1 Samuel 5:1,1 Samuel 5:2

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 5:1

1. 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. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 5:1-5

Having captured the ark, the Philistines brought it from Ebenezer to their main city, Ashdod, which stood about 30 miles to the southwest and three miles from the Mediterranean coast. Archaeologists have excavated Ashdod more extensively than any of the five major Philistine cities.Dagon was the principle deity of the Philistines. The popular teaching that the Philistines pictured him as being part man and part fish finds support in 1 Samuel 5:4. Dag in Hebrew means fishy part. Dagon (cf. Heb.... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 5:1-12

B. Pagan Fertility Foiled by God ch. 5The primary purpose of this chapter, I believe, is to demonstrate the superiority of Yahweh over Dagon, the fertility god of the Philistines. There are several similarities between this chapter and the record of God sending plagues on the Egyptians (Exodus 7-12), an earlier demonstration of His sovereignty. read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:1-12

The Ark among the Philistines1. Ashdod] on an elevation overlooking the Philistine plain midway between Gaza and Joppa, and 3 m. from the Mediterranean. Its importance consisted in the fact that it commanded the high road from Palestine to Egypt.2. Dagon] seems to have been worshipped in all the Philistine cities. His name is probably merely the Canaanite pronunciation of the word for ’corn,’ and designates him as the god of agriculture. The Philistines were not a maritime people, like the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 Samuel 5:1

(1) The Philistines took the ark of God.—The sacred writer concerns himself after the battle of Aphek only with the future of the Ark of the Covenant, and says nothing of the fate of Shiloh after the rout of the Israelites and the death of the high priest. We can, however, from Psalms 78:60-64, and two passages in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:12; Jeremiah 26:9), complete the story of the sanctuary city after the death of Eli. After the victory of Aphek, the Philistines, flushed with success, probably... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:1-12

CHAPTER VII.THE ARK AMONG THE PHILISTINES.1 Samuel 5:1-12; 1 Samuel 6:1-21ALTHOUGH the history in Samuel is silent as to the doings of the Philistines immediately after their great victory over Israel, yet we learn from other parts of the Bible (Psalms 78:60-64 ) Jeremiah 7:12; Jeremiah 26:9) that they proceeded to Shiloh, massacred the priests, wrecked the city, and left it a monument of desolation, as it continued to be ever after. Probably this was considered an appropriate sequel to the... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - 1 Samuel 5:1-12

6. The Ark in the Hands of the Philistines and Its Return CHAPTER 5 1. The ark in the house of Dagon (1 Samuel 5:1-5 ) 2. The Philistines smitten by Jehovah (1 Samuel 5:6-12 ) The ark was brought to Ashdod, the leading city of the Philistines, and set up in the temple dedicated to Dagon, the chief god of the people. It was half fish and half man, the symbol of fertility. Before this idol the ark was set up. In their blindness they imagined that Dagon had conquered the God of Israel. The... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - 1 Samuel 5:1

5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto {a} Ashdod.(a) Which was one of the five principal cities of the Philistines. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:1-12

Though God had allowed the Philistines to gain the victory, He very soon spoils their pleasure in having captured the ark, taking it to Ashdod. They think the most fit place for it is in the house of Dagon, the fish-god (half fish, half man). No doubt they even considered they were patronizing Israel's god by giving it this place! But the next morning Dagon was found fallen on its face before the ark, and they were given the work of lifting their god back into its place! The second morning,... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:1-12

ELI ’S DEATH ; THE LOSS OF THE ARK GOD SPEAKS TO SAMUEL (1 Samuel 3:0 ) “The word of the Lord was precious [or rare] in those days” (1 Samuel 3:1 ) is introductory to the record that it was now heard in the case of Samuel. It was Israel’s sin that hid God’s face from them and caused His voice to be silent so long only twice heard during the period of the Judges (Judges 4:4 ; Judges 6:8 ) but He was again to be gracious unto them in this respect, and a new epoch was to open in their... read more

Group of Brands