1 Samuel 5 - Printer Friendly

What does 1 Samuel 5 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

The Philistines had badly defeated the Israelite army despite that the ark of the Lord had been brought to the battle in hopes that God would fight for His unfaithful people (1 Samuel 4:1–11). He had not, and the ark had been captured and is now delivered to Ashdod, one of the five major Philistine cities.

The Philistines believe their victory means that their god, Dagon, has proven more powerful than the God of the Israelites. Believing Israel's deities to be in the ark, physically, they set it up in Dagon's temple to show that Dagon is superior to the Lord. Returning the next day, though, they find the Dagon idol face down in front of the ark in a position of worship (1 Samuel 5:3). The day after that, they find Dagon's head and hands removed and lying on the threshold to the temple, with the remainder of the statue face down in front of the ark. The symbolism of these events is not merely humiliating for the idol Dagon, but also reflects the Lord's utter contempt for the false deity (1 Samuel 5:4).

Things get even worse for the Philistines. The Lord's judgment acts swiftly and with power on the people of Ashdod. He afflicts them and those in the surrounding areas with terror and tumors. The exact nature of the tumors is not stated, but scholars suggest they might have been boils or hemorrhoids. The men of the city recognize that this is a plague from the Lord of Israel against them and their god because they have the ark (1 Samuel 5:6–7).

A meeting of the rulers of the five major Philistine cities is called, and the ark is sent away from Ashdod east to Gath, where the same thing happens; the text seems to suggest the situation was even worse. Men young and old experience an outbreak of tumors, and the level of panic rises (1 Samuel 5:8–9).

The leaders of Gath quickly have enough and send the ark to Ekron. This means each time the ark has been moved, it has been taken closer to Jerusalem and its rightful people. The people of Ekron begin to panic as soon as the ark arrives, believing the people of the other Philistine cities are trying to kill them. It's likely some of the carnage in Ekron was caused by terrified reactions and fear, rather than the disease itself (1 Samuel 5:10).

Another meeting of the rulers of the five cities is called. The people of Ekron demand the ark be sent back to Israel before it kills them all. In fact, some of the men of Ekron do die, apparently from the panic itself, while the others are struck with the terrible tumors. The cry of the people of the city is immense, poetically being said to reach heaven (1 Samuel 5:11–12).

In the following chapter, the Philistine leaders will produce a plan to rid themselves of the ark without suffering even further damage.

First Samuel 5:1–6 describes the arrogance of the Philistines as they place the captured ark of the Lord in the temple of their false god, Dagon. That arrogance is followed by dread: the following morning, the Dagon idol is found face down before the ark. The idol is set back in place, only to fall into the same position overnight, this time with its head and hands cut off and laying on the temple's threshold. The following passage details a wave of tumors and terror among the Philistines, as they move the ark while attempting to halt the plague.

First Samuel 5:7–12 describes growing terror among the Philistines, who captured the ark of the covenant and placed it in their pagan temple. After humiliating the idol of their god, Dagon, the Lord's hand brings a plague of fear and cancers everywhere the ark is taken. In Ekron, the men who don't die from the effects of mass panic are struck with tumors. The cry goes up to send the ark back to Israel to stop the suffering and death.

Chapter Summary:

The captured ark of the Lord is placed in the temple of Dagon. On consecutive nights, the Dagon idol is found on the floor, face down before the ark. On the second night, its head and hands are removed. The Lord sends a plague of terror and tumors on the people of Ashdod. The ark is sent to Gath and then Ekron, where the suffering grows even more intense. Some men in Ekron die from sheer panic, and the rest are struck with tumors. The people cry out to send the ark away, back to the Israelites.

Chapter Context:

In the prior chapter, Israel lost badly in battle against the Philistines, who even captured the ark of the covenant. First Samuel 5 dispels any suspicion that the Israelites' defeat means the god of the Philistines is more powerful than the Lord. In Ashdod, the idol of the god Dagon is supernaturally humiliated in its own temple. A plague of terror and tumors follows, first in Ashdod and then in Gath and Ekron as the ark is moved closer and closer to Jerusalem. The people of Ekron cry out for their leaders to send it back to the Israelites. Chapter 6 details their plan to be free from the ark and God's wrath.

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.

Accessed 5/6/2024 8:30:16 AM