1. καὶ ἀλλόφυλοι ἔλαβον τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ εἰσήνεγκαν αὐτὴν ἐξ Αβεννεζερ εἰς Ἄζωτον
2. καὶ ἔλαβον ἀλλόφυλοι τὴν κιβωτὸν κυρίου καὶ εἰσήνεγκαν αὐτὴν εἰς οἶκον Δαγων καὶ παρέστησαν αὐτὴν παρὰ Δαγων
3. καὶ ὤρθρισαν οἱ Ἀζώτιοι καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς οἶκον Δαγων καὶ εἶδον καὶ ἰδοὺ Δαγων πεπτωκὼς ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιον κιβωτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἤγειραν τὸν Δαγων καὶ κατέστησαν εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐβαρύνθη χεὶρ κυρίου ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἀζωτίους καὶ ἐβασάνισεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰς ἕδρας αὐτῶν τὴν Ἄζωτον καὶ τὰ ὅρια αὐτῆς
4. καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ὤρθρισαν τὸ πρωί καὶ ἰδοὺ Δαγων πεπτωκὼς ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιον κιβωτοῦ διαθήκης κυρίου καὶ ἡ κεφαλὴ Δαγων καὶ ἀμφότερα τὰ ἴχνη χειρῶν αὐτοῦ ἀφῃρημένα ἐπὶ τὰ ἐμπρόσθια αμαφεθ ἕκαστον καὶ ἀμφότεροι οἱ καρποὶ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ πεπτωκότες ἐπὶ τὸ πρόθυρον πλὴν ἡ ῥάχις Δαγων ὑπελείφθη
5. διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐπιβαίνουσιν οἱ ἱερεῖς Δαγων καὶ πᾶς ὁ εἰσπορευόμενος εἰς οἶκον Δαγων ἐπὶ βαθμὸν οἴκου Δαγων ἐν Ἀζώτῳ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης ὅτι ὑπερβαίνοντες ὑπερβαίνουσιν
6. καὶ ἐβαρύνθη χεὶρ κυρίου ἐπὶ Ἄζωτον καὶ ἐπήγαγεν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐξέζεσεν αὐτοῖς εἰς τὰς ναῦς καὶ μέσον τῆς χώρας αὐτῆς ἀνεφύησαν μύες καὶ ἐγένετο σύγχυσις θανάτου μεγάλη ἐν τῇ πόλει
7. καὶ εἶδον οἱ ἄνδρες Ἀζώτου ὅτι οὕτως καὶ λέγουσιν ὅτι οὐ καθήσεται κιβωτὸς τοῦ θεοῦ Ισραηλ μεθ’ ἡμῶν ὅτι σκληρὰ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐπὶ Δαγων θεὸν ἡμῶν
8. καὶ ἀποστέλλουσιν καὶ συνάγουσιν τοὺς σατράπας τῶν ἀλλοφύλων πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ λέγουσιν τί ποιήσωμεν κιβωτῷ θεοῦ Ισραηλ καὶ λέγουσιν οἱ Γεθθαῖοι μετελθέτω κιβωτὸς τοῦ θεοῦ πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ μετῆλθεν κιβωτὸς τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς Γεθθα
9. καὶ ἐγενήθη μετὰ τὸ μετελθεῖν αὐτὴν καὶ γίνεται χεὶρ κυρίου ἐν τῇ πόλει τάραχος μέγας σφόδρα καὶ ἐπάταξεν τοὺς ἄνδρας τῆς πόλεως ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰς ἕδρας αὐτῶν καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς οἱ Γεθθαῖοι ἕδρας
10. καὶ ἐξαποστέλλουσιν τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς Ἀσκαλῶνα καὶ ἐγενήθη ὡς εἰσῆλθεν κιβωτὸς θεοῦ εἰς Ἀσκαλῶνα καὶ ἐβόησαν οἱ Ἀσκαλωνῖται λέγοντες τί ἀπεστρέψατε πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ θεοῦ Ισραηλ θανατῶσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὸν λαὸν ἡμῶν
11. καὶ ἐξαποστέλλουσιν καὶ συνάγουσιν τοὺς σατράπας τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καὶ εἶπον ἐξαποστείλατε τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ θεοῦ Ισραηλ καὶ καθισάτω εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῆς καὶ οὐ μὴ θανατώσῃ ἡμᾶς καὶ τὸν λαὸν ἡμῶν ὅτι ἐγενήθη σύγχυσις θανάτου ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ πόλει βαρεῖα σφόδρα ὡς εἰσῆλθεν κιβωτὸς θεοῦ Ισραηλ ἐκεῖ
12. καὶ οἱ ζῶντες καὶ οὐκ ἀποθανόντες ἐπλήγησαν εἰς τὰς ἕδρας καὶ ἀνέβη ἡ κραυγὴ τῆς πόλεως εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν
Footnotes:
5:1-4 - The Ark of the Covenant is captured by the Philistines and placed in the temple of Dagon. However, the presence of the Ark causes the statue of Dagon to fall and be destroyed, symbolizing God's superior power over idols and pagan gods (see also Exodus 20:3-5 and Isaiah 44:9-11).
5:6-7 - The Lord severely punishes the Philistines with plagues, demonstrating that His power is not limited to Israel but extends to all nations. God's judgment on the Philistines also reinforces the sanctity of the Ark (see also Numbers 14:18 and Revelation 16:9).
5:8-9 - The Philistine leaders decide to move the Ark to another city, but God's judgment follows them. This highlights human inability to escape divine justice and the respect that must be given to sacred objects (see also Jeremiah 25:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 10:21).
5:10-12 - The people of Ekron ask for the Ark to be returned to Israel after suffering devastating plagues. This response emphasizes the reverence required for God's presence and the reality that His holiness demands respect (see also 1 Samuel 6:19-20 and Hebrews 12:28-29).
Verses related to I Samuel, 5:
1 Samuel chapter 5 reports the misadventures of the Ark among the Philistines. How does God demonstrate His supremacy over false gods? This intriguing text describes the disasters that afflict the Philistines while they possess the Ark, including the fall of Dagon and the plagues. The chapter explores themes such as God's holiness, His power over pagan nations, and the consequences of desecrating the sacred. 1 Samuel 5 reveals the incapacity of idols before the true God. Reflect with us on five biblical passages that illuminate the eternal truths of this revealing chapter.
Isaiah 46:1-2: "Bel bends, Nebo bends; their idols are carried away by pack animals. The images that are carried in procession weigh a lot; they are a burden to the exhausted. Together they bow and kneel; they cannot free themselves from the burden, and they themselves go into captivity." - This verse echoes the events of 1 Samuel 5, where the idol Dagon falls before the ark, showing the powerlessness of idols.
Exodus 12:12: "That same night I will pass through Egypt and kill all the firstborn, both man and beast, and I will execute judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord!" - Just as God judged the gods of Egypt, in 1 Samuel 5 He judges Dagon, the god of the Philistines.
Psalms 115:4-7: "Their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes but cannot see; they have ears but cannot hear, noses but cannot smell; they have hands but cannot feel anything, feet but cannot walk; and they do not make any sound with their throat." - This psalm mocks idols, just as Dagon is humiliated in 1 Samuel 5.
Acts 19:26: "You see and hear how this man, not only in Ephesus, but in almost the entire province of Asia, has convinced and led astray many people, saying that gods made by human hands are not gods." - Paul in Acts echoes the lesson of 1 Samuel 5, that gods made by human hands are not true gods.
Daniel 5:23: "But you, your son Belshazzar, did not humble yourself, although you knew all this. On the contrary, you have exalted yourself above the Lord of heaven. You had the utensils brought from his temple, and you and your nobles, your wives and concubines drank wine from them. You have praised the gods of silver, of gold, of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone, who can neither see nor hear nor understand. But you did not honor the God who holds your life and all your ways in his hands." - This trial against Belshazzar for desecrating the sacred objects and worshiping false gods mirrors the events of 1 Samuel 5, where the Philistines are tried for desecrating the ark and worshiping Dagon.
FAQ:
What happened to the statue of Dagon when the Ark was taken to Ashdod?
When the Ark was placed in the temple of Dagon, the statue of the god fell before the Ark, symbolizing God's superiority. (1 Samuel 5:2-4)
What plagues did the Philistines suffer after capturing the Ark?
The Philistines suffered tumors and a plague of rats in every city where the Ark was taken, as punishment for capturing it. (1 Samuel 5:6-12)
Why did the Philistines return the Ark of the Covenant?
The Philistines returned the Ark because of the plagues that devastated their cities, recognizing that they were being punished by the God of Israel. (1 Samuel 5:11-12)
How did the Philistine cities react to the presence of the Ark?
Each city that received the Ark was struck by plagues, leading the Philistine leaders to decide to send the Ark back to Israel. (1 Samuel 5:8-12)
What was the impact of the Ark on the temple of Dagon?
The presence of the Ark overturned the statue of Dagon twice, breaking its head and hands, demonstrating God's supremacy. (1 Samuel 5:3-4)
