1 Samuel 5

In 1 Samuel 4, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, the ark of God was captured, and the priest Eli and his two sons died. Chapter 5 describes what happened to the captured ark in Philistine territory. The narrative continues in 1 Samuel 6, where the ark is returned to Israel.

Outline

• Verses 1–5 The Philistines carry the ark from Ebenezer to Ashdod and place it in the house (temple) of Dagon. The next day the image of Dagon is found fallen on its face to the ground before the ark. The people set it up again, but the following day its head and both hands are found cut off and lying on the threshold. The text explains that this is why the people of Ashdod do not tread on the threshold of Dagon.
• Verses 6–8 The hand of the LORD strikes Ashdod and its surrounding territory with tumors. The people of Ashdod assemble the lords of the Philistines to take counsel, and the ark is moved to Gath.
• Verse 9 In Gath as well, both small and great are afflicted with tumors.
• Verses 10–12 When the ark arrives at Ekron, the inhabitants cry out in fear of death. They assemble the lords and demand that the ark be sent back to its own place. Those who do not die are struck with tumors, and the cry of the city goes up to heaven.

Key Verses

• 1 Samuel 5:3 "Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD." Although Israel lost the battle, the god of the Philistines is portrayed as prostrate before the LORD.
• 1 Samuel 5:4 "The head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold." The severing of the image's head and hands is understood as a demonstration of Dagon's powerlessness.
• 1 Samuel 5:11 "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place." This verse sets the stage for the return of the ark in chapter 6.

People and Places

• The Philistines and their lords: The lords were the rulers of the Philistine cities. First Samuel 6:17 names the five Philistine cities as Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.
• Dagon: A god worshiped by the Philistines. A temple of Dagon also appears in the story of Samson (Judges 16).
• The Ark of the Covenant: The text refers to it as "the ark of God," "the ark of the LORD," and "the ark of the God of Israel."
• Ebenezer: The place where Israel encamped in chapter 4. It should be distinguished from the stone of the same name that Samuel set up in 7:12.
• Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron: The Philistine cities to which the ark was successively moved.

Points for Reflection

• The nature of the tumors: The text does not identify the disease. The New Korean Revised Version renders the term as "severe boils." Because golden tumors and golden mice are offered in chapter 6, some interpreters understand the affliction as a plague spread by rodents. The Septuagint is known to contain additional references to mice in this chapter.
• God fighting without Israel: In chapter 4, Israel treated the ark as an object that guaranteed victory, and was defeated. In chapter 5, God himself strikes the Philistine god and cities without any Israelite army. Many commentators regard this contrast between the two chapters as central to the narrative.
• Connection to the New Testament: The chapter is frequently cited, together with Paul's statement that an idol is nothing (1 Corinthians 8:4–6), in discussions of idolatry.

In the Korean Church

The story of the image of Dagon falling before the Ark of the Covenant is frequently used in Sunday school curricula and sermons to show that God is greater than idols.