I Samuel 5
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Commentaries
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Brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod - Ashdod or Azotus was one of the five satrapies or lordships of the Philistines.
Open source ↗THE PHILISTINES BRING THE ARK INTO THE HOUSE OF DAGON. (Sa1 5:1-2) Ashdod--or Azotus, one of the five Philistine satrapies, and a place of great strength. It was an inland town, thirty-four miles north of Gaza, now called Esdud.
Open source ↗And the Philistines took the ark of God,.... Which fell into their hands, Israel being beaten, and caused to flee, and the priests that had the care of the ark slain; and when possessed of it, they did not destroy it, nor take out of it what was in it, only took it up: and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. Ebenezer was the place where the camp of Israel was pitched, Sa1 4:1 and near to which the battle was fought. Ashdod was one of the five principalities of the Philistines, the same with Azotus, Act 8:40. The distance between these two places, according to Bunting (q) was one hundred and sixty miles; though one would think the distance from each other was not so great: why it was carried to Ashdod is not plain; perhaps it might be the nearest place of note in their country; and certain it is that it was one of their most famous cities, if not the most famous; See Gill on Isa 20:1, and had a famous idol temple in it. (q) Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. p. 122.
Open source ↗The Ark in the Land of the Philistines. - Sa1 5:1-6. The Philistines carried the ark from Ebenezer, where they had captured it, into their capital, Ashdod (Esdud; see at Jos 13:3), and placed it there in the temple of Dagon, by the side of the idol Dagon, evidently as a dedicatory offering to this god of theirs, by whose help they imagined that they had obtained the victory over both the Israelites and their God. With regard to the image of Dagon, compounded of man and fish, i.e., of a human body, with head and hands, and a fish's tail, see, in addition to Jdg 16:23, Stark's Gaza, pp. 248ff., 308ff., and Layard's Nineveh and its Remains, pp. 466-7, where there is a bas-relief from Khorsabad, in which "a figure is seen swimming in the sea, with the upper part of the body resembling a bearded man, wearing the ordinary conical tiara of royalty, adorned with elephants' tusks, and the lower part resembling the body of a fish. It has the hand lifted up, as if in astonishment or fear, and is surrounded by fishes, crabs, and other marine animals" (Stark, p. 308). As this bas-relief represents, according to Layard, the war of an Assyrian king with the inhabitants of the coast of Syria, most probably of Sargon, who had to carry on a long conflict with the Philistian towns, more especially with Ashdod, there can hardly be any doubt that we have a representation of the Philistian Dagon here. This deity was a personification of the generative and vivifying principle of nature, for which the fish with its innumerable multiplication was specially adapted, and set forth the idea of the giver of all earthly good.
Open source ↗Here is, I. The Philistines' triumph over the ark, which they were the more pleased, the more proud, to be now masters of, because before the battle they were possessed with a great fear of it, Sa1 4:7. When they had it in their hands God restrained them, that they did not offer any violence to it, did not break it to pieces, as the Israelites were ordered to do by the idols of the heathen, but showed some respect to it, and carefully carried it to a place of safety. Whether their curiosity led them to open it, and to read what was written with the finger of God on the two tables of stone that were in it, we are not told; perhaps they looked no further than the golden outside and the cherubim that covered it, like children that are more affected with the fine binding of their bibles than with the precious matter contained in them. They carried it to Ashdod, one of their five cities, and that in which Dagon's temple was; there they placed the ark of God, by Dagon (Sa1 5:2), either 1. As a sacred thing, which they designed to pay some religious respect to, in conjunction with Dagon; for the gods of the heathen were never looked upon as averse to partners. Though the nations would not change their gods, yet they would multiply them and add to them. But they were mistaken in the God of Israel when, in putting his ark by Dagon's image, they intended to do him honour; for he is not worshipped at all if he is not worshipped alone. The Lord our God is one Lord. Or rather, 2. They placed it there as a trophy of victory, in honour of Dagon their god, to whom no doubt they intended to offer a great sacrifice, as they had done when they had taken Samson (Jdg 16:23, Jdg 16:24), boasting that as then they had triumphed over Israel's champion so now over Israel's God. What a reproach…
Open source ↗5:1 Ebenezer: See study note on 4:1b. • Ashdod, one of the five important Philistine cities (see 6:17), was located along the same major trade highway (the Great Trunk Road) as Aphek.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
פְּלִשְׁתִּי (Pᵉlishtîy, H6430) — a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth לָקַח (lâqach, H3947) — to take (in the widest variety of applications) אָרוֹן (ʼârôwn, H727) — a box אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) אֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר (ʼEben hâ-ʻÊzer, H72) — Eben-ha-Ezer, a place in Palestine אַשְׁדּוֹד (ʼAshdôwd, H795) — Ashdod, a place in Palestine
Open source ↗פְּלִשְׁתִּי (Pᵉlishtîy, H6430) — a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth לָקַח (lâqach, H3947) — to take (in the widest variety of applications) אָרוֹן (ʼârôwn, H727) — a box אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) דָּגוֹן (Dâgôwn, H1712) — Dagon, a Philistine deity יָצַג (yâtsag, H3322) — to place permanently אֵצֶל (ʼêtsel, H681) — a side; (as a preposition) near
Open source ↗אַשְׁדּוֹדִי (ʼAshdôwdîy, H796) — an Ashdodite (often collectively) or inhabitant of Asdod שָׁכַם (shâkam, H7925) — literally, to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e. to start early in the morning מׇחֳרָת (mochŏrâth, H4283) — the morrow or (adverbially) tomorrow דָּגוֹן (Dâgôwn, H1712) — Dagon, a Philistine deity נָפַל (nâphal, H5307) — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or… פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) אָרוֹן (ʼârôwn, H727) — a box יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God לָקַח (lâqach, H3947) — to take (in the widest variety of applications) שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… מָקוֹם (mâqôwm, H4725) — properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific);…
Open source ↗שָׁכַם (shâkam, H7925) — literally, to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e. to start early in the morning מׇחֳרָת (mochŏrâth, H4283) — the morrow or (adverbially) tomorrow בֹּקֶר (bôqer, H1242) — properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning דָּגוֹן (Dâgôwn, H1712) — Dagon, a Philistine deity נָפַל (nâphal, H5307) — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or… פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) אָרוֹן (ʼârôwn, H727) — a box יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God רֹאשׁ (rôʼsh, H7218) — the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of… שְׁנַיִם (shᵉnayim, H8147) — two; also (as ordinal) twofold כַּף (kaph, H3709) — the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of… יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), כָּרַת (kârath, H3772) — to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to…
Open source ↗כֹּהֵן (kôhên, H3548) — literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a… דָּגוֹן (Dâgôwn, H1712) — Dagon, a Philistine deity בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) דָּרַךְ (dârak, H1869) — to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string abow (by treading on it in bending) מִפְתָּן (miphtân, H4670) — a stretcher, i.e. a sill אַשְׁדּוֹד (ʼAshdôwd, H795) — Ashdod, a place in Palestine יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to…
Open source ↗יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God כָּבַד (kâbad, H3513) — to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous,… אַשְׁדּוֹדִי (ʼAshdôwdîy, H796) — an Ashdodite (often collectively) or inhabitant of Asdod שָׁמֵם (shâmêm, H8074) — to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both… נָכָה (nâkâh, H5221) — to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively) טְחֹר (ṭᵉchôr, H2914) — a boil or ulcer (from the inflammation), especially a tumorin the anus or pudenda (the… עֹפֶל (ʻôphel, H6076) — a tumor; also a mound, i.e. fortress אַשְׁדּוֹד (ʼAshdôwd, H795) — Ashdod, a place in Palestine גְּבוּל (gᵉbûwl, H1366) — properly, a cord (as twisted), i.e. (by implication) a boundary; by extension the…
Open source ↗אֱנוֹשׁ (ʼĕnôwsh, H582) — a man in general (singly or collectively) אַשְׁדּוֹד (ʼAshdôwd, H795) — Ashdod, a place in Palestine רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אָרוֹן (ʼârôwn, H727) — a box אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to… יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), קָשָׁה (qâshâh, H7185) — properly, to be dense, i.e. tough or severe (in various applications) דָּגוֹן (Dâgôwn, H1712) — Dagon, a Philistine deity
Open source ↗שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) אָסַף (ʼâçaph, H622) — to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave… סֶרֶן (çeren, H5633) — an axle; figuratively, a peer פְּלִשְׁתִּי (Pᵉlishtîy, H6430) — a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application אָרוֹן (ʼârôwn, H727) — a box אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity סָבַב (çâbab, H5437) — to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively גַּת (Gath, H1661) — Gath, a Philistine city
Open source ↗אַחַר (ʼachar, H310) — properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various… סָבַב (çâbab, H5437) — to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere… מְאֹד (mᵉʼôd, H3966) — properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication,… גָּדוֹל (gâdôwl, H1419) — great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent מְהוּמָה (mᵉhûwmâh, H4103) — confusion or uproar נָכָה (nâkâh, H5221) — to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively) אֱנוֹשׁ (ʼĕnôwsh, H582) — a man in general (singly or collectively) קָטָן (qâṭân, H6996) — abbreviated, i.e. diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in… טְחֹר (ṭᵉchôr, H2914) — a boil or ulcer (from the inflammation), especially a tumorin the anus or pudenda (the… עֹפֶל (ʻôphel, H6076) — a tumor; also a mound, i.e. fortress שָׂתַר (sâthar, H8368) — to break out (as an eruption)
Open source ↗שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) אָרוֹן (ʼârôwn, H727) — a box אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… עֶקְרוֹן (ʻEqrôwn, H6138) — Ekron, a place in Palestine בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) עֶקְרוֹנִי (ʻEqrôwnîy, H6139) — an Ekronite or inhabitant of Ekron זָעַק (zâʻaq, H2199) — to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) סָבַב (çâbab, H5437) — to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity מוּת (mûwth, H4191) — to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence…
Open source ↗שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) אָסַף (ʼâçaph, H622) — to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave… סֶרֶן (çeren, H5633) — an axle; figuratively, a peer פְּלִשְׁתִּי (Pᵉlishtîy, H6430) — a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אָרוֹן (ʼârôwn, H727) — a box אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… מָקוֹם (mâqôwm, H4725) — properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific);… מוּת (mûwth, H4191) — to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… מָוֶת (mâveth, H4194) — death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades);… מְהוּמָה (mᵉhûwmâh, H4103) — confusion or uproar
Open source ↗אֱנוֹשׁ (ʼĕnôwsh, H582) — a man in general (singly or collectively) מוּת (mûwth, H4191) — to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill נָכָה (nâkâh, H5221) — to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively) טְחֹר (ṭᵉchôr, H2914) — a boil or ulcer (from the inflammation), especially a tumorin the anus or pudenda (the… עֹפֶל (ʻôphel, H6076) — a tumor; also a mound, i.e. fortress שַׁוְעָה (shavʻâh, H7775) — a hallooing עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere… עָלָה (ʻâlâh, H5927) — to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of… שָׁמַיִם (shâmayim, H8064) — the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds…
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek.
All the territory of the Philistines and the Geshurites, from the Shihor east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north (considered to be Canaanite territory)—that of the five Philistine rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as that of the Avvites;
“The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “for the ark of God has been captured.”
The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
No Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites; only in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod did any survive.
He delivered His strength to captivity, and His splendor to the hand of the adversary.