I Samuel 5
ืฉืืืื ืืณ ืคืจืง ืืณ
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืจืืฉืื ืื | Book: I Samuel | Chapter: 5 of 31 | Day: 50 of 742
Date: April 2, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
If chapter 4 told the story of the Arkโs capture from Israelโs perspective โ a catastrophe of loss and mourning โ chapter 5 tells the same story from the Philistine side, and the tone shifts from tragedy to something closer to dark comedy. The Philistines, having triumphed on the battlefield, bring the Ark into the temple of Dagon in Ashdod and set it beside their god as a trophy of war, a visible demonstration that their deity has defeated the God of Israel. What follows is a systematic, escalating humiliation that makes clear the Ark was never captured at all โ it was, so to speak, sent behind enemy lines.
The scene in Dagonโs temple unfolds with deliberate narrative pacing. On the first morning the Ashdodites find Dagon fallen on his face before the Ark, as though prostrating himself in worship. They right the idol and say nothing. On the second morning Dagon is again on the ground, but now his head and both hands have been severed and lie on the threshold โ only the trunk (ืืืื, the fish-form) remains. The Radak explains that the cutting of the head and hands symbolizes the total nullification of Dagonโs power: the head representing wisdom and authority, the hands representing capacity for action. The text adds an etiological note that the priests of Dagon henceforth refuse to step on the temple threshold, a lasting testimony to their own godโs defeat. Rashi observes that the threshold became a site of dread because it was there that Dagonโs severed extremities had fallen โ the very entrance to the pagan sanctuary became a memorial to its godโs impotence.
The plagues that follow transform the Ark from a theological embarrassment into a civic emergency. Godโs hand (ืื ืโ) falls heavy on Ashdod, striking its inhabitants with hemorrhoids (ืขืคืืื) and spreading panic. The Ashdodites confess what the Israelite elders of chapter 4 never grasped: โThe Ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand has dealt harshly with us and with our god Dagonโ (ืื ืืฉื ืืจืื ืืืื ืืฉืจืื ืขืื ื ืื ืงืฉืชื ืืื ืขืืื ื ืืขื ืืืื ืืืืื ื). The Philistines recognize both dimensions of the assault โ against their persons and against their theology โ while Israel had failed to see even one. The Ark is then shuttled from Ashdod to Gath to Ekron, and at each station the same pattern repeats: plague, panic, and desperate attempts to pass the unbearable burden to the next city. The Ekronites cry out in terror, โThey have moved the Ark of the God of Israel to us to slay us and our kindred!โ (ืืกืื ืืื ืืช ืืจืื ืืืื ืืฉืจืื ืืืืืชื ื ืืืช ืขืื).
The chapter ends with a striking image: โThe outcry of the city went up to heavenโ (ืืฉืืขืช ืืขืืจ ืขืืชื ืืฉืืื). This is language normally reserved for the cries of the oppressed reaching Godโs ears โ the cry of Sodom, the cry of Israel in Egypt. Here it is the Philistines whose anguish ascends heavenward, and the irony is complete. The nation that believed it had captured Israelโs God discovers that it is God who has captured them. The Ark needs no human army to defend it; exiled from its sanctuary, surrounded by enemies, it proves more formidable than it ever appeared while sitting quietly in Shiloh. The theological lesson reverberates across the entire Ark narrative: Godโs power is not contingent on human stewardship, and His glory does not depend on the fate of those who carry it.
ืคืจืง ืืณ ยท Chapter 5
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึผืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดืืึ ืึธึฝืงึฐืึืึผ ืึตึืช ืึฒืจึฃืึนื ืึธืึฑืึนืึดึืื ืึทืึฐืึดืึปึืืึผ ืึตืึถึฅืึถื ืึธืขึตึืึถืจ ืึทืฉืึฐืึผึฝืึนืึธืื
English:
When the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they brought it from Eben-ezer to Ashdod.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดืงึฐืึคืึผ ืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดืืึ ืึถืชึพืึฒืจึฃืึนื ืึธืึฑืึนืึดึืื ืึทืึผึธืึดึฅืืึผ ืึนืชึืึน ืึผึตึฃืืช ืึผึธืึืึนื ืึทืึผึทืฆึผึดึฅืืืึผ ืึนืชึืึน ืึตึฅืฆึถื ืึผึธืึฝืึนืื
English:
The Philistines took the Ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon and they set it up beside Dagon.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึทืฉืึฐืึผึดึคืืึผ ืึทืฉืึฐืึผืึนืึดืืึ ืึดึฝืึผืืึณืจึธึืช ืึฐืึดื ึผึตึฃื ืึธืึืึนื ื ึนืคึตึคื ืึฐืคึธื ึธืืึ ืึทึืจึฐืฆึธื ืึดืคึฐื ึตึื ืึฒืจึฃืึนื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึทืึผึดืงึฐืืึผึ ืึถืชึพืึผึธืึืึนื ืึทืึผึธืฉืึดึฅืืึผ ืึนืชึืึน ืึดืึฐืงืึนืึฝืึนื
English:
Early the next day, the Ashdodites found Dagon lying face down on the ground in front of the Ark of GOD. They picked Dagon up and put him back in his place;
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึทืฉืึฐืึผึดึฃืืึผ ืึทืึผึนึืงึถืจึฎ ืึดึฝืึผืืึณืจึธืชึ ืึฐืึดื ึผึตึฃื ืึธืึืึนื ื ึนืคึตึคื ืึฐืคึธื ึธืืึ ืึทึืจึฐืฆึธื ืึดืคึฐื ึตึื ืึฒืจึฃืึนื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึฐืจึนึจืืฉื ืึผึธืึืึนื ืึผืฉืึฐืชึผึตึฃืโื ืึผึทืคึผึฃืึนืช ืึธืึธึืื ืึผึฐืจึปืชืึนืชึ ืึถืึพืึทืึผึดืคึฐืชึผึธึื ืจึทึฅืง ืึผึธืึืึนื ื ึดืฉืึฐืึทึฅืจ ืขึธืึธึฝืืื
English:
but early the next morning, Dagon was again lying prone on the ground in front of the Ark of GOD. The head and both hands of Dagon were cut off, lying on the threshold; only Dagonโs trunk was left intact.aDagonโs trunk was left intact Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืขึทืึพืึผึตึกื ืึนึฝืึพืึดืึฐืจึฐืืึผึฉ ืึนืึฒื ึตึจื ืึธืึืึนื ืึฐืืึฝืึพืึทืึผึธืึดึงืื ืึผึตืืชึพืึผึธืึืึนื ืขึทืึพืึดืคึฐืชึผึทึฅื ืึผึธืึืึนื ืึผึฐืึทืฉืึฐืึผึืึนื ืขึทึื ืึทืึผึฅืึนื ืึทืึผึถึฝืืย {ืค}
English:
That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึทืชึผึดืึฐืึผึทึงื ืึทืึพืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึถืึพืึธืึทืฉืึฐืึผืึนืึดึืื ืึทืึฐืฉืึดืึผึตึื ืึทืึผึทึคืึฐ ืึนืชึธืึ (ืืขืคืืื) [ืึผึทืึผึฐืึนืจึดึืื] ืึถืชึพืึทืฉืึฐืึผึืึนื ืึฐืึถืชึพืึผึฐืืึผืึถึฝืืึธื
English:
GODโs hand lay heavy upon the Ashdodites, wreaking havoc among themโstriking Ashdod and its territorybAshdod and its territory Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads differently from our Heb. text; it also mentions mice swarming in the Philistine ships and invading their fields. Cf. the mention of โmiceโ in 6.4, 18; and the note at 6.1. with hemorrhoids.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดืจึฐืึฅืึผ ืึทื ึฐืฉืึตึฝืึพืึทืฉืึฐืึผึืึนื ืึผึดืึพืึตึื ืึฐืึธืึฐืจึืึผ ืึนึฝืึพืึตืฉืึตึื ืึฒืจึจืึนื ืึฑืึนืึตึคื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตืึ ืขึดืึผึธึื ืึผ ืึผึดึฝืึพืงึธืฉืึฐืชึธึคื ืึธืืึนึ ืขึธืึตึืื ืึผ ืึฐืขึทึื ืึผึธืึฅืึนื ืึฑืึนืึตึฝืื ืึผื
English:
When the people of Ashdodcthe people of Ashdod I.e., the leaders, on the townspeopleโs behalf. saw how matters stood, they said, โThe Ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand has dealt harshly with us and with our god Dagon.โ
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดืฉืึฐืึฐืึกืึผ ืึทืึผึทืึทืกึฐืคืึผึฉ ืึถืชึพืึผืืึพืกึทืจึฐื ึตึจื ืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดึืื ืึฒืึตืืึถึื ืึทืึผึนึฝืืึฐืจืึผึ ืึทึฝืึพื ึผึทืขึฒืฉืึถึื ืึทึฝืึฒืจืึนืึ ืึฑืึนืึตึฃื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึทืึผึนึฃืืึฐืจึืึผ ืึผึทึฃืช ืึดืกึผึนึื ืึฒืจึืึนื ืึฑืึนืึตึฃื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึทืึผึทืกึผึตึืึผืึผ ืึถืชึพืึฒืจึืึนื ืึฑืึนืึตึฅื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึฝืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
They sent messengers and assembled all the lords of the Philistines and asked, โWhat shall we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?โ They answered, โLet the Ark of the God of Israel be removed to Gath.โ So they moved the Ark of the God of Israel [to Gath].
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึทืึฐืึดึื ืึทืึฒืจึตึฃืโื ืึตืกึทึฃืึผืึผ ืึนืชึืึน ืึทืชึผึฐืึดึจื ืึทืึพืึฐืึนืึธึคืโืโืึผึธืขึดืืจึ ืึฐืืึผืึธืึ ืึผึฐืืึนืึธึฃื ืึฐืึนึื ืึทืึผึทืึฐึ ืึถืชึพืึทื ึฐืฉืึตึฃื ืึธืขึดึืืจ ืึดืงึผึธืึนึื ืึฐืขึทืึพืึผึธืึืึนื ืึทืึผึดืฉืึผึธืชึฐืจ๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝืึผ ืึธืึถึื (ืขืคืืื) [ืึฐืึนืจึดึฝืื]ื
English:
And after they had moved it, GODโs hand came against the city, causing great panicโstriking the inhabitants, young and old, so that hemorrhoids broke outdbroke out Meaning of Heb. uncertain. among them.
ืคืกืืง ืืด ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึทึฝืึฐืฉืึทืึผึฐืึืึผ ืึถืชึพืึฒืจึฅืึนื ืึธืึฑืึนืึดึืื ืขึถืงึฐืจึืึนื ืึทืึฐืึดึื ืึผึฐืึจืึนื ืึฒืจึคืึนื ืึธึฝืึฑืึนืึดืืึ ืขึถืงึฐืจึืึนื ืึทืึผึดืึฐืขึฒืงึจืึผ ืึธืขึถืงึฐืจึนื ึดึืื ืึตืืึนึืจ ืึตืกึทึคืึผืึผ ืึตืึทืึ ืึถืชึพืึฒืจืึนืึ ืึฑืึนืึตึฃื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึทืึฒืึดืืชึตึื ึดื ืึฐืึถืชึพืขึทืึผึดึฝืื
English:
Then they sent the Ark of God to Ekron. But when the Ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, โThey have moved the Ark of the God of Israel to us to slay us and our kindred.โ
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดืฉืึฐืึฐืึจืึผ ืึทืึผึทืึทืกึฐืคึืึผ ืึถืชึพืึผืืึพืกึทืจึฐื ึตึฃื ืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดึืื ืึทืึผึนึฝืืึฐืจืึผึ ืฉืึทืึผึฐืึืึผ ืึถืชึพืึฒืจึจืึนื ืึฑืึนืึตึคื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตืึ ืึฐืึธืฉืึนึฃื ืึดืึฐืงืึนืึืึน ืึฐืึนืึพืึธืึดึฅืืช ืึนืชึดึื ืึฐืึถืชึพืขึทืึผึดึื ืึผึดึฝืึพืึธืึฐืชึธึคื ืึฐืึฝืึผืึทืชึพืึธึืึถืชึ ืึผึฐืืืึพืึธืขึดึืืจ ืึผึธืึฐืึธึฅื ืึฐืึนึื ืึทึฅื ืึธืึฑืึนืึดึืื ืฉืึธึฝืื
English:
They too sent messengers and assembled all the lords of the Philistines and said, โSend the Ark of the God of Israel away, and let it return to its own place, that it may not slay us and our kindred.โ For the panic of death pervaded the whole city, so heavily had the hand of God fallen there;
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธึฝืึฒื ึธืฉืึดืืึ ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืึนืึพืึตึืชืึผ ืึปืึผึืึผ (ืืขืคืืื) [ืึผึทืึผึฐืึนืจึดึืื] ืึทืชึผึทึืขึทื ืฉืึทึฝืึฐืขึทึฅืช ืึธืขึดึืืจ ืึทืฉืึผึธืึธึฝ๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝึดืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
and those who did not die were stricken with hemorrhoids. The outcry of the city went up to heaven.
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