1 Samuel 5
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 5
The Ark in the Temple of Dagon. 1 [a](A)The Philistines, having captured the ark of God, transferred it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.(B) 2 They then took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, placing it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next morning, Dagon was lying face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they picked Dagon up and put him back in his place. 4 But early the next morning, when they arose, Dagon lay face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord, his head and hands broken off and lying on the threshold, his trunk alone intact. 5 For this reason, neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter the temple of Dagon tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this very day.
The Ark Is Carried About. 6 Now the hand of the Lord weighed heavily on the people of Ashdod, ravaging them and afflicting the city and its vicinity with tumors.[b](C) 7 On seeing how matters stood, the people of Ashdod decided, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand weighs heavily on us and Dagon our god.” 8 So they summoned all the Philistine leaders and inquired of them, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” The people of Gath replied, “Let them move the ark of the God of Israel to us.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel to Gath. 9 But after it had been brought there, the hand of the Lord was against the city, resulting in utter turmoil: the Lord afflicted its inhabitants, young and old, and tumors broke out on them. 10 The ark of God was next sent to Ekron; but as it entered that city, the people there cried out, “Why have they brought the ark of the God of Israel here to kill us and our kindred?” 11 Then they, too, sent a summons to all the Philistine leaders and pleaded: “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. Send it back to its place so it does not kill us and our kindred.” A deadly panic had seized the whole city, since the hand of God lay heavy upon it. 12 Those who escaped death were afflicted with tumors. Thus the outcry from the city went up to the heavens.
Footnotes
- 5:1–12 The Philistines take the ark to Dagon’s temple in Ashdod to confirm their victory. Their action, however, underscores Dagon’s impotence and the Lord’s power. The narrator relates the transfer of the ark from Ashdod to Gath and then Ekron as the progress of a conquering warrior king through the Philistine cities along the central plain. The Philistines’ humiliation recalls the climax of the Samson story (Jgs 16:13–21).
- 5:6 Tumors: the Septuagint adds that mice, suggestive of bubonic plague, infested their fields, thus anticipating the golden mice in 6:4–5. One symptom of bubonic plague is swollen lymph nodes (“tumors”).
1 Samuel 5
Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh’s Hand Against the Philistines
5 Now the Philistines took the ark of God and (A)brought it from Ebenezer to (B)Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to (C)the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 Then the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, and behold, (D)Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. So they took Dagon and (E)set him in his place again. 4 But they arose early the next morning, and behold, (F)Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; [a]only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house (G)tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
6 Now (H)the hand of Yahweh was glorious against the Ashdodites, and (I)He made them desolate and struck them with (J)tumors, both Ashdod and its territories. 7 Thus the men of Ashdod saw that it was so and said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 So they sent and (K)gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they said, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” And they brought the ark of the God of Israel around. 9 Now it happened after they had brought it around, that (L)the hand of Yahweh was against the city with very great confusion; and He struck the men of the city, both young and old, so that (M)tumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to [b]us, to put [c]us and [d]our people to death.” 11 They (N)sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it will not put [e]us and [f]our people to death.” For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city; (O)the hand of God was very glorious there. 12 Now the men who did not die were struck with tumors and (P)the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 5:4 As in ancient versions; Heb only Dagon
- 1 Samuel 5:10 Lit me
- 1 Samuel 5:10 Lit me
- 1 Samuel 5:10 Lit my
- 1 Samuel 5:11 Lit me
- 1 Samuel 5:11 Lit my
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