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英文原文
It is now time to enquire what has become of the ark of God; we cannot but think that we shall hear more of that sacred treasure. I should have thought the next news would have been that all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, had gathered together as one man, with a resolution to bring it back, or die in the attempt; but we find not any motion made of that kind, so little was there of zeal or courage left among them. Nay, we do not find that they desired a treaty with the Philistines about the ransom of it, or offered any thing in lieu of it. "It is gone, and let it go." Many have softness enough to lament the loss of the ark that have not hardiness enough to take one step towards the recovery of it, any more than Israel here. If the ark will help itself it may, for they will not help it. Unworthy they were of the name of Israelites that could thus tamely part with the glory of Israel. God would therefore take the work into his own hands and plead his own cause, since men would not appear for him. We are told in this chapter, I. How the Philistines triumphed over the ark (2Sa 5:1,2), and, II. How the ark triumphed over the Philistines, 1. Over Dagon their god, 2Sa 5:3-5. 2. Over the Philistines themselves, who were sorely plagued with emerods, and made weary of the ark; the men of Ashdod first (2Sa 5:6,7), then the men of Gath (2Sa 5:8,9), and lastly those of Ekron, which forced them at length upon a resolution to send the ark back to the land of Israel; for when God judgeth he will overcome.
1-5
The Fall of Dagon (1120 BC)
大衮的倾覆（主前1120年）
¹ 非利士人将神的约柜从以便以谢掳到亚实突。 ² 非利士人将神的约柜抬进大衮庙，放在大衮的旁边。 ³ 次日清早，亚实突人起来，见大衮仆倒在耶和华的约柜前，脸伏于地。他们就把大衮仍立回原处。 ⁴ 又次日清早他们起来，见大衮仆倒在耶和华的约柜前，脸伏于地，并且大衮的头和两手都在门槛上折断，只剩下大衮的残体。 ⁵ 因此大衮的祭司和一切进大衮庙的人，都不踏亚实突的大衮庙的门槛，直到今日。
这里我们看到：I. 非利士人因约柜而夸胜。他们既在战前大大惧怕约柜（撒上4:7），如今既得之在手，便越发欣喜、越发骄傲。他们得着约柜后，神拘束了他们，使他们没有向约柜施暴，没有像以色列人受命对待外邦偶像那样将其打碎，反而显出几分敬意，小心翼翼地将其运到安妥之处。他们是否因好奇而打开约柜，去看内中两块石版上神指头所写的字，我们不得而知；也许他们只看那金光闪闪的外壳和遮掩约柜的基路伯，犹如孩童只看重圣经的精美装帧，而不顾其中珍藏的内容。他们将约柜抬到亚实突——他们五大城邑之一，也是大衮庙所在之城；在那里他们将神的约柜安置在大衮旁边（撒上5:2），要么 1. 视之为圣物，打算与对大衮的敬拜一同加以宗教性的尊崇；因为外邦的神从不被认为排斥合伙人。列国虽不肯更换自己的神，却愿意增添并扩充他们的神祇。然而他们在把约柜与大衮的像并列时，虽然有意以此尊荣以色列的神，却误会了他；因为他若不独被敬拜，便全然不受敬拜。主我们的神是独一的主。 或更确切，2. 他们把它当作胜利的战利品，安置在那里以尊荣他们的神大衮——无疑他们打算为此献上大祭，正如他们擒拿参孙时所作的（士16:23-24），自夸那时既胜了以色列的勇士，如今又胜了以色列的神。这对神的大名是何等的羞辱！对他荣耀的宝座是何等的羞辱！约柜——神同在的象征——竟作了大衮——粪堆之神——的俘虏么？（1.）确是如此，因为神要显明：若圣约本身被违弃被忽略，约柜在他眼中便算不得什么；连神圣的记号，也非他必被束缚之物，也非我们可以信赖之物。（2.）这不过是一时如此，为要使神在向如此冒犯他的人算账时，更显荣耀，并在他们身上得荣耀。他既已将约柜交在非利士人手中，惩治了那出卖约柜的以色列人，接下来就要对付那些亵慢约柜的人，并要再从他们手中把约柜夺回来。这样，连人的忿怒也要赞美他； 表面上似乎他不顾自己的荣耀，实则正在为自己的荣耀成就（诗76:10）。出于吃的，必有甜物出来。
II. 约柜胜过大衮。大衮一次两次被使之仆倒在约柜前。他们若意在尊崇约柜，神借此表明他并不看重他们的尊崇，也不悦纳；因为他要被人敬拜，不是与任何神并列，而是超乎众神之上。他当叫那些要把他与彼列匹敌的人羞愧（bishop Hall 语）。但他们其实意在亵慢约柜；虽然大衮在约柜旁站了几个时辰，且大概站在约柜之上（约柜如同他的脚凳），但次日清晨，当大衮的敬拜者前来向他神龛致以虔诚时，却发现他们的夸胜转瞬即逝（伯20:5）。
1. 大衮——即那像（因为那便是他们神祇的全部）——仆倒在约柜前，脸伏于地（撒上5:3）。神似乎忘了约柜，且看诗人怎样论他末了起来为自己荣耀辩正之事。当他将他的力量交于俘掳，万物似将倾覆之时，主如睡醒，像勇士饮酒欢呼（诗78:59-65）。所以他不容犹太教会全然荒凉，因为他怕仇敌的愤恨（申32:26-27）。人在立神像之时，必小心翼翼地固定它们。先知曾留意此事（赛41:7）：用钉子钉稳，使它不动摇； 又记（赛46:7）。然而大衮的固定对他无益。神的约柜在他自己的粪堆上——在他自己的庙中——胜过了他。他在约柜前仆倒下来，正对着约柜（虽然约柜只设在他的一侧），仿佛指向那位征服者，不得不向他臣服致敬。注意：撒但的国度必在基督的国度面前倾覆，谬误必在真理面前倾覆，亵渎必在敬虔面前倾覆，败坏必在人心中的恩典面前倾覆。当宗教的利益似被压制、几近沉没之时，即或如此，我们仍可确信它得胜的日子必到。真理至大，必终得胜。大衮仆倒在神的约柜前——这原是敬拜的姿态——恰似引导他的敬拜者当向以色列的神献上敬意，因他超乎诸神之上。见出18:11。
2. 祭司们见偶像倒在地上，便趁人尚未发觉，急忙把它仍立回原处。这样一位被倒下来却要人扶起来的"神"，岂不是荒谬可怜的造物；而那些能向这偶像——它本需要他们、实则恳求他们——求帮助的昏聩之人，又是何等愚昧。大衮自己在约柜前尚且站不住脚，他们怎能将得胜归功于大衮的能力呢？但他们决意仍以大衮为他们的神，所以把他立回原处。Bishop Hall 由此观察：神是公义的——那缺少恩典的人，连悟性也要一并缺少；迷信之工正是把人变成他们所拜的木石。造它们的，必和它们一样。 今日那维系敌基督国度的中坚所作的，岂不正是抬举大衮，竭力把他立回原处，医治那兽所受的致命伤么？然而若改革是神之事业——大衮已在其前开始倾倒——它必不得成功，必在那面前倾覆无疑。
3. 第二夜，大衮第二次仆倒（撒上5:4）。他们清早起来，或如常来朝见他们的神，或比平常更早，因急欲知道大衮今夜是否仍立得稳；却大失所望，见他的情形比先前更糟。无论制造神像的材料是否易碎，结果是头和两手都在门槛上折断了，只剩残体——边注读作大衮的鱼身部分；因为（许多学者如此推测）这像上半身为人形，下半身为鱼形，正如人鱼所绘。拜偶像者所被交托的，竟是如此强烈的迷惑；他们的想象何等虚妄，他们愚顽的心何等昏暗——竟敬拜受造物之像，不，甚至敬拜那不存在的、纯属虚构的偶像之像。好罢，这畸形怪物因这一跤，（1.）显得十分可笑，理当被鄙夷。大衮这一下摔得可真俊——这一跤把它解剖了，显出人身与鱼身是如何被人工拼接的——也许那些无知的善男信女还被骗以为这是奇事！（2.）显得十分无能，不配受人祷告或信赖；因为他既失了头又失了手，便证明他全无智慧，也全无能力，永远不能再为他敬拜者出谋或行事。这就是他们把大衮立回原处所得的下场；他倒下时他们本该由他去。但那与神相争、要立起神所要拆毁的，必不得好收场（玛1:4）。神借此尊荣了他的约柜——当他们羞辱约柜、使它被藐视之时；他也借此表明凡与他对立而被立起的，结局将如何。你们束起腰来罢，却必被摔得粉碎（赛8:9）。
4. 大衮庙的门槛从此被看为圣，不可践踏（撒上5:5）。有人认为番1:9 神所警告要惩罚的"跳过门槛"之人，正是指效法大衮敬拜者这种迷信行为的人。人本会想，这无可辩驳的证据——约柜胜了大衮——本应叫非利士人醒悟自己敬拜无智之物之愚妄，从此向那得胜者献上敬意；然而他们非但未受改正，反而在偶像崇拜上更加刚硬，正如恶人和诱惑人的本相（提后3:13），越发变本加厉。他们非但不藐视大衮——因门槛使它身首异处——反而几乎要敬拜那门槛，因为那是它被砍头之处，并且再也不肯踏足其上——这反衬出那些践踏立约之血、蹂躏真正圣物之人的可耻。然而这一项迷信，反倒有助于长存对大衮受辱的纪念；因为这一习俗的缘故会传到后代——将来出生的孩子们，若问为何大衮庙的门槛不可践踏，必被告知大衮曾在耶和华的约柜前仆倒。这样，神甚至从他们的迷信中也得着尊荣。我们不见他们修补破碎的神像；大概他们先把神的工艺送走，然后才把它拼补起来，立回原处；因为他们不能自救，也不能心里说，我右手岂不是虚谎么？（赛44:20）。
英文原文
The Fall of Dagon (1120 BC)
¹ And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
² When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
³ And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
⁴ And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
⁵ Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
Here is, I. The Philistines' triumph over the ark, which they were the more pleased, the more proud, to be now masters of, because before the battle they were possessed with a great fear of it, 1Sa 4:7. When they had it in their hands God restrained them, that they did not offer any violence to it, did not break it to pieces, as the Israelites were ordered to do by the idols of the heathen, but showed some respect to it, and carefully carried it to a place of safety. Whether their curiosity led them to open it, and to read what was written with the finger of God on the two tables of stone that were in it, we are not told; perhaps they looked no further than the golden outside and the cherubim that covered it, like children that are more affected with the fine binding of their bibles than with the precious matter contained in them. They carried it to Ashdod, one of their five cities, and that in which Dagon's temple was; there they placed the ark of God, by Dagon (1Sa 5:2), either 1. As a sacred thing, which they designed to pay some religious respect to, in conjunction with Dagon; for the gods of the heathen were never looked upon as averse to partners. Though the nations would not change their gods, yet they would multiply them and add to them. But they were mistaken in the God of Israel when, in putting his ark by Dagon's image, they intended to do him honour; for he is not worshipped at all if he is not worshipped alone. The Lord our God is one Lord. Or rather, 2. They placed it there as a trophy of victory, in honour of Dagon their god, to whom no doubt they intended to offer a great sacrifice, as they had done when they had taken Samson (Jdg 16:23,24), boasting that as then they had triumphed over Israel's champion so now over Israel's God. What a reproach was this to God's great name! what a disgrace to the throne of his glory! Shall the ark, the symbol of God's presence, be a prisoner to Dagon, a dunghill deity? (1.) So it is, because God will show of how little account the ark of the covenant is if the covenant itself be broken and neglected; even sacred signs are not things that either he is tied to or we can trust to. (2.) So it is for a time, that God may have so much the more glory, in reckoning with those that thus affront him, and get him honour upon them. Having punished Israel, that betrayed the ark, by giving it into the hands of the Philistines, he will next deal with those that abused it, and will fetch it out of their hands again. Thus even the wrath of man shall praise him; and he is bringing about his own glory even when he seems to neglect it, Ps 76:10. Out of the eater shall come forth meat.
II. The ark's triumph over Dagon. Once and again Dagon was made to fall before it. If they designed to do honour to the ark, God thereby showed that he valued not their honour, nor would he accept it; for he will be worshipped, not with any god, but above all gods. He owes a shame (as bishop Hall expresses it) to those who will be making matches betwixt himself and Belial. But they really designed to affront it, and though for some hours Dagon stood by the ark, and it is likely stood above it (the ark, as its footstool), yet the next morning, when the worshippers of Dagon came to pay their devotions to his shrine, they found their triumphing short, Job 20:5.
1. Dagon, that is, the image (for that was all the god), had fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark, 1Sa 5:3. God had seemed to forget the ark, but see how the Psalmist speaks of his appearing, at last, to vindicate his own honour. When he had delivered his strength into captivity, and all seemed going to ruin, then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine, Ps 78:59-65. And therefore he prevented the utter desolations of the Jewish church, because he feared the wrath of the enemy, De 32:26,27. Great care was taken, in setting up the images of their gods, to fix them. The prophet takes notice of it, Isa 41:7, He fastened it with nails that it should not be moved; and again, Isa 46:7. And yet Dagon's fastenings stood him in no stead. The ark of God triumphs over him upon his own dunghill, in his own temple. Down he comes before the ark, directly towards it (though the ark was set on one side of him), as it were, pointing to the conqueror, to whom he is constrained to yield and do homage. Note, The kingdom of Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be run down and ready to sink, yet even then we may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. Great is the truth, and will prevail. Dagon by falling prostrate before the ark of God, which was a posture of adoration, did as it were direct his worshippers to pay their homage to the God of Israel, as greater than all gods. See Ex 18:11.
2. The priests, finding their idol on the floor, make all the haste they can, before it be known, to set him in his place again. A sorry silly thing it was to make a god of, which, when it was down, wanted help to get up again; and sottish wretches those were that could pray for help from that idol that needed, and in effect implored, their help. How could they attribute their victory to the power of Dagon when Dagon himself could not keep his own ground before the ark? But they are resolved Dagon shall be their god still, and therefore set him in his place. Bishop Hall observes hence, It is just with God that those who want grace shall want wit too; and it is the work of superstition to turn men into the stocks and stones they worship. Those that make them are like unto them. What is it that the great upholders of the antichristian kingdom are doing at this day but heaving Dagon up, and labouring to set him in his place again, and healing the deadly wound that has been given to the beast? but if the reformation be the cause of God, before which it has begun to fall, it shall not prevail, but shall surely fall before it.
3. The next night Dagon fell the second time, 1Sa 5:4. They rose early, either, as usual, to make their addresses to their god, or earlier than usual, being impatient to know whether Dagon had kept his standing this night; and, to their great confusion, they find his case worse now than before. Whether the matter of which the image was made was apt to break or no, so it was that the head and hands were cut off upon the threshold, so that nothing remained but the stump, or, as the margin reads it, the fishy part of Dagon; for (as many learned men conjecture) the upper part of this image was in a human shape, the lower in the shape of a fish, as mermaids are painted. Such strong delusions were idolaters given up to, so vain were they in their imaginations, and so wretchedly darkened were their foolish hearts, as to worship the images, not only of creatures, but of nonentities, the mere figments of fancy. Well, the misshapen monster is by this fall made to appear, (1.) Very ridiculous, and worthy to be despised. A pretty figure Dagon made now, when the fall had anatomized him, and shown how the human part and the fishy part were artificially put together, which perhaps the ignorant devotees had been made to believe was done by miracle! (2.) Very impotent, and unworthy to be prayed to or trusted in; for his losing his head and hands proved him utterly destitute both of wisdom and power, and for ever disabled either to advise or act for his worshippers. This they got by setting Dagon in his place again; they had better have let him alone when he was down. But those can speed no better that contend with God, and will set up that which he is throwing down, Mal 1:4. God, by this, magnified his ark and made it honourable, when they vilified and made it contemptible. He also showed what will be the end of all that which is set up in opposition to him. Gird yourselves, but you shall be broken to pieces, Isa 8:9.
4. The threshold of Dagon's temple was ever looked upon as sacred, and not to be trodden on, 1Sa 5:5. Some think that reference is had to this superstitious usage of Dagon's worshippers in Zep 1:9, where God threatens to punish those who, in imitation of them, leaped over the threshold. One would have thought that this incontestable proof of the ark's victory over Dagon would convince the Philistines of their folly in worshipping such a senseless thing, and that henceforward they would pay their homage to the conqueror; but, instead of being reformed, they were hardened in their idolatry, and, as evil men and seducers are wont to do, became worse and worse, 2Ti 3:13. Instead of despising Dagon, for the threshold's sake that beheaded him, they were almost ready to worship the threshold because it was the block on which he was beheaded, and will never set their feet on that on which Dagon lost his head, shaming those who tread under foot the blood of the covenant and trample on things truly sacred. Yet this piece of superstition would help to perpetuate the remembrance of Dagon's disgrace; for, with the custom, the reason would be transmitted to posterity, and the children that should be born, enquiring why the threshold of Dagon's temple must not be trodden on, would be told that Dagon fell before the ark of the Lord. Thus God would have honour even out of their superstition. We are not told that they repaired the broken image; it is probable that they sent the art of God away first, and then they patched it up again, and set it in its place; for, it seems, they cannot deliver their souls, nor say, Is there not a lie in our right hand? Isa 44:20.
6-12
The Distress of the Philistines (1120 BC)
非利士人的灾难（主前1120年）
⁶ 耶和华的手重重加在亚实突人身上，败坏他们，使他们生痔疮；亚实突和其四境都是如此。 ⁷ 亚实突人见这情形，就说：「以色列神的约柜不可留在我们这里，因为他的手重重加在我们和我们神大衮的身上。」 ⁸ 他们就打发人去请非利士的众首领来聚集，问他们说：「我们当怎样处置以色列神的约柜呢？」他们回答说：「可以把以色列神的约柜运到迦特去。」于是他们将以色列神的约柜运到那里去。 ⁹ 运到之后，耶和华的手攻击那城，使那城大乱；他击打城里的人，无论大小，使他们都在隐密处生痔疮。 ¹⁰ 他们就把神的约柜送到以革伦。神的约柜到了以革伦，以革伦人就喊叫说：「他们将以色列神的约柜运到我们这里，要杀我们和我们的百姓了！」 ¹¹ 于是他们打发人去请非利士的众首领来，说：「愿你们将以色列神的约柜送回原处，免得杀了我们和我们的百姓。」因为全城因死亡慌乱；神的手重重地加在他们身上。 ¹² 未曾死的人都生了痔疮；全城的呼叫声直达到天上。
大衮的倾覆（百姓若善用它，借此为他们的偶像之罪悔改、在以色列的神面前自卑、寻求他的面），本可避免神在此对他们对约柜所行之侮辱、并他们执迷不悟依恋偶像、无视最明显之证据所要施的报应。耶和华啊，你举手，他们却不看；但他们必看见（赛26:11）。他们既不看神的荣耀，就必感受神手的重量——非利士人正是如此。耶和华的手重重加在他们身上（撒上5:6），他不仅使他们知罪之愚，更严厉责罚他们的狂傲。1. 他败坏他们，即借突然死亡剪除他们许多人——大概就是那些最为掳约柜而夸耀的人。这与别人所受的病不同。在迦特这称为大乱（撒上5:9）、死亡慌乱（撒上5:11）。并且明说（撒上5:12）那些生痔疮的人，就是未曾因那别的灾祸而死的人——那灾祸大概是瘟疫。他们曾夸耀自己的刀在以色列人中所行的大杀戮（撒上4:10）。但神让他们知道，虽然他不当配用以色列的刀来对付他们（他们不配被使用），神自己却有刀，能在他们中间行同样可怕的杀戮；他若磨快，手拿审判，就必向仇敌报冤（申32:41-42）。注意：与神、与他的约柜、与他的以色列相争的人，终必无可挽回地灭亡。若知罪不能胜之，毁灭必胜之。2. 那些未曾被毁的人，他用痔疮击打（撒上5:6），在隐密处（撒上5:9），痛苦到一个地步（撒上5:12），呼声达到天上——即在远处也可听见，也许他们在痛苦至极中不是向大衮呼求，而是向天上的神呼求。诗篇作者论到非利士人受此重灾时如此描述：神击打他的敌人于后部，并使他们永远蒙羞（诗78:66）。痔疮（我们称之为痔疮，也许当时比现今更严重的病）是咒诅之果的诸般审判之一（申28:27）。这是一种既痛又耻的病；卑污之病报应卑污之行为。神借它要降卑他们的骄傲，并把羞辱加在他们身上，正如他们对他的约柜所作的。这病是流行性的，也许在他们中间是新病。亚实突和其四境都被击打——周围乡村都是。因轻忽神的定例，有许多人软弱、患病、睡了（林前11:30）。3. 亚实突人很快察觉这是神的手，是以色列神的手（撒上5:7）。这样他们被勉强承认他的权能与治权，承认自己在他的管辖之内，却不肯弃绝大衮、顺服耶和华；反倒，如今他既触及他们的骨肉、且是痛处，他们便几乎当面咒诅他，不但不与他和好、不照更好的条件挽留他的约柜，反倒想要摆脱它，正如格拉森人——他们既丢了猪，便求基督离开他们的境界。属肉体的人，在神的审判下受痛之时，若有可能，宁可把他远远推开，也不愿与他立约、与他相交、使他作自己的朋友。亚实突人于是定意：以色列神的约柜不可留在我们这里。4. 他们决定更换约柜的囚禁之所。召开了大会，向众首领所提的问题是："我们当怎样处置这约柜？"最后议定把它运到迦特（撒上5:8）。他们有一种迷信之见，以为错处在于地方，约柜在离大衮庙更远的别处寄居会更得其所；所以他们不把它送回原处（本该如此），反倒设计把它送到另一个地方。迦特被选中——一个以巨人族著称之地，但他们的力量与身材挡不住瘟疫与痔疮：那城的人被击打，无论大小（撒上5:9），无论侏儒还是巨人，在神的审判面前都一样；没有谁大到能越过它，也没有谁小到被它忽略。5. 他们终于都对约柜厌烦，巴不得摆脱它。约柜从迦特被送到以革伦，因为是会议所命，以革伦人不能拒收，却对他们的大人物送来如此致命之礼大为恼怒（撒上5:10）：他们将约柜送到我们这里，要杀我们和我们的百姓。约柜里有律法版；在忠信的以色列人看来，没有什么比神的话语更受欢迎（对他们这是叫人活的香气），但在执意与神为敌的未受割礼的非利士人看来，没有什么更可怕、更不受欢迎：对他们这是叫人死的香气。立即召开大会，商议把约柜送回原处（撒上5:11）。他们正商议之际，神的手正在施行击杀；他们为躲避审判的筹算不过使它蔓延。他们中间许多人倒地而死。更多的人正为痔疮所苦，痛不堪言（撒上5:12）。他们当怎样行呢？他们因掳约柜而夸胜，转眼化作哀号，他们既曾急切抢夺约柜，如今也同样急切要丢弃它。注意：神能轻易使耶路撒冷成为一块重石，叫一切举起它的都受重伤（亚12:3）。与神相争之人不久便会厌弃，或早或晚，必被教晓：向来没有硬着心敌对他而亨通的。以欺诈不义所得之财，尤其以亵渎、抢夺神所得之财，虽贪婪吞下、在舌下滚动如甘甜之食，终必吐出；因为在那之前，罪人不能在他肚中得安稳（伯20:15-20）。
英文原文
The Distress of the Philistines (1120 BC)
⁶ But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
⁷ And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
⁸ They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.
⁹ And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
¹⁰ Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
¹¹ So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
¹² And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
The downfall of Dagon (if the people had made a good use of it, and had been brought by it to repent of their idolatries and to humble themselves before the God of Israel and seek his face) might have prevented the vengeance which God here proceeds to take upon them for the indignities done to his ark, and their obstinate adherence to their idol, in defiance of the plainest conviction. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up they will not see, but they shall see, Isa 26:11. And, if they will not see the glory, they shall feel the weight, of God's hand, for so the Philistines did. The hand of the Lord was heavy upon them (1Sa 5:6), and he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. 1. He destroyed them, that is, cut many of them off by sudden death, those, we may suppose, that had most triumphed in the captivity of the ark. This is distinguished from the disease with which others were smitten. At Gath it is called a great destruction (1Sa 5:9), a deadly destruction, 1Sa 5:11. And it is expressly said (1Sa 5:12) that those who were smitten with the emerods were the men that died not by the other destruction, which probably was the pestilence. They boasted of the great slaughter which their sword had made among the Israelites, 1Sa 4:10. But God lets them know that though he does not see fit to draw Israel's sword against them (they were unworthy to be employed), yet God had a sword of his own, with which he could make a no less dreadful execution among them, which if he whet, and his hand take hold on judgment, he will render vengeance to his enemies, De 32:41,42. Note, Those that contend with God, his ark, and his Israel, will infallibly be ruined at last. If conviction conquer not, destruction shall. 2. Those that were not destroyed he smote with emerods (1Sa 5:6), in their secret parts (1Sa 5:9), so grievous that (1Sa 5:12) the cry went up to heaven, that is, it might be heard a great way off, and perhaps, in the extremity of their pain and misery, they cried, not to Dagon, but to the God of heaven. The Psalmist, speaking of this sore judgment upon the Philistines, describes it thus: God smote his enemies in the hinder parts, and put them to a perpetual reproach, Ps 78:66. The emerods (which we call the piles, and perhaps it was then a more grievous disease than it is now) is threatened among the judgments that would be the fruit of the curse, De 28:27. It was both a painful and shameful disease; a vile disease for vile deserts. By it God would humble their pride, and put contempt upon them, as they had done upon his ark. The disease was epidemical, and perhaps, among them, a new disease. Ashdod was smitten, and the coasts thereof, the country round. For contempt of God's ordinances, many are weak and sick, and many sleep, 1Co 11:30. 3. The men of Ashdod were soon aware that it was the hand of God, the God of Israel, 1Sa 5:7. Thus they were constrained to acknowledge his power and dominion, and confess themselves within his jurisdiction, and yet they would not renounce Dagon and submit to Jehovah; but rather, now that he touched their bone and their flesh, and in a tender part, they were ready to curse him to his face, and instead of making their peace with him, and courting the stay of his ark upon better terms, they desired to get clear of it, as the Gadarenes, who, when they had lost their swine, desired Christ to depart out of their coasts. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them than enter into covenant and communion with him, and make him their friend. Thus the men of Ashdod resolve, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us. 4. It is resolved to change the place of its imprisonment. A great council was called, and the question proposed to all the lords was, "What shall be we with the ark?" And at last it was agreed that it should be carried to Gath, 1Sa 5:8. Some superstitious conceit they had that the fault was in the place, and that the ark would be better pleased with another lodging, further off from Dagon's temple; and therefore, instead of returning it, as they should have done, to its own place, they contrive to send it to another place. Gath is pitched upon, a place famed for a race of giants, but their strength and stature are no fence against the pestilence and the emerods: the men of that city were smitten, both great and small 1Sa 5:9), both dwarfs and giants, all alike to God's judgments; none so great as to over-top them, none so small as to be over-looked by them. 5. They were all at last weary of the ark, and very willing to get rid of it. It was sent from Gath to Ekron, and, coming by order of council, the Ekronites could not refuse it, but were much exasperated against their great men for sending them such a fatal present (1Sa 5:10): They have sent it to us to slay us and our people. The ark had the tables of the law in it; and nothing more welcome to faithful Israelites than the word of God (to them it is a savour of life unto life), but to uncircumcised Philistines, that persist in enmity to God, nothing more dreadful nor unwelcome: to them it is a savour of death unto death. A general assembly is instantly called, to advise about sending the ark again to its place, 1Sa 5:11. While they are consulting about it, the hand of God is doing execution; and their contrivances to evade the judgment do but spread it. Many drop down dead among them. Many more are raging ill of the emerods, 1Sa 5:12. What shall they do? Their triumphs in the captivity of the ark are soon turned into lamentations, and they are as eager to quit it as ever they had been to seize it. Note, God can easily make Jerusalem a burdensome stone to all that heave at it, Zec 12:3. Those that fight against God will soon have enough of it, and, first or last, will be made to know that none ever hardened their hearts against him and prospered. The wealth that is got by fraud and injustice, especially that which is got by sacrilege and robbing God, though swallowed greedily, and rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel, must be vomited up again; for, till it be, the sinner shall not feel quietness in his belly, Job 20:15-20.
现在该查问神的约柜下落如何了；我们不免想，必定还会听见关于这圣物的更多消息。我本以为主下来的消息会是：从但到别是巴，全以色列人都如同一人聚集起来，决意将约柜夺回，否则宁死不回；然而我们却不见有任何此类的动静——他们中间所剩的热心与勇气实在少得可怜。不但如此，我们也未见他们想与非利士人交涉，以赎回约柜，或提出任何替代之物作为交换。「它既已失，就由它去吧。」许多人有足够的柔情去哀悼约柜的丧失，却没有足够的胆魄为夺回它迈出一步，正如此处的以色列人。约柜若能自救就让它自救吧，因他们不会出手相助。他们竟能如此忍心舍弃以色列的荣耀，实在不配以色列人之名。因此神要亲自接管此事，为自己辩护，因为没有人肯为他站出来。本章告诉我们：I. 非利士人怎样因约柜而趾高气扬（撒下5:1、2）；II. 约柜又怎样制服了非利士人：1. 制服了他们的神大衮（撒下5:3-5）；2. 制服了非利士人自己——他们被痔疮的重灾所击打，而厌弃约柜：先是亚实突人（撒下5:6、7），然后是迦特人（撒下5:8、9），最后是以革伦人；这迫使他们最终定意将约柜送回以色列地——因为神审判之时，必得胜。