1 Samuel 5
Overview
5:1 The Philistines having brought the ark into Ashdod, set it in the house of Dagon;
5:3 Dagon is smitten down and cut in pieces, and they of Ashdod smitten with emerods;
5:8 So God deals with them of Gath, when it was brought thither;
5:10 and so with them of Ekron, when it was brought thither. Verse 1took1 Samuel 4:11, 4:17, 4:18, 4:22; Psalm 78:61 Ebenezer1 Samuel 4:1, 7:12 AshdodAshdod, 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, AzotusReciprocalJoshua 15:46 - near; 1 Samuel 6:1 - the ark; 6:17 - Ashdod; 2 Chronicles 26:6 - about; Nehemiah 4:7 - Ashdodites; 13:23 - Ashdod; Daniel 5:23 - and they; Amos 3:9 - Ashdod Verse 2of DagonJudges 16:23; 1 Chronicles 10:10; Daniel 5:2, 5:23; Habakkuk 1:11, 1:16ReciprocalGenesis 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; Psalm 78:61 - his strength; Isaiah 19:1 - the idols; Daniel 1:2 - and he; Joel 3:5 - into; 2 Corinthians 6:14 - for; 6:15 - what concord Verse 3Dagon wasExodus 12:12; Psalm 97:7; Isaiah 19:1, 46:1, 46:2; Zephaniah 2:11; Mark 3:11; Luke 10:18-20; 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 set himIsaiah 19:1, 40:20, 41:7, 44:17-20, 46:1, 46:2, 46:7; Jeremiah 10:8Reciprocal1 Samuel 5:7 - upon Dagon our god; 6:1 - the ark; 6:5 - off your; 11:14 - renew; Isaiah 41:6 - helped; 44:11 - all his; Jeremiah 22:28 - a despised; 48:13 - ashamed; Acts 19:28 - and cried Verse 4the headIsaiah 2:18, 2:19, 27:9; Jeremiah 10:11, 50:2; Ezekiel 6:4-6; Daniel 11:8; Micah 1:7 of DagonThe 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:
Δερκετους δε ειδος εν Φοινικη εθεησαμην, θεημα ξενον; ημισεη μεν γυνη; το δε οκοσον εκ μηρων ες ακρους ποδας, ιχθυος ουρη αποτεινεται
"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, το μεν προσωπον εχει γυναικος, το δἀλλο σωμα παν ιχθυος. "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. 1:4
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 stumpor, the fishy partReciprocalExodus 20:23 - General; 1 Samuel 5:7 - upon Dagon our god; 6:5 - off your; Isaiah 40:20 - shall not; Hosea 10:2 - break down
Verse 5neitherPsalm 115:4-7, 135:15-18 treadJoshua 5:15; Zephaniah 1:9ReciprocalGenesis 32:32 - eat not; Exodus 20:23 - General Verse 6the hand1 Samuel 5:7, 5:11; Exodus 9:3; Psalm 32:4; Acts 13:11 emerods1 Samuel 5:9, 5:11, 6:5; Deuteronomy 28:27; Job 31:3; Psalm 78:66 thereofThe LXX and Vulgate add:
Και μεσον της χωρας αυτης ανεφυησαν μυες και εγενετο συγχυσις θανατου μεγαλη εν τη πολει.
(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, 6:5ReciprocalGenesis 41:31 - grievous; Deuteronomy 2:15 - the hand of the; Joshua 15:46 - near; 2 Chronicles 26:6 - about; Psalm 38:2 - thy hand; 44:2 - how thou didst afflict; Isaiah 26:11 - they shall; Revelation 16:2 - a noisome
Verse 7saw1 Samuel 4:8; Exodus 8:8, 8:28, 9:28, 10:7, 12:33 The ark1 Samuel 6:20; 2 Samuel 6:9; 1 Chronicles 13:11-13, 15:13 upon Dagon our god1 Samuel 5:3, 5:4; Jeremiah 46:25, 48:7Reciprocal1 Samuel 5:6 - the hand; 6:3 - known; 6:5 - off your; Psalm 32:4 - hand; 44:2 - how thou didst afflict; Ezekiel 39:21 - and my Verse 8What shallZechariah 12:3 Gath1 Samuel 17:4; Amos 6:2Reciprocal1 Samuel 6:17 - Gath; 6:20 - General; 29:2 - the lords; 1 Chronicles 18:1 - Gath Verse 9the hand1 Samuel 5:6, 7:13, 12:15; Deuteronomy 2:15; Amos 5:19, 9:1-4 with a very1 Samuel 5:11 and they had emerods5:6, 6:4, 6:5, 6:11; Psalm 78:66ReciprocalDeuteronomy 28:27 - emerods; 1 Samuel 6:3 - known; 2 Kings 23:2 - both small and great; Psalm 32:4 - hand; 107:40 - contempt; Acts 13:11 - hand; Revelation 16:2 - a noisome Verse 10God to EkronJoshua 15:45; Judges 1:18; 2 Kings 1:2; Amos 1:8 us, to slay us and our peopleHeb. me, to slay me and my peopleReciprocalGenesis 20:18 - General; Joshua 15:11 - Ekron; 19:43 - Ekron; 1 Samuel 6:1 - the ark; 6:16 - they returned; 6:17 - Ekron; 2 Samuel 6:9 - afraid; 1 Chronicles 13:12 - afraid of God Verse 11us not, and our peopleHeb. me not, and my peoplea deadlyIsaiah 13:7-9; Jeremiah 48:42-44 the hand1 Samuel 5:6, 5:9ReciprocalGenesis 20:17 - General; Deuteronomy 2:15 - the hand of the; Ruth 1:13 - the hand; 1 Samuel 6:1 - the ark; 6:3 - known; 6:5 - lighten; 2 Samuel 6:9 - afraid; 1 Chronicles 13:12 - afraid of God; Psalm 32:4 - hand; 38:2 - thy hand; Ezekiel 39:21 - and my; Acts 13:11 - hand Verse 12died1 Kings 19:17; Amos 5:19 the cry1 Samuel 9:16; Exodus 12:30; Isaiah 15:3-5; Jeremiah 14:2, 25:34, 48:3ReciprocalGenesis 20:17 - General; Deuteronomy 28:27 - emerods; Jeremiah 46:12 - thy cry Verse 1 amthe ark1 Samuel 5:1, 5:3, 5:10, 5:11; Psalm 78:61

Verse 2calledGenesis 41:8; Exodus 7:11; Isaiah 47:12, 47:13; Daniel 2:2, 5:7; Matthew 2:4 wherewithMicah 6:6-9ReciprocalJudges 18:17 - the graven; Jonah 1:11 - What Verse 3emptyExodus 23:15, 34:20; Deuteronomy 16:16 a trespassLeviticus 5:6, 5:15-19, 6:6, 7:1-7 known1 Samuel 6:9, 5:7, 5:9, 5:11; Job 10:2, 34:31, 34:32ReciprocalExodus 8:19 - This is; Jonah 1:11 - What Verse 4Five golden1 Samuel 6:5, 6:17, 6:18, 5:6, 5:9; Exodus 12:35; Joshua 13:3; Judges 3:3 you allHeb. themReciprocalExodus 11:1 - Yet will; 1 Samuel 6:8 - jewels; 6:16 - the five; 29:2 - the lords; Psalm 78:66 - And he; 107:40 - contempt; Isaiah 44:11 - all his Verse 5miceBochart has collected many curious accounts relative to the terrible devastations made by these mischievous animals. William, Archbishop of Tyre, records, that in the beginning of the twelfth century, a penitential council was held at Naplouse, where five and twenty canons were framed for the correction of the manners of the inhabitants of the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem, who they apprehended had provoked to bring upon them the calamities of earthquakes, war, and famine. This last he ascribes to locusts and devouring mice, which had for four years together so destroyed the fruits of the earth as to cause an almost total failure of their crops. It was customary for the ancient heathen to offer to their gods such monuments of their deliverance as represented the evils from which they had been rescued; and Tavernier informs us, that among the Indians, when a pilgrim goes to one of the pagodas for a cure, he brings the figure of the member affected, made of gold, silver, or copper, according to his circumstances, which he offers to his god. Exodus 8:5, 8:17, 8:24, 10:14, 10:15; Joel 1:4-7, 2:25 give gloryJoshua 7:19; Psalm 18:44, 66:3 *marg. Isaiah 42:12; Jeremiah 3:13, 13:16; Malachi 2:2; John 9:24; Revelation 11:13, 16:9 lighten1 Samuel 5:6, 5:11; Psalm 32:4, 39:10 off your1 Samuel 5:3, 5:4, 5:7; Exodus 12:12; Numbers 33:4; Isaiah 19:1ReciprocalGenesis 32:20 - peradventure; 1 Samuel 5:9 - and they had emerods; 6:4 - Five golden; 6:8 - jewels; Isaiah 44:11 - all his; Joel 2:14 - Who; Revelation 14:7 - give Verse 6hardenJob 9:4; Psalm 95:8; Romans 2:5; Habakkuk 3:13 the EgyptiansExodus 7:13, 8:15, 9:16, 9:34, 10:3, 14:17, 14:23, 15:14-16 wonderfullyor, reproachfullydid they not12:31-33 the peopleHeb. themReciprocal11:10 - the Lord; Job 15:25 - strengtheneth; Daniel 5:20 - hardened; Habakkuk 3:8 - Harden Verse 7new cart2 Samuel 6:3; 1 Chronicles 13:7 on whichNumbers 19:2ReciprocalGenesis 24:14 - thereby; 1 Kings 18:44 - Prepare Verse 8jewels1 Samuel 6:4, 6:5

Verse 9BethshemeshJoshua 15:10, 21:16 heor, it, Amos 3:6 we shall1 Samuel 6:3 not his handIsaiah 26:11 a chance2 Samuel 1:6; Ecclesiastes 9:11; Luke 10:31ReciprocalExodus 8:19 - This is; 9:3 - the hand; Joshua 19:22 - Bethshemesh; 1 Samuel 25:38 - the Lord; 2 Samuel 11:25 - for the sword; 2 Kings 1:11 - Again; 14:11 - Bethshemesh; 2 Chronicles 25:21 - Bethshemesh; 28:18 - Bethshemesh; Job 5:6 - trouble; Psalm 32:4 - hand; 38:2 - thy hand; Jeremiah 5:12 - have belied; Ezekiel 39:21 - and my; Mark 11:13 - haply Verse 10Reciprocal1 Kings 18:44 - Prepare Verse 11they laid2 Samuel 6:3; 1 Chronicles 13:7, 15:13-15Reciprocal1 Samuel 5:9 - and they had emerods Verse 12ReciprocalJoshua 15:10 - Bethshemesh; 21:16 - Bethshemesh; 1 Samuel 6:16 - the five; 2 Samuel 20:13 - the highway; 1 Kings 4:9 - Bethshemesh; 1 Chronicles 6:59 - Bethshemesh Verse 14offered1 Samuel 7:9-17, 11:5, 20:29; Exodus 20:24; Judges 6:26, 21:4; 2 Samuel 24:18, 24:22, 24:25; 1 Kings 18:30-38Reciprocal1 Chronicles 21:23 - the oxen Verse 15Reciprocal1 Samuel 7:9 - a sucking Verse 16the five1 Samuel 6:4, 6:12; Joshua 13:3; Judges 3:3, 16:5, 16:23-30 they returned1 Samuel 5:10ReciprocalJudges 4:5 - between; 1 Samuel 6:18 - the five lords Verse 17these1 Samuel 6:4 Ashdod5:1; 2 Chronicles 26:6; Jeremiah 25:20; Zechariah 9:6 GazaJudges 16:1, 16:21; Amos 1:7, 1:8 AskelonJudges 1:18; Zechariah 9:5 Gath1 Samuel 5:8; 2 Samuel 1:20, 21:22; Amos 6:2 Ekron1 Samuel 5:10; 2 Kings 1:2; Amos 1:8ReciprocalJoshua 10:41 - Gaza; 13:3 - five Lords; 15:45 - Ekron; Judges 4:5 - between; Isaiah 14:29 - whole; 20:1 - Ashdod; Amos 1:6 - Gaza Verse 18the five lords1 Samuel 6:16; Joshua 13:3 great stone ofor, great stoneReciprocalGenesis 50:11 - Abelmizraim; Judges 3:3 - five lords; 1 Samuel 6:4 - Five golden; Isaiah 14:29 - whole Verse 19he smoteExodus 19:21; Leviticus 10:1-3; Numbers 4:4, 4:5, 4:15, 4:20; Deuteronomy 29:29; 2 Samuel 6:7; 1 Chronicles 13:9, 13:10; Colossians 2:18; 1 Peter 4:17 fifty thousandAs it is very improbable that the village of Beth-shemesh should contain, or be capable of employing, 50,070 men in the fields at wheat harvest, much less that they could all peep into the ark, and from the uncommon manner in which it is expressed in the original, it is generally allowed that there is some corruption in the text, or that some explanatory word is omitted. The Hebrew is shivim ish, chamishim aileph ish, literally, "seventy men, fifty thousand men." So LXX εβδομηκοντα ανδρας και πεντηκοντα χιλιαδας ανδρων. Vulgate, septuaginta viros, et quinquaginta millia plebis. "70 (chief) men, and 50,000 common people." Targum, besabey amma, "of the elders of the people 70 men, ovekahala, and in the congregation 50,000 men." But the Syriac, chamsho alphin weshivin gavrin, "5,000 and 70 men;" with which the Arabic agrees; while Josephus has only εβδομηκοντα, seventy men; and three reputable manuscripts of Dr. Kennicott's also omit "50,000 men." Some learned men, however, would render, by supplying מ, mem, "70 men; fifty out of a thousand;" which supposes about 1,400 present, and that a twentieth part were slain.ReciprocalExodus 30:20 - die not; Leviticus 10:2 - they died; Numbers 1:51 - the stranger; 1:53 - there be; 3:10 - and the stranger; 4:18 - General; 8:19 - that there; 17:13 - any thing; 18:4 - a stranger; 2 Samuel 24:15 - the Lord; 1 Chronicles 21:14 - seventy; 2 Chronicles 25:21 - Bethshemesh; Psalm 9:16 - known; Luke 19:21 - because; Acts 5:5 - great Verse 201 Samuel 5:8-12; Numbers 17:12, 17:13; 2 Samuel 6:7, 6:9; 1 Chronicles 13:11-13; Psalm 76:7; Malachi 3:2; Luke 5:8, 8:37ReciprocalLeviticus 10:3 - I will be; 11:44 - ye shall; Joshua 24:19 - holy; 1 Samuel 5:7 - The ark; 1 Kings 4:9 - Bethshemesh; 1 Chronicles 13:12 - afraid of God; 2 Chronicles 25:21 - Bethshemesh; Psalm 9:16 - known; 119:120 - My flesh; Zechariah 3:1 - standing; Mark 5:15 - and they; Acts 19:17 - and fear Verse 21KirjathjearimJoshua 18:14; Judges 18:12; 1 Chronicles 13:5, 13:6; Psalm 78:60; Jeremiah 7:12, 7:14Reciprocal1 Samuel 7:1 - Kirjathjearim; Psalm 78:67 - General; Ezekiel 25:15 - to destroy; Mark 5:15 - and they