2<\/strong>. When the Philistines<\/em>, &c.] Better, And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it.<\/strong> The repetition is characteristic of the Hebrew historical style.<\/p>\n Dagon<\/em> ] Dagon (a diminutive of endearment from dg<\/em> = fish) was the national god of the Philistines, worshipped also at Gaza (Jdg 16:21-30<\/span>), and elsewhere, as the name Beth-dagon (Jos 15:41<\/span>; Jos 19:27<\/span>) indicates. The statue of Dagon had the head and hands of a man, and the body of a fish. The fish was an emblem of fruitfulness. See Smith’s Dict. of the Bible<\/em>, I. 381, or Layard’s Nineveh<\/em>, II. p. 466, for a representation of a fish-god, which is probably the Philistine Dagon, as the bas-reliefs at Khorsabad from which it is taken record the wars of Sargon with Syria. A corresponding goddess Derc to or Atargatis was worshipped at Askelon.<\/p>\n The ark was placed in Dagon’s temple as a votive-offering (cp. 1Ch 10:10<\/span>), and to mark the supposed victory of Dagon over Jehovah.<\/p>\n They brought it into the house of Dagon (see the marginal reference) in order to enhance the triumph of the gods of the Philistines over the God of Israel. (Compare 1Sa 31:9<\/span>; Jdg 16:23<\/span>; Isa 37:12<\/span>.)<\/P><\/p>\n Verse 2<\/span>. The house of Dagon<\/B><\/I>] On this idol, which was supposed to be partly in a human<\/I> form, and partly in that of a fish<\/I>, see the note on Jdg 16:23<\/span>. Some think that this idol was the same with Dirceto, Attergatis<\/I>, the Venus<\/I> of Askelon, and the Moon<\/I>. – See Calmet’s Dissertation on the gods of the Philistines<\/I>.<\/P> <\/P> The motive<\/I> which induced the Philistines to set up the ark in the temple of Dagon, may be easily ascertained. It was customary, in all nations, to dedicate the spoils taken from an enemy to their gods:<\/P> 1. As a gratitude-offering<\/I> for the help which they supposed them to have furnished; and,<\/P> 2. As a proof<\/I> that their gods, i.e., the gods of the conquerors, were more powerful<\/I> than those of the conquered.<\/P> It was, no doubt, to insult the God of Israel, and to insult and terrify his people, that they placed his ark in the temple of Dagon. When the Philistines had conquered Saul, they hung up his armour in the temple of Ashtaroth, 1Sa 31:10<\/span>. And when David slew Goliath, he laid up his sword in the tabernacle of the Lord, 1Sa 21:8-9<\/span>. We have the remains of this custom in the depositing of colours, standards, c., taken from an enemy, in our churches<\/I> but whether this may be called superstition or a religious act, is hard to say. If the battle were the Lord’s<\/I>, which few battles are, the dedication might be right.<\/P> <\/p>\n Either, first, Out of respect to it, that it might be worshipped together with Dagon. Or rather, secondly, By way of reproach and contempt of it, as a spoil and trophy set there to the honour of Dagon, to whom doubtless they ascribed this victory, as they did a former, Jdg 16:23<\/span>. And though they had some reverence for the ark before, 1Sa 4:7<\/span>, &c.; yet that was certainly much diminished by their success against Israel, notwithstanding the presence and help of the ark. <\/P> <\/p>\n 2. the house of Dagon<\/B>Statelytemples were erected in honor of this idol, which was the principaldeity of the Philistines, but whose worship extended over all Syria,as well as Mesopotamia and Chaldea; its name being found among theAssyrian 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. Thecaptured ark was placed in the temple of Dagon, right before thisimage of the idol. <\/P> 1Sa5:3-5<\/span>. DAGON FALLSDOWN.<\/P><\/p>\n When the Philistines took the ark of God<\/strong>,…. And had brought it to Ashdod:<\/p>\n they brought it into the house of Dagon<\/strong>; a temple dedicated to that idol, and in which his image stood; of which [See comments on Jud 16:23]<\/span>,<\/p>\n and set it by Dagon<\/strong>; by the side of him, either in honour to the ark, as Abarbinel, designing to give it homage and adoration, as to their own deity; for though the Gentiles did not choose to change their gods, yet they would add the gods of other nations to them; and such the Philistines might take the ark to be: or else, as Procopius Gazaeus, they brought it into their idol’s temple, as a trophy of victory, and as a spoil taken from their enemies, and which they dedicated to their idol. Laniado r observes, that the word here used signifies servitude, as in Ge 33:15<\/span> and that the ark was set here to minister to, or serve their god Dagon. The temple of Dagon at Ashdod or Azotus was in being in the times of the Maccabees, and was burnt by Jonathan,<\/p>\n “83 The horsemen also, being scattered in the field, fled to Azotus, and went into Bethdagon, their idol’s temple, for safety. 84 But Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them that were fled into it, he burned with fire.” (1 Maccabees 10)<\/p>\n r Cli Yaker, fol. 162. 4.<\/p>\n (2) They brought it into the house of Dagon.<\/strong>The conquerors, we are told, in the meantime, with triumph, carried the captured Ark from the battle-field to Ashdod. This was one of the capital cities of the five Philistine princes. It is built on a hill close to the Mediterranean Sea, and was in after days known as Azotus (Act. 8:40<\/span>).<\/p>\n In Ashdod they placed it in the temple of the popular Philistine god, Dagon. This <\/em>was their vengeance for the slaughter of the 3,000 Philistine worshippers in the temple of the same deity at Gaza, not many years before, by the blind Hebrew champion Samson.<\/p>\n The princes and Philistine people well remembered how the blind hero on that awful day, when 3,000 perished in the house of Dagon when he with his superhuman strength forced the great temple pillars down, called on the name of the God of Israel, whom they in their idol-trained hearts associated with the golden Ark. The insulted Dagon and all their murdered countrymen should be avenged by the perpetual humiliation of the God of Abraham.<\/p>\n The sacred Ark should henceforth be placed at the feet of their god Dagon.<\/p>\n 2<\/strong>. <\/strong> House of Dagon <\/strong> Hebrew, Beth-Dagon; <\/em> not here the name of a city, as at Jos 15:41<\/span>; Jos 19:27<\/span>, but the house or temple (1Ch 10:10<\/span>) in which Dagon was worshipped. The Philistines placed the ark in Dagon’s temple as a dedicatory offering to their god, who had gotten them their victory. Dagon was the great national god of the Philistines. His image bore the body of a fish, and the face and hands of a man. Various representations of this idol have been found on the Assyrian monuments, and in them all the characteristic feature is the figure of a fish. See note and cut at Jdg 16:23<\/span>.<\/p>\n 1Sa 5:2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.<\/p>\n Ver. 2. They brought it into the house of Dagon.<\/strong> ] Which some a<\/em> will have to be Iupiter Aratrius sive Frumentarius,<\/em> – called Dagon of Dagan,<\/em> which signifieth grain, – because he taught them the use of the plough, and of tillage, Others, b<\/em> to be Triton, a sea god, – the Philistines or Phenicians were situate by the sea side, and worshipped fishes, as Xenophon, Siculus, and Cicero testify, – called Dagon of Dagah,<\/em> a fish, because they made him like a man upward, and downward like a fish, whence that of Virgil, <\/p>\n “ Frons hominem praefert, in pristin desinit alvus.<\/em> ”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And set it by Dagon.<\/strong> ] Tanquam Iovi Feretrio spolia opima,<\/em> as consecrating it unto their idol for a chief spoil. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n a<\/em> Euseb., Lel., Gyral., Arias, Pagnin., Jerome, Abulens, Adrichom. <\/p>\n b<\/em> Ibid.<\/p>\n Dagon = great fish. <\/p>\n of Dagon: Jdg 16:23, 1Ch 10:10, Dan 5:2, Dan 5:23, Hab 1:11, Hab 1:16 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Gen 31:30 – my gods Jos 19:27 – Bethdagon Jdg 10:6 – the gods of the Philistines 1Sa 14:18 – For the ark 2Sa 5:21 – David 1Ch 14:12 – were burned Neh 4:7 – Ashdodites Psa 78:61 – his strength Isa 19:1 – the idols Dan 1:2 – and he Joe 3:5 – into 2Co 6:14 – for 2Co 6:15 – what concord<\/p>\n 1Sa 5:2-3. They set it by Dagon By way of reproach, as a spoil and trophy set there to the honour of Dagon, to whom, doubtless, they ascribed this victory. Behold Dagon was fallen upon his face In a posture of the most humble adoration, which was prostration; as acknowledging the God of Israel to be above all gods. They (the priests of Dagon) took Dagon and set him in his place Supposing his fall to be casual.<\/p>\n 5:2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of {b} Dagon, and set it by Dagon.<\/p>\n (b) Which was their chief idol, and as some write, from the navel downward was like a fish, and upward like a man.<\/p>\n When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 2. When the Philistines, &c.] Better, And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it. The repetition is characteristic of the Hebrew historical style. Dagon ] Dagon (a diminutive of endearment from … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 5:2”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7330\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
This only hope relieves me, that the strife
With me hath end, all the contest now
Twixt God and Dagon; Dagon hath presumed,
Me overthrown, to enter lists with God,
His deity comparing and preferring
Before the God of Abraham. He, be sure,
Will not connive or linger thus provoked,
But will arise, and His great name assert.MILTON.<\/p>\nFuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"