1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

3 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.

4 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.

5 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.

6 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.

7 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.

8 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.

9 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.

10 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.

11 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.

12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

Commentary

Verse 1

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
Dagon is broken before the ark.
See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be ready to sink, even then we may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. When Christ, the true Ark of the covenant, really enters the heart of fallen man, which is indeed Satan's temple, all idols will fall, every endeavour to set them up again will be vain, sin will be forsaken, and unrighteous gain restored; the Lord will claim and possess the throne. But pride, self-love, and worldly lusts, though dethroned and crucified, still remain within us, like the stump of Dagon. Let us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have them more entirely destroyed.
McArther Bible Commentary
Ashdod. One of the five chief Philistine cities, inland from the coast (three miles) and approximately thirty-three miles west of Jerusalem.
Bible Cross References
Acts 8:40 Joshua 11:22 Joshua 13:3 1 Samuel 4:1 1 Samuel 4:22 1 Samuel 7:12 Isaiah 20:1 Amos 3:9

Verse 2

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
Dagon is broken before the ark.
See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be ready to sink, even then we may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. When Christ, the true Ark of the covenant, really enters the heart of fallen man, which is indeed Satan's temple, all idols will fall, every endeavour to set them up again will be vain, sin will be forsaken, and unrighteous gain restored; the Lord will claim and possess the throne. But pride, self-love, and worldly lusts, though dethroned and crucified, still remain within us, like the stump of Dagon. Let us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have them more entirely destroyed.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
By Dagon - By way of reproach, as a spoil and trophy set there to the honour of Dagon, to whom doubtless they ascribed this victory.
McArther Bible Commentary
Dagon. Ancient literature identifies this deity as a fish god, whose image had the lower body of a fish and the upper body of a man. Dagon seems to have been the leader of the Philistine pantheon (Jdg 16:23) and is noted to be the father of Baal. The placing of the ark of God in the temple of Dagon was supposed to be a sign of Dagon's power and Yahweh's inferiority, a visual representation that the god of the Philistines was victorious over the God of the Hebrews. In addition, the textual connection of Dagon reinforces the affinity between the events written here and those in the life of Samson (cf. Judg. 1Sa 5:13-16).
Bible Cross References
Judges 16:23 1 Chronicles 10:8

Verse 3

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
Dagon is broken before the ark.
See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be ready to sink, even then we may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. When Christ, the true Ark of the covenant, really enters the heart of fallen man, which is indeed Satan's temple, all idols will fall, every endeavour to set them up again will be vain, sin will be forsaken, and unrighteous gain restored; the Lord will claim and possess the throne. But pride, self-love, and worldly lusts, though dethroned and crucified, still remain within us, like the stump of Dagon. Let us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have them more entirely destroyed.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
They - The priests of Dagon. Set him - Supposing his fall was casual.
McArther Bible Commentary
fallen on its face. Ironically, God Himself overturned the supposed supremacy of Dagon by causing Dagon to fall over, as if paying homage to the Lord.
Bible Cross References
1 Samuel 6:5 Isaiah 19:1 Isaiah 40:20 Isaiah 46:1 Isaiah 46:2 Isaiah 46:7

Verse 4

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
Dagon is broken before the ark.
See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be ready to sink, even then we may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. When Christ, the true Ark of the covenant, really enters the heart of fallen man, which is indeed Satan's temple, all idols will fall, every endeavour to set them up again will be vain, sin will be forsaken, and unrighteous gain restored; the Lord will claim and possess the throne. But pride, self-love, and worldly lusts, though dethroned and crucified, still remain within us, like the stump of Dagon. Let us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have them more entirely destroyed.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Cut off - The head is the seat of wisdom; the hands the instruments of action: both are cut off to shew that he had neither wisdom nor strength to defend himself or his worshippers. Thus the priests by concealing Dagon's shame before, make it more evident and infamous. The stump - Heb. only dagon, that is, that part of it from which it was called Dagon, namely the fishy part, for Dag in Hebrew signifies a fish. It - Upon the threshold; there the trunk abode in the place where it fell, but the head and hands were slung to distant places.
McArther Bible Commentary
head … hands were broken off. The first display of God's authority over Dagon was not perceived. God's second display of authority, the cutting off of Dagon's head and hands, was a common sign that the enemy was dead (1Sa 17:54; 1Sa 31:9; Jdg 7:25; Jdg 8:6; 2Sa 4:12), and was to be understood as God's divine judgment on the false idol.
Bible Cross References
1 Samuel 6:5 Isaiah 40:20 Ezekiel 6:4 Ezekiel 6:6 Micah 1:7

Verse 5

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
Dagon is broken before the ark.
See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be ready to sink, even then we may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. When Christ, the true Ark of the covenant, really enters the heart of fallen man, which is indeed Satan's temple, all idols will fall, every endeavour to set them up again will be vain, sin will be forsaken, and unrighteous gain restored; the Lord will claim and possess the throne. But pride, self-love, and worldly lusts, though dethroned and crucified, still remain within us, like the stump of Dagon. Let us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have them more entirely destroyed.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
This day - When this history was written, which if written by Samuel towards the end of his life, was a sufficient ground for this expression.
McArther Bible Commentary
tread on the threshold. Because the head and hands of Dagon fell on the threshold, superstition developed that it was cursed; therefore, the Philistines would not tread on it. to this day. This phrase supports the claim that the writer was living at a time removed from the actual event itself (see Introduction: Author and Date). This phrase and phrases equivalent to it are found throughout 1 and 2 Samuel (1Sa 6:18; 1Sa 26:6; 1Sa 30:25; 2Sa 4:3; 2Sa 6:8; 2Sa 18:18).
Bible Cross References
Judges 19:27 Zephaniah 1:9

Verse 6

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The Philistine smitten.
The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have enough of it.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Emerods - The piles.
McArther Bible Commentary
the hand of the Lord was heavy. In contrast to the hands of Dagon being cut off, symbolizing his helplessness against the power of Yahweh, the Lord was pictured to be actively involved in judging the Philistines. The imagery of God's hand is found throughout the ark narrative (1Sa 4:8; 1Sa 5:6-7, 1Sa 5:9, 1Sa 5:11; 1Sa 6:3, 1Sa 6:5, 1Sa 6:9). tumors. It has been suggested that this word refers to the sores or boils caused by an epidemic of the bubonic plague carried by rats (1Sa 6:4-5). The spread of the disease and its deadly effect (1Sa 5:6, 1Sa 5:9, 1Sa 5:12; 1Sa 6:11, 1Sa 6:17) make this a likely view.
Bible Cross References
Acts 13:11 Exodus 9:3 Deuteronomy 28:27 1 Samuel 5:7 1 Samuel 5:9 1 Samuel 5:11 1 Samuel 6:4 1 Samuel 6:5 Psalm 32:4 Psalm 78:66 Psalm 145:20 Psalm 147:6

Verse 7

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The Philistine smitten.
The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have enough of it.
Bible Cross References
1 Samuel 5:6 1 Samuel 5:8

Verse 8

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The Philistine smitten.
The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have enough of it.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
To Gath - Supposing that this plague was confined to Ashdod for some particular reasons, or that it came upon them by chance, or for putting it into Dagon's temple, which they resolved they would not do.
McArther Bible Commentary
lords of the Philistines. Those men who ruled the chief Philistine cities as kings (see note on 1Sa 4:1). Gath. Another main Philistine city, located about twelve miles east of Ashdod (cf. 1Sa 5:1).
Bible Cross References
1 Samuel 5:7 1 Samuel 5:11 1 Samuel 29:6 Amos 6:2

Verse 9

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The Philistine smitten.
The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have enough of it.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Hidden parts - In the inwards of their hinder parts: which is the worst kind of emerods, as all physicians acknowledge, both because its pains are far more sharp than the other; and because the malady is more out of the reach of remedies.
Bible Cross References
Deuteronomy 2:15 1 Samuel 5:6 1 Samuel 5:10 1 Samuel 5:11 1 Samuel 6:4 1 Samuel 7:13 1 Samuel 12:15

Verse 10

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The Philistine smitten.
The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have enough of it.
McArther Bible Commentary
Ekron. With judgment on Gath, the Philistines sent the ark away to the next main city to see if God was behind their calamity. Located about six miles north of Gath, it was the closest major Philistine city to Israel's border. the ark … to kill us. The cry of the Ekronites was an admission that the Philistines had gotten the message that God was the source of their troubles. It is curious that the Philistines knew of God's power to strike the Egyptians (1Sa 4:8), yet they proudly believed themselves stronger than Egypt. The severity of the plagues grew increasingly worse in verses 1Sa 5:6-12, corresponding with the failure of the Philistines to humble themselves before God. Their actions were similar to those of the Egyptians (Ex. 5-14).
Bible Cross References
Joshua 13:3 1 Samuel 5:9 1 Samuel 5:11 2 Samuel 7:9

Verse 11

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The Philistine smitten.
The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have enough of it.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
The city - In every city, where the ark of God came.
Bible Cross References
1 Samuel 5:6 1 Samuel 5:8 1 Samuel 5:9 1 Samuel 5:10 1 Samuel 6:5

Verse 12

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The Philistine smitten.
The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have enough of it.
Bible Cross References
Exodus 12:30 1 Samuel 6:1 Isaiah 15:3 Jeremiah 14:2