_AND THE PHILISTINES TOOK THE ARK OF GOD, AND BROUGHT IT FROM EBENEZER UNTO ASHDOD._ Ashdod - or Azotus, one of the five Philistine satrapies, and a place of great strength. That it was always a fortified place is evident from its name, which signifies power, like the Arabic shedeed, 'strong' (Wilk... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHEN THE PHILISTINES TOOK THE ARK OF GOD, THEY BROUGHT IT INTO THE HOUSE OF DAGON, AND SET IT BY DAGON._ The house of Dagon. Stately temples were erected in honour of this idol, who was the principal deity of the Philistines, but whose worship extended over all Syria, as well as Mesopotamia and Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND WHEN THEY OF ASHDOD AROSE EARLY ON THE MORROW, BEHOLD, DAGON WAS FALLEN UPON HIS FACE TO THE EARTH BEFORE THE ARK OF THE LORD. AND THEY TOOK DAGON, AND SET HIM IN HIS PLACE AGAIN._ They of Ashdod arose early. They were filled with consternation when they found the object of their stupid venera... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND WHEN THEY AROSE EARLY ON THE MORROW MORNING, BEHOLD, DAGON WAS FALLEN UPON HIS FACE TO THE GROUND BEFORE THE ARK OF THE LORD; AND THE HEAD OF DAGON AND BOTH THE PALMS OF HIS HANDS WERE CUT OFF UPON THE THRESHOLD; ONLY THE STUMP OF DAGON WAS LEFT TO HIM._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEREFORE NEITHER THE PRIESTS OF DAGON, NOR ANY THAT COME INTO DAGON'S HOUSE, TREAD ON THE THRESHOLD OF DAGON IN ASHDOD UNTO THIS DAY._ Therefore neither the priests ... nor any ... tread on the threshold of Dagon. A superstitious ceremony crept in, and in the providence of God was continued, by w... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS HEAVY UPON THEM OF ASHDOD, AND HE DESTROYED THEM, AND SMOTE THEM WITH EMERODS, EVEN ASHDOD AND THE COASTS THEREOF._ The hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod. The presumption of the Ashdodites was punished by a severe judgment that overtook them in the form of... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND WHEN THE MEN OF ASHDOD SAW THAT IT WAS SO, THEY SAID, THE ARK OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL SHALL NOT ABIDE WITH US: FOR HIS HAND IS SORE UPON US, AND UPON DAGON OUR GOD._ The ark of ... God ... shall not abide with us. It was removed successively to several of the large towns of the country; but the s... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEY SENT THEREFORE AND GATHERED ALL THE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES UNTO THEM, AND SAID, WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THE ARK OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL? AND THEY ANSWERED, LET THE ARK OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL BE CARRIED ABOUT UNTO GATH. AND THEY CARRIED THE ARK OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL ABOUT THITHER._ No JFB commentary... [ Continue Reading ]
_SO THEY SENT AND GATHERED TOGETHER ALL THE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES, AND SAID, SEND AWAY THE ARK OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL, AND LET IT GO AGAIN TO HIS OWN PLACE, THAT IT SLAY US NOT, AND OUR PEOPLE: FOR THERE WAS A DEADLY DESTRUCTION THROUGHOUT ALL THE CITY; THE HAND OF GOD WAS VERY HEAVY THERE._ They... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE MEN THAT DIED NOT WERE SMITTEN WITH THE EMERODS: AND THE CRY OF THE CITY WENT UP TO HEAVEN._ The cry of the city went up to heaven. The disease is attended with acute pain, and it is far from being a rare phenomenon in the Philistian plain, though on the occasion referred to in the text it... [ Continue Reading ]