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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)
大袞的傾覆（公元前1120年）
¹ 非利士人將神的約櫃從以便以謝運到亞實突。
² 非利士人將神的約櫃抬進大袞廟，放在大袞旁邊。
³ 亞實突人清早起來，見大袞仆倒在地，伏在耶和華的約櫃前。他們就把大袞抬回原處。
⁴ 又次日清早他們起來，見大袞仆倒在地，伏在耶和華的約櫃前；大袞的頭和兩手都被割斷在門檻上，只剩下大袞的殘體。
⁵ 因此大袞的祭司和一切進大袞廟的人，直到今日都不踏亞實突大袞廟的門檻。
此處記的是：一、非利士人因約櫃而得的勝利品，他們對此比從前更為得意、更為驕傲，因為戰前他們對約櫃充滿極大的恐懼（1Sa 4:7）。他們既把它掌握在手中，神就約束他們，使他們沒有對它施以任何暴力——沒有像以色列人對待外邦偶像那樣將它打碎——反而表示了幾分敬意，小心翼翼地把它運到安全之處。他們是否因好奇而打開它、閱讀其中神用指頭寫在兩塊石版上的話，我們不得而知；也許他們不過看那金光閃閃的外層和施恩座上面的基路伯，如同孩子只顧欣賞聖經的精美裝幀，而不在意其中所藏的寶貴內容。他們把它運到亞實突——他們五座城邑之一，也是大袞廟所在之城——在那裏他們把神的約櫃放在大袞旁邊（1Sa 5:2）。要麼：1. 視之為聖物，打算與大袞一同予以若干宗教上的敬意；因為外邦人的神從來不嫌夥伴多。雖然萬國不肯更換自己的神，卻要加增神、添上神。但他們對以色列的神認識錯了：把他的約櫃放在大袞的像旁，以為這是對他的尊崇；因為他若不是被獨一地敬拜，就根本不是被敬拜。耶和華我們神是獨一的主。或者更可能是：2. 他們把它放在那裏作為勝利的戰利品，歸榮耀給他們的神大袞；他們無疑打算為此獻上大祭，正如從前擒拿參孫時所行的（士16:23-24），誇口說：正如那時他們勝過了以色列的勇士，如今他們勝過了以色列的神。這對神的聖名是何等的羞辱！對他榮耀的寶座是何等的羞辱！約櫃——神同在的象徵——竟作了大袞——一個糞堆之神——的俘虜嗎？（1）是的，暫時如此，因為神要表明：若約本身被破壞和輕忽，約櫃在他眼中便算不得甚麼；連聖禮的記號也不是他所受束縛、也不是我們所能信靠的。（2）是的，暫時如此，為要使他在審判那些如此冒犯他的人時得著更大的榮耀，並在他們身上得著尊榮。他既懲罰了出賣約櫃、將之交在非利士人手中的以色列人，接下來就要對付那些褻瀆約櫃的人，並要從他們手中再把約櫃取回。這樣，連人的忿怒也要讚美他；他甚至在看似忽略自己榮耀之時，也在成就自己的榮耀（詩76:10）。從食人者口中要生出美食。
II. 約櫃對大袞的勝利。大袞一次、再次被摔伏在約櫃面前。他們若有意尊崇約櫃，神就藉此表明他並不看重他們的尊崇，也不願接受；因為他要被敬拜——不是與任何神明並列，而是超越一切神明之上。那些要在他與彼列之間牽線搭橋的人，他必使他們蒙羞（哈爾主教語）。但他們實際上是有意冒犯；雖然大袞在約櫃旁邊立了幾個小時，而且很可能立在約櫃之上（以約櫃為腳凳），但次日清晨，當大袞的敬拜者前來向其神龕致敬時，他們發現自己的得意轉眼成空（伯20:5）。
1. 大袞，也就是那像（因為那不過是全部的「神」），仆倒在地，伏在約櫃前（1Sa 5:3）。神似乎忘記了約櫃，但請看詩人怎樣論到他的顯現——他終究起來為自己的榮耀伸冤。當他將自己的能力交給擄掠、一切似將傾覆之時，那時主如人睡醒，像勇士飲酒呼喊（詩78:59-65）。因此他不容猶太教會徹底荒涼，因為他怕仇敵惹動（申32:26-27）。他們在設立神像時，格外小心將之固定。先知注意到這事（賽41:7）：用釘子釘穩，使它不致搖動；又說（賽46:7）。然而大袞的固定之法毫無用處。神的約櫃在大袞自己的糞堆上、在他自己的廟中勝過了他。他在約櫃面前仆倒——直接朝著約櫃（雖然約櫃被放在他的一側），彷彿在指向征服者，被迫向他屈服、進貢。注意：撒但的國度必在基督的國度面前傾覆，謬誤必在真理面前傾覆，不敬虔必在敬虔面前傾覆，腐敗必在信徒心中的恩典面前傾覆。當宗教的利益似乎被打倒、將要沉沒之時，即便在那時，我們仍可確信它得勝的日子必到。真理至大，必將得勝。大袞既仆伏在神的約櫃面前——這是敬拜的姿勢——就等於引導它的敬拜者去向以色列的神致敬，承認他超乎萬神之上。見出18:11。
2. 眾祭司見他們的神像倒在地板上，就趕緊——趁消息還未走漏——把它抬回原處。把它造成神，實在愚蠢至極；它一倒下，還需要人幫忙扶起；而能向那需要、實際上等於懇求他們幫助的偶像求助的，是何等昏昧的人。他們怎能將勝利歸功於大袞的權能，而大袞自己在約櫃面前連自己的立足之地都保不住？但他們決心仍以大袞為神，於是把它放回原處。哈爾主教由此觀察到：神如此公義，使那些缺少恩典的人也缺少智慧；而迷信的作為就是把人變成他們所敬拜的木頭石頭。*造它的也必和它一樣。*今日反基督國度的中流砥柱們所忙碌的，豈不正是把大袞抬起、設法把它放回原處、醫治那給獸所打的致命傷嗎？但若改教是神的事業——大袞既已在它面前開始仆倒——它便不能得勢，必在大袞面前僕倒。
3. 第二夜，大袞第二次仆倒（1Sa 5:4）。他們清早起來，或是如常來向神明致敬，或是比平常更早，急於知道今夜大袞是否站穩了；卻大為驚愕地發現，它的情形比上次更糟。不論這像的材質是否容易折斷，事實是它的頭和兩手都被割斷在門檻上，只剩下軀幹——旁註讀作大袞的魚狀部分；因為（正如許多學者所推測）這像的上半身是人形，下半身是魚形，如同傳說中的美人魚。拜偶像的人就是這樣被交給強烈的錯覺，他們的想像如此虛妄，他們愚昧的心如此昏暗，以至於敬拜的不僅是受造物的像，更是虛無之物的像——純粹出於幻想的捏造。於是這怪物因這一跤而被顯明：（1）極其可笑，當被藐視。大袞如今是何等滑稽的模樣——這一跤把它解剖了，顯出人形部分和魚形部分是怎樣被人工拼湊起來的；那些無知的善男信女或許還被騙說這是神蹟！（2）極其無能，不配被祈求或信靠；因為它丟了頭、斷了手，證明它既無智慧也無能力，永遠不能再為它的敬拜者出謀劃力。這就是他們把大袞放回原處的結果；他們倒不如在大袞倒下時任它倒著。但與神較量、要扶起神所正在推倒之物的人，下場不過如此（瑪1:4）。神藉此高舉他的約櫃，使之得尊榮，就在他們貶低它、使之被藐視之時。他也借此表明：凡與他對抗而被設立之物，結局將會如何。任憑你們束起腰來，終必被打碎（賽8:9）。
4. 大袞廟的門檻從此被視為神聖，不可踐踏（1Sa 5:5）。有人認為番1:9中所說神要懲罰「一切跳過門檻的人」就是影射大袞敬拜者的這一迷信習俗。人本以為約櫃勝過大袞這一無可辯駁的證據，會使非利士人醒悟自己敬拜這無知無覺之物的愚妄，並從此轉向征服者致敬；但他們非但沒有悔改，反而在偶像崇拜上更加剛硬，正如惡人和騙子所慣常的那樣，越久越惡（提後3:13）。他們不因大袞失去頭顱而藐視大袞，反倒因那砍掉它頭顱的門檻之故，幾乎要敬拜門檻了——他們決不再踏上大袞失去頭顱的那塊門檻，這反倒羞辱了那些踐踏約之血、踐踏真正神聖之事的人。然而這一迷信之舉卻有助於長久記念大袞的恥辱；因為隨著這習俗，其緣由也必傳於後世；日後出生的孩子問起為何不可踐踏大袞廟的門檻，就必有人告訴他們：大袞曾在耶和華的約櫃面前仆倒。這樣，神甚至從他們的迷信中也得了尊榮。我們並未被告知他們修復了那殘破的像；他們大概先把約櫃送走，然後才將它修補、放回原處；因為看來他們不能救自己的性命，也不能說：我們右手裏豈不是有虛謊嗎？（賽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)
非利士人的災禍（公元前1120年）
⁶ 耶和華的手重重加在亞實突人身上，敗壞他們，使他們生痔瘡。亞實突和其四境都是如此。
⁷ 亞實突人見這情形，就說：以色列神的約櫃不可留在我們這裏，因為他的手重重加在我們和我們的神大袞身上。
⁸ 他們就打發人去請非利士的眾首領來聚集，問他們說：我們向以色列神的約櫃當怎樣行呢？他們回答說：可以將以色列神的約櫃運到迦特去。於是將以色列神的約櫃運到那裏去了。
⁹ 運到之後，耶和華的手攻擊那城，使那城的人大大驚慌；他攻擊那城，無論大小的都生了痔瘡。
¹⁰ 所以他們把神的約櫃送到以革倫。神的約櫃到了以革倫，以革倫人就喊嚷起來說：他們將以色列神的約櫃運到我們這裏，要殺我們和我們的眾民。
¹¹ 於是他們打發人去請非利士的眾首領來，說：願你們將以色列神的約櫃送回原處，免得殺了我們和我們的眾民。因為全城大大驚慌，神的手重重地加在他們身上。
¹² 未曾死的人都生了痔瘡。城裏的呼聲上達於天。
大袞的傾覆（百姓若善用這事，藉此為自己的偶像崇拜悔改，在以色列的神面前自卑、尋求他的面，本可避免神如今對他們所施的報應），原是因他們對神的約櫃所行的侮辱，以及他們執迷於自己的偶像、無視最明顯的證據，神便繼續向他們施行報應。耶和華啊，你舉手攻擊他們，他們卻不看；但他們必看見（賽26:11）。他們既不看見神手的榮耀，就必感受神手的沉重——非利士人正是如此。耶和華的手重重加在他們身上（1Sa 5:6），他不僅使他們看出自己的愚妄，更嚴厲懲治了他們的狂妄。1. 他敗壞他們，就是用突然的死亡剪除了他們中間許多人，我們可以設想那些人正是最為約櫃被擄而誇耀的人。這與其餘人所患的疾病有所區別。在迦特這被稱為大敗壞（1Sa 5:9），致命的大敗壞（1Sa 5:11）。經上又明說（1Sa 5:12），那些生痔瘡的人，是沒有死於那另一種敗壞的人；那另一種敗壞大概是瘟疫。他們曾誇耀自己的刀劍在以色列人中間造成何等大的殺戮（1Sa 4:10）。但神使他們知道，雖然他認為不當拔出以色列的刀劍來對付他們（他們不配被使用），神卻有自己的刀劍，可以用來在他們中間施行同樣可畏的殺戮；他若磨亮它，他的手抓住審判，就必向仇敵報復（申32:41-42）。注意：凡與神、與神的約櫃、與神的以色列相爭的，終必敗亡。若知罪不能征服他們，毀滅必臨到。2. 那些沒有被毀滅的，他使他們生痔瘡（1Sa 5:6），生在隱密處（1Sa 5:9），痛苦到一個地步（1Sa 5:12），呼聲上達於天——這話是說，這呼聲可以遠遠地聽見；也許他們在極度的痛苦和悲慘中，不是向大袞呼求，而是向天上的神呼求。詩人論到非利士人所受這場可怕的審判時，這樣描述：神擊打他的敵人在他們的後部，又使他們永受羞辱（詩78:66）。痔瘡（我們稱之為痔疾，也許在那時是比今日更痛苦的疾病）乃是律法中所宣告咒咒的果子之一（申28:27）。這既是痛苦的病，也是羞恥的病；卑劣的病配卑劣的報應。神要藉此使他們自卑，使他們受藐視，正如他們曾藐視他的約櫃。這病是傳染性的，也許在他們中間是一種新病。亞實突和其四境都被擊打，就是周圍的鄉村。因藐視神的典禮，有許多人軟弱、患病，甚至死的也不少（林前11:30）。3. 亞實突人很快就看出這是神的手，是以色列神的手（1Sa 5:7）。這樣，他們不得不承認他的大能和主權，承認自己在他審判的範圍之內；然而他們卻不肯放棄大袞、歸順耶和華。反倒如今他既摸到他們的骨頭和肉，摸到他們柔嫩之處，他們幾乎要當面咒詛他；他們不求與他和好，不求以更好的條件留住他的約櫃，反而想趕快擺脫它，正如格拉森人，他們既失去了豬群，就求基督離開他們的境界（可5:17）。屬肉體的心，當他們在神的審判之下受苦時，若是可能，他們寧可把神推得遠遠的，也不肯與他立約、與他相交、使他成為自己的朋友。於是亞實突人決定：以色列神的約櫃不可留在我們這裏。4. 他們決定更改囚禁約櫃的地點。於是召開大會，向眾首領提出的問題是：「我們對約櫃當怎樣行呢？」最後議定把它運到迦特去（1Sa 5:8）。他們有一種迷信的想法，以為毛病出在地點上，以為約櫃在離大袞廟較遠的別處會更滿意；因此他們不把約櫃送回原處——他們本當這樣作——反倒設法把它送到別處。於是選定了迦特，那地方以出偉人著稱，但他們的力量和身量卻不能抵擋瘟疫和痔瘡：那城的人無論大小都被擊打（1Sa 5:9），無論是矮人還是巨人，在神的審判面前都一樣；沒有一個大到能越過審判，也沒有一個小到被審判忽略。5. 最後他們都厭倦了約櫃，極想把它趕快送走。約櫃從迦特被送到以革倫，因是議會所派，以革倫人不能拒絕，卻對他們的首領差來這樣致命的禮物大為惱怒（1Sa 5:10）：他們把它送到我們這裏來殺我們和我們的眾民！約櫃裏面有法版；對忠心的以色列人來說，再沒有比神的話更受歡迎的了（對他們這是叫人活的香氣）；但對那些堅持與神為敵、未受割禮的非利士人來說，再沒有比這更可怕、更不受歡迎的了：對他們這是叫人死的香氣。於是立刻召開全體大會，商議將約櫃送回原處（1Sa 5:11）。他們正在商議之時，神的手仍在執行審判；他們為逃避審判所作的籌算，反倒使審判蔓延。他們中間有許多人倒地而死，更多的人正被痔瘡折磨得死去活來（1Sa 5:12）。他們該怎麼辦呢？他們為約櫃被擄而作的誇耀，很快變成了哀號；他們如今急於擺脫它，正如他們從前急於搶奪它。注意：神能輕而易舉地使耶路撒冷成為一塊叫人沉重負擔的石頭，凡舉起它的必受重傷（亞12:3）。凡與神相爭的，很快就會受夠了，或遲或早必知道：凡硬著心與他作對的，從未有人亨通。凡以欺詐和不義得來的財物，尤其是以褻瀆聖物、搶奪神而得的，雖然貪婪地吞下，在舌下翻滾如同甘甜，終必吐出來；因為在吐出之前，罪人不能在他的肚腹中得享安寧（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.
如今正是時候查問神的約櫃下落如何；我們不能不認為將再聽見這神聖之寶物的消息。我原以為下一則消息必是：從但到別是巴的全以色列如同一人聚集起來，決心要將它奪回，否則便奮戰至死；但我們未見任何此類行動——可見他們當中熱心與勇氣已所餘無幾。我們也沒有看見他們想要與非利士人就贖回約櫃進行談判，或提出任何代替之物。"約櫃去了，就讓它去罷。" 許多人有足夠的柔情為約櫃的喪失哀哭，卻沒有足夠的硬骨邁出一步去收回它，正如這裏的以色列人。約櫃若能自救，就由它自保罷，因為他們不肯助它。他們如此輕易地放棄以色列的榮耀，實在不配以色列人之名。因此神要親自接管這事，親自為自己的案申辯，因為無人肯為他出面。本章告訴我們：I. 非利士人如何向約櫃誇勝（2Sa 5:1,2）；II. 約櫃又如何勝過非利士人：1. 勝過他們的神大袞（2Sa 5:3-5）；2. 勝過非利士人本身——他們大受痔瘡之災折磨，至終厭棄約櫃：先是亞實突人（2Sa 5:6,7），然後是迦特人（2Sa 5:8,9），最後是以革倫人，這一切迫使他們至終決定將約櫃送回以色列地；因為神施行審判時，必得勝。