1 Sam 5 - 1 Sam 6:1-12

 https://brewminate.com/archaeological-evidence-of-ancient-philistine-cult-and-religion/

1Sa 5:1-2

1 Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod. 2 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 

Summary

1. Share '85 photo.jpg' 

1. Show Aphek, Ebenezer, Shiloh and the five Philistine cities (Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gaza and Bath)

2. Vs1 The Philistines take the ark from Ebenezer where the Israelites had brought it (in chapter 4) and they bring it to Ashdod.

3. Vs2 They bring it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. Who is Dagon?

1. a Philistine deity of fertility; represented with the face and hands of a man and the tail of a fish.

2. Stately temples were erected in honor of Dagon, which was the principal deity of the Philistines, but whose worship extended over all Syria, as well as Mesopotamia and Chaldea; its name being found among the Assyrian gods on the cuneiform inscriptions [RAWLINSON]. It was represented under a monstrous combination of a human head, breast, and arms, joined to the belly and tail of a fish like a  merman. Some consider him the "father of the gods"

3. Dagon means - "a fish".

4. Why might the ark have been placed inside the house of Dagon? Possibly as a dedication offering?

1 Sam 5:3-4

3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands lay cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. 

Summary

1. Vs3 When the people of Ashdod got up the next morning, there was Dagon, lying on the ground in front of the Ark of the LORD.

2. Vs3 They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 

1. The Septuagint adds: 

"And the hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Ashdodites, and he plagued them, and he smote them in their secret parts, Ashdod and her coasts." 

2. Accident? Earthquake?

3. Vs4 The following morning, they found Dagon lying on the ground in front of the ark again. Except this time Dagon's head and palms of this hands (or wrists) were broken off lying on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left intact.

1. What's a threshold? Sill

2. Septuagint adds this:

"and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off each before the threshold, and both the wrists of his hands had fallen on the floor of the porch; only the stump of Dagon was left."

3. Meaning of just Dagon falling on his face before the ark of the Lord?

1. Dagon is subject to God?

2. Dagon giving adoration to God?

3. Dagon testifying that God was above him?

4. Dagon testifying that God was superior to him?

4. Meaning of Dagon falling on his face before the ark of the Lord and having his head and hands (or arms) severed from the trunk?

1. The annihilation of Dagon?

2. Head Is the seat of wisdom? And the hands are the instrument of action? Both are cut off?

3. Complete humiliation of Dagon

4. To show that he had neither wisdom nor strength to defend himself or his worshippers. 

1 Sam 5:5-8

5 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. 6 But the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with tumors, even Ashdod and the borders thereof. 7 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. 8 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 thither. 

Summary

1. Vs5 Anyone that came into Dagon's house after this point, whether priests or not, would walk across the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod…even unto today…

2. Vs5 The Philistines did not try and destroy it or deface it. As we saw in the earlier passages, they had a healthy fear and respect for it and the God it represented.

3. Vs6 The hand of the Lord was heavy upon Ashdod (means "I will spoil"). And he destroyed them and smote them with tumors , even Ashdod and the coasts. 

1. Show maps of Ashdod, Gath, Elkrom, and other two cities.

2. Vs6 and smote them with tumors, even Ashdod and the borders thereof.

1. H2914 - tumors, hemorrhoids

2. H6076 - hill, mound, fort, stronghold, Ophel, tumor, hemorrhoid

3. Septuagint says: 

vs6 and it burst out upon them into the ships, and mice sprang up in the midst of their country, and there was a great and indiscriminate mortality in the city.

Hemorrhoids and mice!!

4. Vs7 When the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “Don’t let the Ark of the God of Israel stay with us, because he is severely attacking us and our god Dagon.”

5. Vs8 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? 

1. Remember, this was booty that was captured in the midst of the battle with Israel. Maybe we shouldn't be hasty in just giving it away

6. 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 thither.

1. They answered, "Let the ark be carried to Gath" 

Who answered? 

All the lord's of the Philistines. (Ashdod, Ekron, Askelon, Gath, and Gaza.)

2. Septuagint says "and they of Gath said, let the ark of God come to us; and the ark of God came to Gath''

1 Sam 5:9-10

9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of Jehovah was against the city with a very great discomfiture: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors brake out upon them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people. 

Summary

1. Vs9 After the ark was brought to Gath, the hand of God was against the city tumult. He smote the men (people?) with tumors or hemorrhoids in their secret parts (?).

1. Secret parts? Inner hemorrhoids?

2. Septuagint adds this juicy detail: "and the Gittites made to themselves images of emerods"

2. Vs10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

1. Ekron, the third city to receive the ark. 

Remember the 5 Lords of the Philistines? This is the third of five cities that the Philistine lord's are from: (Ashdod, Gath, now Ekron) (and also Ashkelon and Gaza)

2. Ekronites cry out "They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people."

1. Did the hemorrhoids/tumors begin to appear in Ekron?

2. They cry out:

"They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people."

Who are they blaming? Their own Philistine lord's, or the Israelites??

1 Sam 5:11-12

11 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it slay us not, and our people. For there was a deadly discomfiture throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men that died not were smitten with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

Summary

1. Vs11 The lord's of the Philistines gathered together and said, "we have to send away the ark of the God of Israel. Let it go back to its own place so it doesn't kill us and our people."

2. Vs11 for there was deadly discomforture throughout the city, and the hand of God was heavy there. 

1. What does this mean? I'm assuming that the "heavy hand of God" refers to the death of many. Maybe pestilence.

3. V12 Those that lived were smitten with tumors. And the cry of Ekron went up to heaven.

1 Sam 6:1-4

1 And the ark of Jehovah was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? show us wherewith we shall send it to its place. 3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but by all means return him a trespass-offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. 4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass-offering which we shall return to him? And they said, Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

Summary

1. Vs1 The ark was with the Philistines for 7 months.

2. Vs2 Philistines call for the priests and their diviners or prophets asking "What shall we do with the ark? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.”

3. Vs3 "If you send the ark back, don't send it empty. Be sure to include a trespass or guilt offering. And it will be known to you why his hand does not turn away from you."

4. Vs4 The Philistines ask "What shall be the trespass/guilt offering that we return to him?"

5. Vs4 The diviners/prophets respond: Five golden tumors or hemorrhoids and five golden mice according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, since the same plague was on all of you and on your lords.

1Sa 6:5-8 

5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed? 7 Now therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke; and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them; 8 and take the ark of Jehovah, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass-offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.

Summary

1. Vs5 Make images of the mice and your tumors

2. Vs5 And give glory to the God of Israel

3. God's strength forces the Philistines to honor Him.

4. Vs6 The Philistines are well aware that Pharaoh and Egypt had hardened hearts.

5. Vs6 And when God had mocked the Egyptians, they let the Hebrews go and they left. Anything different?

6. Vs7 Now this is what we should do:

1. Make a new cart

2. Take two milk cows that have calves but have never been yoked (female cows)

3. Tie the cows to the cart

4. Lead their calves home from behind them (so they don't see)

Why?

7. Vs8 con't

1. Take the ark and put it on the cart

2. Put the trespass offering (of the golden mice and golden tumors/hemorrhoids) in a box besides the ark.

3. Then send it off.

1Sa 6:9

9 And see; if it goeth up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us. 

Summary

1. Vs9 If the cows take the ark to the border of Israel via Beth-shemesh, then God has done this great evil to us.

2. Vs9 If the cows do not take the ark back to the border of Israel via Beth-Shemesh, then this evil that has happened in our land, was not done by the god of Israel. Therefore it would be random chance

1Sa 6:10-12

10 And the men did so, and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home; 11 and they put the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors. 12 And the kine took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh.