4 And when they arose early H7925 on the morrow H4283 morning, H1242 behold, Dagon H1712 was fallen H5307 upon his face H6440 to the ground H776 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD; H3068 and the head H7218 of Dagon H1712 and both H8147 the palms H3709 of his hands H3027 were cut off H3772 upon the threshold; H4670 only the stump of Dagon H1712 was left H7604 to him.
And all the graven images H6456 thereof shall be beaten to pieces, H3807 and all the hires H868 thereof shall be burned H8313 with the fire, H784 and all the idols H6091 thereof will I lay H7760 desolate: H8077 for she gathered H6908 it of the hire H868 of an harlot, H2181 and they shall return H7725 to the hire H868 of an harlot. H2181
Declare H5046 ye among the nations, H1471 and publish, H8085 and set up H5375 a standard; H5251 publish, H8085 and conceal H3582 not: say, H559 Babylon H894 is taken, H3920 Bel H1078 is confounded, H3001 Merodach H4781 is broken in pieces; H2865 her idols H6091 are confounded, H3001 her images H1544 are broken in pieces. H2865
And the idols H457 he shall utterly H3632 abolish. H2498 And they shall go H935 into the holes H4631 of the rocks, H6697 and into the caves H4247 of the earth, H6083 for H6440 fear H6343 of the LORD, H3068 and for the glory H1926 of his majesty, H1347 when he ariseth H6965 to shake terribly H6206 the earth. H776
By this H2063 therefore shall the iniquity H5771 of Jacob H3290 be purged; H3722 and this is all the fruit H6529 to take away H5493 his sin; H2403 when he maketh H7760 all the stones H68 of the altar H4196 as chalkstones H1615 that are beaten in sunder, H5310 the groves H842 and images H2553 shall not stand up. H6965
Thus H1836 shall ye say H560 unto them, The gods H426 that have not H3809 made H5648 the heavens H8065 and the earth, H778 even they shall perish H7 from the earth, H772 and from under H8460 these H429 heavens. H8065
And your altars H4196 shall be desolate, H8074 and your images H2553 shall be broken: H7665 and I will cast down H5307 your slain H2491 men before H6440 your idols. H1544 And I will lay H5414 the dead carcases H6297 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 before H6440 their idols; H1544 and I will scatter H2219 your bones H6106 round about H5439 your altars. H4196 In all your dwellingplaces H4186 the cities H5892 shall be laid waste, H2717 and the high places H1116 shall be desolate; H3456 that your altars H4196 may be laid waste H2717 and made desolate, H816 and your idols H1544 may be broken H7665 and cease, H7673 and your images H2553 may be cut down, H1438 and your works H4639 may be abolished. H4229
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 5
Commentary on 1 Samuel 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
It is now time to enquire what has become of the ark of God; we cannot but think that we shall hear more of that sacred treasure. I should have thought the next news would have been that all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, had gathered together as one man, with a resolution to bring it back, or die in the attempt; but we find not any motion made of that kind, so little was there of zeal or courage left among them. Nay, we do not find that they desired a treaty with the Philistines about the ransom of it, or offered any thing in lieu of it. "It is gone, and let it go.' Many have softness enough to lament the loss of the ark that have not hardiness enough to take one step towards the recovery of it, any more than Israel here. If the ark will help itself it may, for they will not help it. Unworthy they were of the name of Israelites that could thus tamely part with the glory of Israel. God would therefore take the work into his own hands and plead his own cause, since men would not appear for him. We are told in this chapter,
1Sa 5:1-5
Here is,
1Sa 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 the glory, they shall feel the weight, of God's hand, for so the Philistines did. The hand of the Lord was heavy upon them (v. 6), and he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence.