1 Samuel 5:6-9 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:6-12

The downfall of Dagon (if the people had made a good use of it, and had been brought by it to repent of their idolatries and to humble themselves before the God of Israel and seek his face) might have prevented the vengeance which God here proceeds to take upon them for the indignities done to his ark, and their obstinate adherence to their idol, in defiance of the plainest conviction. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up they will not see, but they shall see, Isa. 26:11. And, if they will not see... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:6

But the hand of the Lord was heavy on them of Ashdod ,.... Not only on their idol, but on themselves; it had crushed him to pieces, and now it fell heavy on them to their destruction: and he destroyed them ; either by the disease after mentioned they were smitten with, or rather with some other, since that seems not to be mortal, though painful; it may be with the pestilence: and smote them with emerods ; more properly haemorrhoids, which, as Kimchi says, was the name of a disease,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:7

And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so ,.... That many of their inhabitants were taken away by death, and others afflicted with a painful disease; all which they imputed to the ark being among them: they said, the ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us ; like the Gergesenes, who besought Christ to depart their coasts, having more regard for their swine than for him: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon, our god , not the hand of the ark, unless they took it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:8

They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them ,.... The other four lords, for there were five with this; see Joshua 13:3 , and said, what shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel ? they no doubt told them what they and their idol had suffered on account of it, and the resolution they were come to that it should be no longer with them; and therefore desire to know what must be done with it, whether they should return it to the people of Israel, or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:9

And it was so, that after they had carried it about ,.... And at last placed it in the city of Gath: the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction : greater than that at Ashdod, more persons were destroyed; the distemper sent among them was more epidemic and mortal: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great ; high and low, persons of every class, rank, and station, young and old, men, women, and children: and they had emerods in their secret... 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:9

The hand of the Lord was against the city - As it was at Ashdod, so it was at Gath. The Vulgate says, Et computrescebant prominenter extales eorum ; which conveys the idea of a bloody flux, dysentery, and ulcerated anus; and it adds, what is not to be found in the Hebrew text, nor many of the versions, except some traces in the Septuagint, Et fecerunt sibi sedes pelliceas , "And they made unto themselves seats of skins;" for the purpose of sitting more easy, on account of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:6

But the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod. I.e. his power and might were exercised in smiting them with severe plagues. A question here arises whether, as the Septuagint affirms, besides the scourge of emerods, their land was desolated by swarms of field mice. It is certain that they sent as votive offerings golden images of "the mice that mar the land" ( 1 Samuel 6:5 ); but the translators of the Septuagint too often attempt to make all things easy by unauthorised additions,... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:6-12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:9

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 5:9

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:6

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