1 Samuel 5

Verse 1. Azotus, one of the principal cities of the Philistines. It is astonishing that God permits these infidels to touch the ark, He who resented the conduct of Oza, and of the Bethsamites, with such severity. But the law regarded the Israelites, and the pagans were ignorant of it. Calmet.—The servant, who knows his master will, and does not obey, shall suffer many stripes; and those who have the happiness of professing the true religion, and dishonour it by their immorality, must expect to feel the heavy hand of the judge, much more than ignorant unbelievers. Bible.—The Philistines could not suppose that they had gained a victory over God, since they knew he might be displeased with the conduct of his people; and they soon began to perceive that they had brought the greatest misfortunes upon themselves.

Verse 2. Dagon is the same as Derceto, Atergatis, Venus, and the moon, ( Calmet.) and was represented like a woman, ( Tirinus.) as far as the waist, and a fish below. Bible. Judges 16:23.—The ark was placed near the idol, out of respect; ( Calmet.) or as a trophy of the victory, which they attributed to Dagon. Menochius.—Thus they hung up the arms of Saul in the temple of Asteroth; (Calmet. 31:10,) and David placed the sword of Goliah in the tabernacle.

Verse 3. Lord, as if to acknowledge his superiority. Calmet.—No sooner was the gospel preached, than the power of the idols began to decrease. Bede. Worthington.

Verse 4. Threshold. The idol is treated worse the second time. Menochius.

Verse 5. The stump of, seems to be wanting in Hebrew Bible.—Only the lower part, which resembled a fish, (Dag) was left on its pedestal.—Day. The Philistines themselves established this custom, which was a tacit confession of the imbecility of the idol, which they nevertheless continued to adore. The prophet Sophonias, (1:9,) is supposed to accuse the Jews of imitating this superstition. The ancient Christians, out of respect, kissed the thresholds of the churches of the apostles and martyrs. Prudentius in S. Romano.—The Persians still refrain from treading on those of certain mosques, which are covered with silver. Tavernier 1:5.

Verse 6. Emerods. The particular disorder which attacked them, (Psalms 77:66,) is very uncertain. Some say it was the dysentery, or the fistula, or the venereal disease, and so forth Eusebius believes that it was in punishment of their incontinency. It was very painful, and sometimes proved mortal, verse 12. Aristophanes assures us that the Athenians were punished with a shameful disorder, because they had not received the mysteries of Bacchus with due respect; and they were ordered, by the oracle, to make and carry aloft some obscene figures, before they could obtain a cure. Acharn. ii. 6.—And in, and so forth The remainder of this verse is not found in Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, and so forth nor in many Greek and Latin copies. But it is conformable to the truth of history, since we read that figures of these animals were placed beside the ark, in memory of this event. Calmet. 6:6.—Mice, or rats. Such vermin have often obliged people to abandon their country. Plin. viii. 28.—Bellon. (ii. 78,) testifies that he saw, near Gaza, such multitudes, as to depopulate whole fields; and, if Providence had not caused the birds, called boudres, to destroy them, the people could nav had no harvest.

Verse 7. God. The ark was terrible to this idol, as the relics of S. Babylas were to Apollo. Worthington.

Verse 8. Lords, next in dignity to a king, like the Persian surena. Judges 3:3 and 16:5.—About. Hebrew “and they answered, let the ark … be carried unto Geth,” in which sense the Septuagint seem to have taken it. But the Vulg. is more natural. Theodoret (q. 10,) concludes, that the people imagined the mortality proceeded from some natural cause; ( Calmet.) otherwise it would have been very absurd to give such advice, as the ark would spread the contagion throughout the country, by being removed. From Geth it was sent to Accaron, when the magistrates of the city objected to its being admitted, verse 10. Jospehus says, however, that it visited all the five principal cities, as if to punish them for their impiety. Bible.

Verse 9. Came upon, to punish, as on other occasions, to protect. Ezekiel 1:3 and 13:9. Menochius.—Parts. Lit. “Their lower intestines coming out, rotted,” as verse 6. Bible.—Hebrew “their malady was concealed.” Grot.—The emerods attacked them inwardly, with the most excruciating pains, for which they could find no remedy.—Skins. The ancients knew no greater luxury. Homer, Odys. i. and iii. The Hebrew and so forth take no notice of this particular; and there are many other omissions in the Books of Kings, which have been supplied from the Septuagint Calmet.—The skins were used instead of breeches, and to hold up the plaster and other medicines. Tirinus.

Verse 12. Die, at the sight of the ark, as the Bethsamites did afterwards. Menochius.