offer him a great sacrifice, as they had done years before when Samson was taken captive (Judges 16:23, 24). Then they boasted their triumph over Israel’s champion; now they would exult over the presumed capture of Israel’s God. Some believe that the word translated “Dagon” is related to the Hebrew word dag, meaning “fish,” and that the god was shaped like a man above the waist, and like a fish below. In Layard’s Nineveh there is a description of a bas-relief from Khorsabad representing a battle between the Assyrians and the inhabitants of the Syrian seacoast. The relief shows a figure, the upper half of which is a bearded man, and the lower half a fish. Others think that the name “Dagon” is derived from dagan, meaning “corn,” and therefore that the Philistine deity was a corn god representing fertility. His being half man, half fish would not necessitate his being a sea god.

3. Fallen. Prostrate on his face as if in supplication.

4. And the head. The second morning Dagon was not only prostrate again, but his head and hands were severed from his body and thrown on the threshold of the temple, where all who entered must tread. Deprived of the emblems of reason and activity, he lay there in his true ugliness, merely a misshapen stump.

5. Tread on the threshold. The priests would not step on the threshold, but leaped over it. Could Zephaniah have been thinking of this when he said, “On that day I will punish every one who leaps over the threshold” (Zeph. 1:9, RSV)?

6. Emerods. The characteristic symptom of this plague was a painful, tumorlike swelling.

8. What shall we do? The discomfiture of Dagon before the ark seemed to create in the hearts of the lords of Philistia a resentment against the God of heaven and a greater allegiance to Dagon. He was still the deity who had given them the victory on the field of battle, and they had done him homage by entrusting the ark to his protection. Even though they admitted he had been worsted in personal conflict, he was still their god, and they refused to surrender to the idea of acknowledging the supremacy of the Creator of all things. An epidemic struck the city which, according to all heathen reasoning, was the work of the supreme Deity, from whom came both good and evil; therefore the only thing to do was to get rid of the offending symbol of God’s presence. But God, who is no respecter of persons, was as anxious that the Philistines recognize the gifts of His providence to them as He was that the Jews do so (see PP 587, 588).

However, convinced against their will, the Philistines were of the same opinion still. So it was with Pharaoh. But it need not have been so. Nebuchadnezzar did not let pride control him, and, through repeated revelations of God’s protective power, came to the place where he turned from his idolatry and worshiped the God of heaven (Dan. 4:24–27, 34, 35). Even as God had shown Pharaoh His restraining power over the plagues, He now demonstrated to the Philistine lords His ability to halt the epidemic that was sweeping through their land. Pride forbade any course of action other than ridding themselves of what to them was the great source of offense—the very thing God intended to be to them a means of salvation.

10. The Ekronites cried out. The selfishness and credulity of the Philistines are illustrated by the fact that each city, in turn, sent the ark on to a neighboring city. Finally, it arrived at Ekron, the northernmost of the five principal cities of Philistia. The cry of that city was one of indignation at having something forced on them without their consent. The word here translated “cried out” is from zaФaq, “to cry out in alarm,” whereas in v. 12 the “cry” of the city is from shaweФah, “a cry for help.”

Ellen G. White comments

1–12PP 586

1–4SR 188