New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
1 Samuel 5
2
They carried the ark into the temple of their god Dagon. They set it down beside the statue of Dagon.
Reference
3
The people of Ashdod got up early the next day. They saw the statue of Dagon. There it was, lying on the ground! It had fallen on its face in front of the ark of the Lord. So they picked the statue of Dagon up. They put it back in its place.
Reference
4
But the following morning when they got up, they saw the statue of Dagon. There it was, lying on the ground again! It had fallen on its face in front of the ark of the Lord. Its head and hands had been broken off. Only the body of the statue was left. Its head and hands were lying in the doorway of the temple.
Reference
5
That's why to this very day no one steps on the bottom part of the doorway of Dagon's temple at Ashdod. Not even the priests of Dagon step there.
Reference
Parallel theme
Zephaniah 1:9
6
The Lord's powerful hand punished the people of Ashdod and the settlements that were near it. He destroyed them. He made them suffer with growths in their bodies.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 32:4
Psalm 78:66
1 Samuel 5:7
Job 31:3
References Lord
1 Samuel 5:11
Acts 13:11
Exodus 9:3
Deuteronomy 28:27
7
The people of Ashdod saw what was happening. They said, "The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us. His powerful hand is punishing us and our god Dagon."
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 12:33
8
So they called all of the rulers of the Philistines together. They asked them, "What should we do with the ark of the god of Israel?" The rulers answered, "Have the ark moved to Gath." So they moved it.
9
But after the people of Ashdod had moved the ark, the Lord's hand punished Gath. That threw its people into a great panic. The Lord made them break out with growths in their bodies. It happened to young people and old people alike.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 78:66
References Lord
1 Samuel 5:6
Deuteronomy 2:15
1 Samuel 7:13
1 Samuel 12:15
10
So the ark of God was sent to Ekron. As the ark was entering Ekron, the people of the city cried out. They shouted, "They've brought the ark of the god of Israel to us. They want to kill us and our people."
Reference
References God
Amos 1:8
11
So they called all of the rulers of the Philistines together. They said, "Send the ark of the god of Israel away. Let it go back to its own place. If you don't, it will kill us and our people." The death of so many people had filled the city with panic. God's powerful hand was punishing the city.
Reference
References Lord
1 Samuel 5:6
Summary of 1 Samuel 5
1 Samuel chapter 5 continues the account of the ark of God that has been captured in battle by the Philistines. The ark does not bring the Philistines victory or protection. On the contrary, it brings judgment on them and their false god, Dagon, who is humiliated in its presence. The ark is transferred from city to city, but wherever it is, the people suffer. This chapter reveals that the God of Israel does not rely on Israel's army to protect His holy name. Even when the Philistines have defeated Israel's army, the God of Israel is victorious over the nations.
Having captured the ark from the Israelites at Ebenezer, the Philistines bring it to Ashdod, carrying it into the house of Dagon, their false god, and putting it side by side with the image of Dagon.
The people of Ashdod likely believe that the capture of the ark has demonstrated that Philistine god, Dagon, has conquered the God of Israel. They display the ark as a trophy of war in the temple of their god.
However, the next morning the people of Ashdod discover that the image of their god Dagon lies face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord.
The people of Ashdod remove Dagon and place him in his original spot, but the next morning they discover something more astonishing.
The image of Dagon has fallen a second time before the ark of the Lord, although this time his head and both hands have been severed. The people of Ashdod make a decision that they continue to follow as a tradition. The people of Ashdod refrain from treading upon the threshold of the house of Dagon.
The message is clear. The God of Israel has not been conquered by the capture of his ark. Dagon, the god whom the Philistines serve, is impotent before the God of Israel.
The maladies that befall the people of Ashdod are not over yet.
The hand of the Lord is heavy upon the people of Ashdod, who suffer from grievous diseases and plagues that afflict the whole country around them.
The people of Ashdod quickly understand that the ark must not remain in their midst. They summon their rulers, asking what they might do in order to rid the city of the ark.
The rulers of Ashdod decide to transfer the ark to Gath, another of the Philistine cities.
However, the troubles that have afflicted Ashdod are not over with. The ark is brought to Gath, but it brings similar plagues and diseases to Gath, resulting in the citizens finding themselves in grievous condition.
The people decide once again to move the ark, bringing it to a third Philistine city, Ekron.
The people of Ekron are horrified to see the ark approaching their city. They inquire concerning the Philistine practice of bringing the ark of God into their midst, having heard of the plagues that have befallen Ashdod and Gath.
The Philistines fear that the ark will bring similar misfortunes upon Ekron and its people. Their fears are realized as the hand of the Lord becomes increasingly heavy upon the city. The people who continue to live are afflicted with grievous diseases. The woe of the city cries out to heaven.
The Philistines have captured the ark of the Lord, thinking it to be a trophy of war, but it has brought nothing but misery to the land of the Philistines. The ark fails to protect the Philistines, but instead brings the judgment of the Lord upon them.
1 Samuel chapter 5 is significant in that it reveals what happens to the ark of the Lord when it is captured by the Philistines and brought into their midst. The Israelites have suffered defeat at the hands of the Philistines in battle, and the ark has been taken from Israel. The people of Philistines see the ark not as holy, but rather as something that the Israelites have allowed themselves to be defeated by. The Philistines take the ark and place it side by side with the image of their god, Dagon.
The events that unfold contradict everything that the Philistines have been led to believe about their gods and the gods of the Israelites. The repeated falling of Dagon before the ark of the Lord is a vivid illustration of the complete power that the Lord has over all other gods.
Perhaps the most meaningful demonstration of the superiority of the God of Israel is the fact that the hands of the image of Dagon have been cut off. The hands represent action, and the fact that they have been cut off by the Lord reveals that Dagon has no ability to act in his own power. The head of the idol represents speech, but the Lord has deprived him even of that.
Not only does Dagon fail to protect the Philistines, he brings plagues and diseases upon the people of Ekron. The Philistines transfer the ark from city to city, but the problems follow them wherever they go.
It is not the ark that brings the problems to the Philistines, but the Lord, who is holy. The ark represents the Lord's holiness and serves as a reminder of His covenant with His people. The Philistines, like the Israelites, are judged by God for their unfaithfulness.
It is also worth considering this passage in contrast with chapter 4. In that chapter we are told about the Israelites carrying the ark of the Lord into battle against the Philistines, believing that it will bring them victory. In truth, the ark represented not the power of Israel but rather the power of the Lord. The Israelites failed to acknowledge their sins and, with the ark, were defeated in battle. The ark did not bring them victory over the Philistines. By bringing the ark of the Lord into battle, the Israelites have brought judgment upon themselves.
It is fitting then that the Lord reveals His power even as the ark is in the hands of the Philistines. The power of the Lord is not contingent upon Israel's army, and thus the Philistines are judged by the Lord for their actions.
The events in 1 Samuel chapter 5 prepare the reader for the final confrontation with the Philistines. The Philistines find themselves in an even more precarious position than they were prior to the battle between the two nations. The Philistines must determine what they should do with the ark of the Lord, which brings them only misery. It is to be expected that the Philistines will attempt to destroy the ark, which is why chapter 6 will tell us about their attempt to get rid of it.
Having captured the ark from the Israelites at Ebenezer, the Philistines bring it to Ashdod, carrying it into the house of Dagon, their false god, and putting it side by side with the image of Dagon.
The people of Ashdod likely believe that the capture of the ark has demonstrated that Philistine god, Dagon, has conquered the God of Israel. They display the ark as a trophy of war in the temple of their god.
However, the next morning the people of Ashdod discover that the image of their god Dagon lies face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord.
The people of Ashdod remove Dagon and place him in his original spot, but the next morning they discover something more astonishing.
The image of Dagon has fallen a second time before the ark of the Lord, although this time his head and both hands have been severed. The people of Ashdod make a decision that they continue to follow as a tradition. The people of Ashdod refrain from treading upon the threshold of the house of Dagon.
The message is clear. The God of Israel has not been conquered by the capture of his ark. Dagon, the god whom the Philistines serve, is impotent before the God of Israel.
The maladies that befall the people of Ashdod are not over yet.
The hand of the Lord is heavy upon the people of Ashdod, who suffer from grievous diseases and plagues that afflict the whole country around them.
The people of Ashdod quickly understand that the ark must not remain in their midst. They summon their rulers, asking what they might do in order to rid the city of the ark.
The rulers of Ashdod decide to transfer the ark to Gath, another of the Philistine cities.
However, the troubles that have afflicted Ashdod are not over with. The ark is brought to Gath, but it brings similar plagues and diseases to Gath, resulting in the citizens finding themselves in grievous condition.
The people decide once again to move the ark, bringing it to a third Philistine city, Ekron.
The people of Ekron are horrified to see the ark approaching their city. They inquire concerning the Philistine practice of bringing the ark of God into their midst, having heard of the plagues that have befallen Ashdod and Gath.
The Philistines fear that the ark will bring similar misfortunes upon Ekron and its people. Their fears are realized as the hand of the Lord becomes increasingly heavy upon the city. The people who continue to live are afflicted with grievous diseases. The woe of the city cries out to heaven.
The Philistines have captured the ark of the Lord, thinking it to be a trophy of war, but it has brought nothing but misery to the land of the Philistines. The ark fails to protect the Philistines, but instead brings the judgment of the Lord upon them.
1 Samuel chapter 5 is significant in that it reveals what happens to the ark of the Lord when it is captured by the Philistines and brought into their midst. The Israelites have suffered defeat at the hands of the Philistines in battle, and the ark has been taken from Israel. The people of Philistines see the ark not as holy, but rather as something that the Israelites have allowed themselves to be defeated by. The Philistines take the ark and place it side by side with the image of their god, Dagon.
The events that unfold contradict everything that the Philistines have been led to believe about their gods and the gods of the Israelites. The repeated falling of Dagon before the ark of the Lord is a vivid illustration of the complete power that the Lord has over all other gods.
Perhaps the most meaningful demonstration of the superiority of the God of Israel is the fact that the hands of the image of Dagon have been cut off. The hands represent action, and the fact that they have been cut off by the Lord reveals that Dagon has no ability to act in his own power. The head of the idol represents speech, but the Lord has deprived him even of that.
Not only does Dagon fail to protect the Philistines, he brings plagues and diseases upon the people of Ekron. The Philistines transfer the ark from city to city, but the problems follow them wherever they go.
It is not the ark that brings the problems to the Philistines, but the Lord, who is holy. The ark represents the Lord's holiness and serves as a reminder of His covenant with His people. The Philistines, like the Israelites, are judged by God for their unfaithfulness.
It is also worth considering this passage in contrast with chapter 4. In that chapter we are told about the Israelites carrying the ark of the Lord into battle against the Philistines, believing that it will bring them victory. In truth, the ark represented not the power of Israel but rather the power of the Lord. The Israelites failed to acknowledge their sins and, with the ark, were defeated in battle. The ark did not bring them victory over the Philistines. By bringing the ark of the Lord into battle, the Israelites have brought judgment upon themselves.
It is fitting then that the Lord reveals His power even as the ark is in the hands of the Philistines. The power of the Lord is not contingent upon Israel's army, and thus the Philistines are judged by the Lord for their actions.
The events in 1 Samuel chapter 5 prepare the reader for the final confrontation with the Philistines. The Philistines find themselves in an even more precarious position than they were prior to the battle between the two nations. The Philistines must determine what they should do with the ark of the Lord, which brings them only misery. It is to be expected that the Philistines will attempt to destroy the ark, which is why chapter 6 will tell us about their attempt to get rid of it.