UBF Daily Bread

THE ARK OF GOD IN PHILISTINE HANDS

Passage: 1Samuel 5:1~12

Key verse: 3

The Ark in Ashdod and Ekron

5 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer^(A) to Ashdod.^(B) ²Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.^(C) ³When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen^(D) on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. ⁴But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken^(E) off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. ⁵That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.^(F)

⁶The Lord’s hand^(G) was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation^(H) on them and afflicted them with tumors.^[a]^(I) ⁷When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.” ⁸So they called together all the rulers^(J) of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?”

They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.^(K)” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.

⁹But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic.^(L) He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.^[b] ¹⁰So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.^(M)

As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.” ¹¹So they called together all the rulers^(N) of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it^[c] will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it. ¹²Those who did not die^(O) were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

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Footnotes

1 Samuel 5:6 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate tumors. And rats appeared in their land, and there was death and destruction throughout the city
1 Samuel 5:9 Or with tumors in the groin (see Septuagint)
1 Samuel 5:11 Or he

1. Dagon falls on his face (1-5)

When the Philistines captured the ark of the covenant of God they were jubilant. They carried it to the temple of Dagon their god. They thought they had conquered God, and could make him serve them. They treated the ark like an idol. They thought the God of Israel would bring them good luck. But God showed them that he does not compromise with idol worship. Dagon fell on his face and broke.

2. God's hand was heavy on the Philistines(6-12)

When God comes among sinful, unrepentant people he brings curse, not blessing. He afflicted the people of Ashdod with large tumors, some malignant, on their necks and backs and noses. So they decided to send the ark to Gath. When the Gathites suffered in the same way, they sent it to Ekron. The men of Ekron panicked and said, 'Let's send it home to Israel.' God cannot be used like a good luck piece.

Prayer: Lord, purge my heart of superstition and compromise.

One Word: The living God hates idols