Catholic Commentary on 1 Samuel 5

"The LORD's hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumours." (1 Samuel 5:6)

The Ark Among the Philistines

The Philistines bring the ark to the temple of Dagon in Ashdod and set it beside Dagon. The next morning Dagon has fallen on his face before the ark. They set him up. The next morning he has fallen again and his head and hands are broken off. The threshold of Dagon's temple becomes taboo. The LORD's hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumours. The ark is moved to Gath; the same affliction follows. It is moved to Ekron; the people cry out: they have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.

The ark's journey among the Philistine cities is the demonstration that the God of Israel is not defeated when the ark is captured. He is not confined to the ark; he uses the ark's presence among the Philistines to judge their gods and afflict their cities. Dagon falls before the LORD's footstool. The Catechism draws from this the principle that God's purposes cannot be frustrated by human power: even in captivity, the holy is at work (CCC 303).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, Dagon fell twice before the ark. The idols of every culture fall before the presence of the living God. They may not fall publicly or immediately, but the testimony of history is Dagon: every idol that attempts to stand beside the living God ends face-down with its head and hands broken off.

Prayer

Lord God, Dagon fell before your ark twice. Let every idol in our culture and in our hearts be brought to the ground before your presence. You are not defeated when you are taken captive. You are judging every temple that received you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

5
The Ark Afflicts the Philistines
1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod, 2 carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.* 5:2 Literally set it beside Dagon
 
3 When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.
 
4 But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained. 5 That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the threshold.
 
6 Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.† 5:6 Hebrew; LXX and Vulgate include And rats appeared in their land, and death and destruction were throughout the city. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay here with us, because His hand is heavy upon us and upon our god Dagon.”
 
8 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”
 
“It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel.
 
9 But after they had moved the ark to Gath, the LORD’s hand was also against that city, throwing it into great confusion and afflicting the men of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.
 
10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!”
 
11 Then the Ekronites assembled all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not ‡ 5:11 Or He will not kill us and our people!”
 
For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was heavy upon it. 12 Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

*5:2 5:2 Literally set it beside Dagon

†5:6 5:6 Hebrew; LXX and Vulgate include And rats appeared in their land, and death and destruction were throughout the city.

‡5:11 5:11 Or He will not

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