1 Samuel 5

1 Samuel 5:1

2. The Ark’s Power (Chap. 5)5:1-5 The Philistines . . . brought . . . the ark of God . . . from Ebenezer to Ashdod and set it in the temple of Dagon, the national god of the Philistines. Dagon was supposed to be the father of Baal, another idol we meet often in Scripture. The Philistines . . . set . . . the ark beside the image of Dagon, thinking them equal. But when they returned to the temple in the morning, they found that the Lord had caused Dagon to topple to the foot of the ark. Not perceiving the significance of this event, they once again set up Dagon by the ark.

But the next morning there was no doubt as to who was the stronger, for Dagon’s head and hands had been broken off. If Dagon were a real god, he could have defended himself. His followers should have faced the facts. Instead, they made a superstitious rule about walking on the threshold. Dagon did not fare well in confrontation with the God of Israel. Samson had destroyed his temple in Gaza, God giving him the strength to pull the entire building down on the noblemen of Philistia (Judg. 16).

Now Jehovah Himself maimed the image of Dagon, demonstrating that there is no wisdom (head) or power (hands) to be found in idols. 5:6-9 Not only their idol but the people of Ashdod themselves began to feel the displeasure of the LORD, suffering confusion, swellings or tumors, and death. In desperation the Philistines decided to move the ark . . . to Gath, another of their great cities. Here again the men were struck with tumors. 5:10-12 When the ark was sent . . . to Ekron, the people were extremely frightened, their fears being justified by a deadly destruction that killed many. The men who did not die broke out with tumors. They begged that the ark be sent back to Israel.