1 Samuel 5:1-8 ESV

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:1

Brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod - Ashdod or Azotus was one of the five satrapies or lordships of the Philistines. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:2

The house of Dagon - On this idol, which was supposed to be partly in a human form, and partly in that of a fish, see the note on Judges 16:23 . Some think that this idol was the same with Dirceto, Attergatis, the Venus of Askelon, and the Moon. - See Calmet's Dissertation on the gods of the Philistines. The motive which induced the Philistines to set up the ark in the temple of Dagon, may be easily ascertained. It was customary, in all nations, to dedicate the spoils taken from an... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:3

They of Ashdod arose early on the morrow - Probably to perform some act of their superstition in the temple of their idol. Dagon was fallen upon his face - This was one proof, which they little expected, of the superiority of the God of Israel. Set him in his place again - Supposing his fall might have been merely accidental. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:4

Only the stump of Dagon was left - Literally, Only דגן dagon (i.e., the little fish) was left. It has already been remarked that Dagon had the head, arms and hands of a man or woman, and that the rest of the idol was in the form of a fish, to which Horace is supposed to make allusion in the following words: - Desinat in piscem mulisr formosa superne "The upper part resembling a beautiful woman; the lower, a fish." All that was human in his form was broken off from... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:5

Tread on the threshold - Because the arms, etc., of Dagon were broken off by his fall on the threshold, the threshold became sacred, and neither his priests nor worshippers ever tread on the threshold. Thus it was ordered, in the Divine providence, that, by a religious custom of their own, they should perpetuate their disgrace, the insufficiency of their worship, and the superiority of the God of Israel. It is supposed that the idolatrous Israelites, in the time of Zephaniah, had... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:6

Smote them with emerods - The word עפלים apholim , from עפל aphal , to be elevated, probably means the disease called the bleeding piles, which appears to have been accompanied with dysentery, bloody flux, and ulcerated anus. The Vulgate says, Et percussit in secretiori parte natium ; "And he smote them in the more secret parts of their posteriors." To this the psalmist is supposed to refer, Psalm 78:66 , He smote all his enemies in the Hinder Parts; he put them to a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:7

His hand is sore upon us , and upon Dagon our god - Here the end was completely answered: they now saw that they had not prevailed against Israel, on account of their god being more powerful than Jehovah; and they now feel how easily this God can confound and destroy their whole nation. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:8

The lords of the Philistines - The word סרני sarney , which we translate lords, is rendered by the Chaldee טורני tureney , tyrants. The Syriac is the same. By the Vulgate and Septuagint, satrapae , satraps. Palestine was divided into five satrapies: Ashdod, Ekron, Askelon, Gath, and Gaza. See Joshua 13:8 . But these were all federates and acted under one general government, for which they assembled in council. Let the ark - be carried about - They probably... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:1

EXPOSITION THE ARK OF GOD IN PHILISTIA ( 1 Samuel 5:1-12 ). The Philistines took the ark of God . The silence of Scripture is often as remarkable as what it tells us. From Psalms 78:60-64 ; Jeremiah 7:12 ; Jeremiah 26:9 , we gather that from Aphek the Philistines marched upon Shiloh, and having captured it, put all whom they found there to the sword, and levelled the buildings to the ground. Especially their wrath fell upon the priests, in revenge for the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:1-5

Foreshadowings. The facts given are— 1 . The Philistines, acting on polytheistic principles, place the ark in their heathen temple, thus ascribing to it Divine honour, and yet indicating its inferiority to Dagon. 2 . During the night their god Dagon falls to the ground. 3 . Supposing the fall to be the result of some unaccountable accident, they replace their god, and on the next day find him even broken to pieces. 4 . The event is memorialised by the establishment of a... read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:8

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:1

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:1-5

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