The Philistines and the Ark

1 Samuel 5

1 When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from q Ebenezer to r Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside s Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, t Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, u and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon v do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 w The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with x tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, "The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god." 8 So they sent and gathered together all y the lords of the Philistines and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" They answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath." So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there. 9 But after they had brought it around, z the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that x tumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, "They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people." 11 y They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people." For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. w The hand of God was very heavy there. 12 The men who did not die were struck with x tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

  1. Cross References
    1 Samuel 4:1
    And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek.
    1 Samuel 7:12
    Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, "Till now the Lord has helped us.
  2. Cross References
    Joshua 13:3
    (from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim.
  3. Cross References
    Judges 16:23
    Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.
  4. Cross References
    Isaiah 46:1 - 2
    Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock; these things you carry are borne as burdens on weary beasts.
  5. Cross References
    Jeremiah 50:2
    "Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up a banner and proclaim, conceal it not, and say: 'Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed. Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.'
    Ezekiel 6:4
    Your altars shall become desolate, and your incense altars shall be broken, and I will cast down your slain before your idols.
    Ezekiel 6:6
    Wherever you dwell, the cities shall be waste and the high places ruined, so that your altars will be waste and ruined, your idols broken and destroyed, your incense altars cut down, and your works wiped out.
    Micah 1:7
    All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces, all her wages shall be burned with fire, and all her idols I will lay waste, for from the fee of a prostitute she gathered them, and to the fee of a prostitute they shall return.
  6. Cross References
    Zephaniah 1:9
    On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their master's house with violence and fraud.
  7. Cross References
    Exodus 9:3
    Behold, the hand of the Lord will fall with a very severe plague upon your livestock that are in the field, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks.
    Psalms 32:4
    For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
    Acts 13:11
    And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time." Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.
  8. Cross References
    1 Samuel 6:5
    So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you and your gods and your land.
  9. Cross References
    Joshua 13:3
    (from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim.
  10. Cross References
    1 Samuel 7:13
    So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
    1 Samuel 12:15
    But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king.
    Deuteronomy 2:15
    For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them from the camp, until they had perished.
  11. Cross References
    1 Samuel 5:6
    The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.
  12. Cross References
    1 Samuel 5:8
    So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" They answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath." So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there.
  13. Cross References
    1 Samuel 5:6
    The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.
  14. Cross References
    1 Samuel 5:6
    The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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