rd

1 Samuel 5

2 The Philistíms bring the Arke into the house of Dagón, which idole fel downe before it 6 The men of Ashdód are plagued. 8 The Arke is caryed into Gath and after to Ekrón.
1.Then the Philistíms toke the Arke of God and caryed it from Ebén ézer unto aAshdód,
2.Even the Philistíms toke the Arke of God, and broght it into the house of bDagón, and set it by Dagón.
3.And when they of Ashdód rose the next day in the morning, beholde, Dagón was fallen upon his face on the grounde before the Arke of the Lord, and they toke up Dagón, and set him in his place againe.
4.Also they rose up early in the morning the next day, and beholde, Dagón was fallen upon his face on the grounde before the Arke of the Lord, and the head of Dagón and the two palmes of his hands were cut of upon the thresholde: onely the stumpe of Dagón was left to him.
5.Therefore the Priests of Dagón, and all that come into Dagón’s house ctreade not on the thresholde of Dagón in Ashdód, unto this day.
6.But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdód, and destroyed them, and smote them with *emerods, both Ashdód, and the coastes thereof.
7.And when the men of Ashdód sawe this, they said, Let not the Arke of the God of Israél abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us and upon Dagón our god.
8.They sent therefore and gathered all the princes of the Philistíms unto them, and said, dWhat shal we do with the Arke of the God of Israél? And they answered, Let the Arke of the God of Israél be caried about unto Gath: and they caried the Arke of the God of Israél about.
9.And when they had caried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the citie with a very great destruction, and he smote the men of the citie bothe small and great, and they had emerods in their secret partes.
10.¶ Therefore they sent the Arke of God to Ekrón: and assone as the Arke of God came to Ekrón, the Ekronites cryed out, saying, They have broght the Arke of the God of Israél to us to slay us and our people.
11.Therefore they sent, and gathered together all the princes of the Philistíms and said, Send eaway the Arke of the God of Israél, & let it returne to his owne place, that it slay us not & our people: for there was a destruction and death through out all the citie, and the hand of God was very sore there.
12.And the men that dyed not, were smitten with emerods: and the crye of the citie went up to heaven.

Notes

1-a.
Which was one of the five principal cities of the Philistines.
2-b.
Which was their chief idol, and as some write, from the navel downward was like a fish, and upward like a man.
5-c.
Thus instead of acknowledging the true God by this miracle, they fall to a father superstition.
6-*.
Ps. 78.66.
8-d.
Though they had felt God’s power & were afraid thereof, yet they would farther try him, which thing God turned to their destruction and his glory.
11-e.
The wicked, when they feel the hand of God, grudge and reject him, where the godly humble themselves and cry for mercy.