I Samuel 5 Commentary: The Humiliation of Dagon and the Power of God
And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben–ezer unto Ashdod.
When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.
And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Keywords: I Samuel 5
Context: From Defeat to Divine Revelation
In the preceding chapter, I Samuel 4, we witness a devastating defeat for Israel at the hands of the Philistines. The ark of the covenant, mistakenly believed to be a talisman guaranteeing victory, was captured. I Samuel 5 serves as a powerful corrective to any notion that the Philistine victory signified the superiority of their god, Dagon, over the Lord. Instead, this chapter unveils the undeniable power and sovereignty of God through the humiliation of Dagon and the suffering inflicted upon the Philistines.
The Ark in Ashdod: A Misplaced Trophy (I Samuel 5:1-2)
Flush with victory, the Philistines seized the ark and brought it to Ashdod, one of their five principal cities (the others being Ashkelon, Gaza, Gath, and Ekron). In ancient warfare, capturing an enemy's god was the ultimate symbol of dominance, a statement that the victor's deity was more powerful. The Philistines placed the ark in the temple of Dagon, their god, intending to demonstrate Dagon's supremacy over the God of Israel and incite his worshippers to revel in their triumph. They may have also believed that by possessing the ark, they would inherit its related power, reminiscent of the stories of Israel’s great victories in the promised land.
Dagon's Downfall: Humiliation and Contempt (I Samuel 5:3-5)
However, the Lord cannot be mocked. Merely possessing the ark proved useless to the Philistines. The Lord's response was swift and decisive. The following morning, the Philistines found the idol of Dagon face down before the ark, as if in worship (I Samuel 5:3). This was not merely a physical accident; it was a divine act of humiliation. They restored Dagon to his place, but the next morning brought an even more striking scene: Dagon lay prostrate again, his head and hands broken off on the threshold of the temple (I Samuel 5:4). In that time period, severing the head and hands of an enemy was often done in battle, meaning these were trophies of victory. The symbolism was unmistakable. Dagon was powerless before the Lord. The broken head and hands signified utter defeat and the Lord's complete contempt for this false idol.
Affliction and Terror: The Hand of God (I Samuel 5:6-9)
The humiliation of Dagon was only the beginning. The Lord's judgment extended to the people of Ashdod, who were struck with a devastating plague of "tumors" (I Samuel 5:6). The precise nature of these tumors is debated, with some scholars suggesting boils or even a bubonic plague-like affliction. Regardless of the specific ailment, the effect was terror and widespread suffering. Recognizing the connection between the ark and their affliction, the men of Ashdod acknowledged that the Lord of Israel was behind their troubles (I Samuel 5:6-7).
Desperate to alleviate their suffering, the rulers of Ashdod convened a meeting and decided to send the ark to Gath (I Samuel 5:8). However, Gath was not spared. The same plague of tumors broke out among the people of Gath, afflicting young and old alike, and the level of panic rose (I Samuel 5:9).
A Deadly Hot Potato: The Ark Moves On (I Samuel 5:10-12)
Having learned of Ashdod's troubles, it’s hard to believe the people of Gath had not heard about Ashdod’s troubles because of the ark. Nevertheless, they received it, and the same problems experienced by their countrymen started immediately among them. Gath quickly sought to rid themselves of the ark, sending it to Ekron. But the people of Ekron were terrified, viewing the ark as a harbinger of death. They cried out, fearing that they would all be killed (I Samuel 5:10). The ark of God had become a deadly hot potato that none of the Philistines wanted to handle. Everyone realized that keeping it could mean nothing but more bad news for them—perhaps even death (I Samuel 5:12).
Another meeting of the Philistine rulers was called, and the people of Ekron demanded that the ark be sent back to Israel (I Samuel 5:11). Some in Ekron even died, likely from a combination of panic and the plague itself. The cry of the city was so great that it reached heaven, a poetic expression of their immense suffering and desperation (I Samuel 5:12).
Theological Reflections and Practical Applications
I Samuel 5 offers several important lessons:
- God's Sovereignty: The chapter demonstrates God's absolute sovereignty over all gods and nations. The Philistines' victory over Israel did not indicate God's weakness, but rather His judgment on His own people's unfaithfulness.
- Idolatry's Futility: The humiliation of Dagon exposes the emptiness and powerlessness of idols. True power resides only in the one true God.
- The Consequences of Disobedience: The Philistines' suffering was a direct consequence of their possession of the ark, a symbol of God's presence, without a proper understanding of or relationship with Him.
- Superstition vs. True Faith: The Philistines treated the ark as a magical object, believing it would automatically bring them power. This highlights the difference between superstitious belief and genuine faith, which involves a relationship of obedience and trust.
The irony in this story is that Israel often operated by faulty theological thinking, too. Many Israelites, for instance, believed that their spiritual condition didn’t matter simply because they were God’s people. This is what led John the Baptist to later tell the Pharisees and Sadducees not to presume that their Jewish heritage would save them because “God is able to raise up children for Abraham from . . . stones” (Matthew 3:9). God cannot be obligated, and he expects obedience from his children. To put this in modern terms, merely showing up to church on Sunday morning won’t save you or give you God’s blessings. You need to repent and place saving faith in Jesus.
This chapter reminds us that God cannot be manipulated or controlled. True blessing comes through a right relationship with Him, characterized by humility, obedience, and a recognition of His supreme authority. We should not presume upon God's grace or treat religious symbols as mere talismans. Instead, we must seek a genuine and transformative relationship with the living God.
And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben–ezer unto Ashdod.
When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.
And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Keywords: I Samuel 5
Context: From Defeat to Divine Revelation
In the preceding chapter, I Samuel 4, we witness a devastating defeat for Israel at the hands of the Philistines. The ark of the covenant, mistakenly believed to be a talisman guaranteeing victory, was captured. I Samuel 5 serves as a powerful corrective to any notion that the Philistine victory signified the superiority of their god, Dagon, over the Lord. Instead, this chapter unveils the undeniable power and sovereignty of God through the humiliation of Dagon and the suffering inflicted upon the Philistines.
The Ark in Ashdod: A Misplaced Trophy (I Samuel 5:1-2)
Flush with victory, the Philistines seized the ark and brought it to Ashdod, one of their five principal cities (the others being Ashkelon, Gaza, Gath, and Ekron). In ancient warfare, capturing an enemy's god was the ultimate symbol of dominance, a statement that the victor's deity was more powerful. The Philistines placed the ark in the temple of Dagon, their god, intending to demonstrate Dagon's supremacy over the God of Israel and incite his worshippers to revel in their triumph. They may have also believed that by possessing the ark, they would inherit its related power, reminiscent of the stories of Israel’s great victories in the promised land.
Dagon's Downfall: Humiliation and Contempt (I Samuel 5:3-5)
However, the Lord cannot be mocked. Merely possessing the ark proved useless to the Philistines. The Lord's response was swift and decisive. The following morning, the Philistines found the idol of Dagon face down before the ark, as if in worship (I Samuel 5:3). This was not merely a physical accident; it was a divine act of humiliation. They restored Dagon to his place, but the next morning brought an even more striking scene: Dagon lay prostrate again, his head and hands broken off on the threshold of the temple (I Samuel 5:4). In that time period, severing the head and hands of an enemy was often done in battle, meaning these were trophies of victory. The symbolism was unmistakable. Dagon was powerless before the Lord. The broken head and hands signified utter defeat and the Lord's complete contempt for this false idol.
Affliction and Terror: The Hand of God (I Samuel 5:6-9)
The humiliation of Dagon was only the beginning. The Lord's judgment extended to the people of Ashdod, who were struck with a devastating plague of "tumors" (I Samuel 5:6). The precise nature of these tumors is debated, with some scholars suggesting boils or even a bubonic plague-like affliction. Regardless of the specific ailment, the effect was terror and widespread suffering. Recognizing the connection between the ark and their affliction, the men of Ashdod acknowledged that the Lord of Israel was behind their troubles (I Samuel 5:6-7).
Desperate to alleviate their suffering, the rulers of Ashdod convened a meeting and decided to send the ark to Gath (I Samuel 5:8). However, Gath was not spared. The same plague of tumors broke out among the people of Gath, afflicting young and old alike, and the level of panic rose (I Samuel 5:9).
A Deadly Hot Potato: The Ark Moves On (I Samuel 5:10-12)
Having learned of Ashdod's troubles, it’s hard to believe the people of Gath had not heard about Ashdod’s troubles because of the ark. Nevertheless, they received it, and the same problems experienced by their countrymen started immediately among them. Gath quickly sought to rid themselves of the ark, sending it to Ekron. But the people of Ekron were terrified, viewing the ark as a harbinger of death. They cried out, fearing that they would all be killed (I Samuel 5:10). The ark of God had become a deadly hot potato that none of the Philistines wanted to handle. Everyone realized that keeping it could mean nothing but more bad news for them—perhaps even death (I Samuel 5:12).
Another meeting of the Philistine rulers was called, and the people of Ekron demanded that the ark be sent back to Israel (I Samuel 5:11). Some in Ekron even died, likely from a combination of panic and the plague itself. The cry of the city was so great that it reached heaven, a poetic expression of their immense suffering and desperation (I Samuel 5:12).
Theological Reflections and Practical Applications
I Samuel 5 offers several important lessons:
- God's Sovereignty: The chapter demonstrates God's absolute sovereignty over all gods and nations. The Philistines' victory over Israel did not indicate God's weakness, but rather His judgment on His own people's unfaithfulness.
- Idolatry's Futility: The humiliation of Dagon exposes the emptiness and powerlessness of idols. True power resides only in the one true God.
- The Consequences of Disobedience: The Philistines' suffering was a direct consequence of their possession of the ark, a symbol of God's presence, without a proper understanding of or relationship with Him.
- Superstition vs. True Faith: The Philistines treated the ark as a magical object, believing it would automatically bring them power. This highlights the difference between superstitious belief and genuine faith, which involves a relationship of obedience and trust.
The irony in this story is that Israel often operated by faulty theological thinking, too. Many Israelites, for instance, believed that their spiritual condition didn’t matter simply because they were God’s people. This is what led John the Baptist to later tell the Pharisees and Sadducees not to presume that their Jewish heritage would save them because “God is able to raise up children for Abraham from . . . stones” (Matthew 3:9). God cannot be obligated, and he expects obedience from his children. To put this in modern terms, merely showing up to church on Sunday morning won’t save you or give you God’s blessings. You need to repent and place saving faith in Jesus.
This chapter reminds us that God cannot be manipulated or controlled. True blessing comes through a right relationship with Him, characterized by humility, obedience, and a recognition of His supreme authority. We should not presume upon God's grace or treat religious symbols as mere talismans. Instead, we must seek a genuine and transformative relationship with the living God.