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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [First Samuel, Chapter V].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>F I R S T S A M U E L</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. V.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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It is now time to enquire what has become of the ark of God; we cannot
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but think that we shall hear more of that sacred treasure. I should
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have thought the next news would have been that all Israel, from Dan to
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Beersheba, had gathered together as one man, with a resolution to bring
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it back, or die in the attempt; but we find not any motion made of that
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kind, so little was there of zeal or courage left among them. Nay, we
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do not find that they desired a treaty with the Philistines about the
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ransom of it, or offered any thing in lieu of it. "It is gone, and let
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it go." Many have softness enough to lament the loss of the ark that
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have not hardiness enough to take one step towards the recovery of it,
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any more than Israel here. If the ark will help itself it may, for they
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will not help it. Unworthy they were of the name of Israelites that
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could thus tamely part with the glory of Israel. God would therefore
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take the work into his own hands and plead his own cause, since men
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would not appear for him. We are told in this chapter,
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I. How the Philistines triumphed over the ark
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+5:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>),
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and,
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II. How the ark triumphed over the Philistines,
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1. Over Dagon their god,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+5:3-5">ver. 3-5</A>.
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2. Over the Philistines themselves, who were sorely plagued with emerods,
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and made weary of the ark; the men of Ashdod first
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+5:6,7">ver. 6, 7</A>),
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then the men of Gath
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+5:8,9">ver. 8, 9</A>),
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and lastly those of Ekron, which forced them at length upon a
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resolution to send the ark back to the land of Israel; for when God
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judgeth he will overcome.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Fall of Dagon.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1120.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from
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Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
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2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it
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into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
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3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold,
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Dagon <I>was</I> fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of
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the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
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4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold,
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Dagon <I>was</I> fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of
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the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands
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<I>were</I> cut off upon the threshold; only <I>the stump of</I> Dagon was
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left to him.
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5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come
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into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod
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unto this day.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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I. The Philistines' triumph over the ark, which they were the more
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pleased, the more proud, to be now masters of, because before the
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battle they were possessed with a great fear of it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+4:7"><I>ch.</I> iv. 7</A>.
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When they had it in their hands God restrained them, that they did not
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offer any violence to it, did not break it to pieces, as the Israelites
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were ordered to do by the idols of the heathen, but showed some respect
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to it, and carefully carried it to a place of safety. Whether their
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curiosity led them to open it, and to read what was written with the
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finger of God on the two tables of stone that were in it, we are not
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told; perhaps they looked no further than the golden outside and the
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cherubim that covered it, like children that are more affected with the
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fine binding of their bibles than with the precious matter contained in
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them. They carried it to Ashdod, one of their five cities, and that in
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which Dagon's temple was; there they placed the ark of God, <I>by
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Dagon</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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either
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1. As a sacred thing, which they designed to pay some religious respect
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to, in conjunction with Dagon; for the gods of the heathen were never
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looked upon as averse to partners. Though the nations would not change
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their gods, yet they would multiply them and add to them. But they
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were mistaken in the God of Israel when, in putting his ark by Dagon's
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image, they intended to do him honour; for he is not worshipped at all
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if he is not worshipped alone. <I>The Lord our God is one Lord.</I> Or
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rather,
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2. They placed it there as a trophy of victory, in honour of Dagon
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their god, to whom no doubt they intended to offer a great sacrifice,
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as they had done when they had taken Samson
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jdg+16:23,24">Judg. xvi. 23, 24</A>),
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boasting that as then they had triumphed over Israel's champion so now
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over Israel's God. What a reproach was this to God's great name! what a
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<I>disgrace to the throne of his glory!</I> Shall the ark, the symbol
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of God's presence, be a prisoner to Dagon, a dunghill deity?
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(1.) So it is, because God will show of how little account the ark of
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the covenant is if the covenant itself be broken and neglected; even
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sacred signs are not things that either he is tied to or we can trust
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to.
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(2.) So it is for a time, that God may have so much the more glory, in
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reckoning with those that thus affront him, and get him honour upon
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them. Having punished Israel, that betrayed the ark, by giving it into
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the hands of the Philistines, he will next deal with those that abused
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it, and will fetch it out of their hands again. Thus even the <I>wrath
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of man shall praise him;</I> and he is bringing about his own glory
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even when he seems to neglect it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+76:10">Ps. lxxvi. 10</A>.
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Out of the eater shall come forth meat.</P>
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<P>
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II. The ark's triumph over Dagon. Once and again Dagon was made to fall
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before it. If they designed to do honour to the ark, God thereby showed
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that he valued not their honour, nor would he accept it; for he will be
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worshipped, not <I>with</I> any god, but <I>above</I> all gods. <I>He
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owes a shame</I> (as bishop Hall expresses it) <I>to those who will be
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making matches betwixt himself and Belial.</I> But they really designed
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to affront it, and though for some hours Dagon stood by the ark, and it
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is likely stood above it (the ark, as its footstool), yet the next
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morning, when the worshippers of Dagon came to pay their devotions to
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his shrine, they found their triumphing short,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+20:5">Job xx. 5</A>.</P>
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<P>
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1. Dagon, that is, the image (for that was all the god), had <I>fallen
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upon his face to the earth before the ark,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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God had seemed to forget the ark, but see how the Psalmist speaks of
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his appearing, at last, to vindicate his own honour. When he had
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delivered his strength into captivity, and all seemed going to ruin,
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<I>then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that
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shouteth by reason of wine,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+78:59-65">Ps. lxxviii. 59-65</A>.
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And therefore he prevented the utter desolations of the Jewish church,
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because he <I>feared the wrath of the enemy,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+32:26,27">Deut. xxxii. 26, 27</A>.
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Great care was taken, in setting up the images of their gods, to fix
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them. The prophet takes notice of it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+41:7">Isa. xli. 7</A>,
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<I>He fastened it with nails that it should not be moved;</I> and
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again,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+46:7">Isa. xlvi. 7</A>.
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And yet Dagon's fastenings stood him in no stead. The ark of God
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triumphs over him upon his own dunghill, in his own temple. Down he
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comes before the ark, directly towards it (though the ark was set on
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one side of him), as it were, pointing to the conqueror, to whom he is
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constrained to yield and do homage. Note, The kingdom of Satan will
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certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth,
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profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts
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of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be run down and
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ready to sink, yet even then we may be confident that the day of their
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triumph will come. Great is the truth, and will prevail. Dagon by
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falling prostrate before the ark of God, which was a posture of
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adoration, did as it were direct his worshippers to pay their homage to
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the God of Israel, as <I>greater than all gods.</I> See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+18:11">Exod. xviii. 11</A>.</P>
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<P>
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2. The priests, finding their idol on the floor, make all the haste
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they can, before it be known, to set him in his place again. A sorry
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silly thing it was to make a god of, which, when it was down, wanted
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help to get up again; and sottish wretches those were that could pray
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for help from that idol that needed, and in effect implored, their
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help. How could they attribute their victory to the power of Dagon when
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Dagon himself could not keep his own ground before the ark? But they
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are resolved Dagon shall be their god still, and therefore set him in
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his place. Bishop Hall observes hence, It is just with God that those
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who want grace shall want wit too; and it is the work of superstition
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to turn men into the stocks and stones they worship. <I>Those that make
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them are like unto them.</I> What is it that the great upholders of the
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antichristian kingdom are doing at this day but heaving Dagon up, and
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labouring to set him in his place again, and healing the deadly wound
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that has been given to the beast? but if the reformation be the cause
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of God, before which it has begun to fall, it shall not prevail, but
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shall surely fall before it.</P>
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<P>
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3. The next night Dagon fell the second time,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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They rose early, either, as usual, to make their addresses to their
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god, or earlier than usual, being impatient to know whether Dagon had
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kept his standing this night; and, to their great confusion, they find
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his case worse now than before. Whether the matter of which the image
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was made was apt to break or no, so it was that the head and hands were
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<I>cut off upon the threshold,</I> so that nothing remained but the
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stump, or, as the margin reads it, <I>the fishy part of</I> Dagon; for
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(as many learned men conjecture) the upper part of this image was in a
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human shape, the lower in the shape of a fish, as mermaids are painted.
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Such strong delusions were idolaters given up to, so vain were they in
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their imaginations, and so wretchedly darkened were their foolish
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hearts, as to worship the images, not only of creatures, but of
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nonentities, the mere figments of fancy. Well, the misshapen monster is
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by this fall made to appear,
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(1.) Very ridiculous, and worthy to be despised. A pretty figure Dagon
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made now, when the fall had anatomized him, and shown how the human
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part and the fishy part were artificially put together, which perhaps
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the ignorant devotees had been made to believe was done by miracle!
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(2.) Very impotent, and unworthy to be prayed to or trusted in; for his
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losing his head and hands proved him utterly destitute both of wisdom
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and power, and for ever disabled either to advise or act for his
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worshippers. This they got by setting Dagon in his place again; they
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had better have let him alone when he was down. But those can speed no
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better that contend with God, and will set up that which he is throwing
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down,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mal+1:4">Mal. i. 4</A>.
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God, by this, magnified his ark and made it honourable, when they
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vilified and made it contemptible. He also showed what will be the end
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of all that which is set up in opposition to him. <I>Gird
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yourselves,</I> but <I>you shall be broken to pieces,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+8:9">Isa. viii. 9</A>.</P>
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<P>
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4. The threshold of Dagon's temple was ever looked upon as sacred, and
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not to be trodden on,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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Some think that reference is had to this superstitious usage of Dagon's
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worshippers in
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zep+1:9">Zeph. i. 9</A>,
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where God threatens to punish those who, in imitation of them, leaped
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over the threshold. One would have thought that this incontestable
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proof of the ark's victory over Dagon would convince the Philistines of
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their folly in worshipping such a senseless thing, and that
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henceforward they would pay their homage to the conqueror; but, instead
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of being reformed, they were hardened in their idolatry, and, as evil
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men and seducers are wont to do, became worse and worse,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ti+3:13">2 Tim. iii. 13</A>.
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Instead of despising Dagon, for the threshold's sake that beheaded him,
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they were almost ready to worship the threshold because it was the
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block on which he was beheaded, and will never set their feet on that
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on which Dagon lost his head, shaming those who <I>tread under foot the
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blood of the covenant</I> and trample on things truly sacred. Yet this
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piece of superstition would help to perpetuate the remembrance of
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Dagon's disgrace; for, with the custom, the reason would be transmitted
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to posterity, and the children that should be born, enquiring why the
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threshold of Dagon's temple must not be trodden on, would be told that
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Dagon fell before the ark of the Lord. Thus God would have honour even
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out of their superstition. We are not told that they repaired the
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broken image; it is probable that they sent the art of God away first,
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and then they patched it up again, and set it in its place; for, it
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seems, they <I>cannot deliver their souls, nor say, Is there not a lie
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in our right hand?</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+44:20">Isa. xliv. 20</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa5_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Distress of the Philistines.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1120.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>6 But the hand of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and
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he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, <I>even</I> Ashdod and
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the coasts thereof.
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7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that <I>it was</I> so, they said,
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The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his
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hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
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8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the
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Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of
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the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of
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Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of
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the God of Israel about <I>thither.</I>
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9 And it was <I>so,</I> that, after they had carried it about, the
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hand of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> was against the city with a very great
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destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and
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great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
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10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to
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pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried
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out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel
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to us, to slay us and our people.
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11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the
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Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel,
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and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and
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our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the
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city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
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12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and
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the cry of the city went up to heaven.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The downfall of Dagon (if the people had made a good use of it, and had
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been brought by it to repent of their idolatries and to humble
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themselves before the God of Israel and seek his face) might have
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prevented the vengeance which God here proceeds to take upon them for
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the indignities done to his ark, and their obstinate adherence to their
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idol, in defiance of the plainest conviction. <I>Lord, when thy hand is
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lifted up they will not see, but they shall see,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+26:11">Isa. xxvi. 11</A>.
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And, if they will not see the glory, they shall feel the weight, of
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God's hand, for so the Philistines did. <I>The hand of the Lord was
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heavy upon them</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>),
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and he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised
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their insolence.
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1. <I>He destroyed them,</I> that is, cut many of them off by sudden
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death, those, we may suppose, that had most triumphed in the captivity
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of the ark. This is distinguished from the disease with which others
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were smitten. At Gath it is called <I>a great destruction</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
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<I>a deadly destruction,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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And it is expressly said
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>)
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that those who were <I>smitten with the emerods were the men that died
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not</I> by the other <I>destruction,</I> which probably was the
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pestilence. They boasted of the great slaughter which their sword had
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made among the Israelites,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+4:10"><I>ch.</I> iv. 10</A>.
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But God lets them know that though he does not see fit to draw Israel's
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sword against them (they were unworthy to be employed), yet God had a
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sword of his own, with which he could make a no less dreadful execution
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among them, which if he whet, and <I>his hand take hold on judgment, he
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will render vengeance to his enemies,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+32:41,42">Deut. xxxii. 41, 42</A>.
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Note, Those that contend with God, his ark, and his Israel, will
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infallibly be ruined at last. If conviction conquer not, destruction
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shall.
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2. Those that were not destroyed <I>he smote with emerods</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>),
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<I>in their secret parts</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
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so grievous that
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>)
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the <I>cry went up to heaven,</I> that is, it might be heard a great
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way off, and perhaps, in the extremity of their pain and misery, they
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cried, not to Dagon, but to the God of heaven. The Psalmist, speaking
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of this sore judgment upon the Philistines, describes it thus: God
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<I>smote his enemies in the hinder parts,</I> and <I>put them to a
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perpetual reproach,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+78:66">Ps. lxxviii. 66</A>.
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The emerods (which we call the piles, and perhaps it was then a more
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grievous disease than it is now) is threatened among the judgments that
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would be the fruit of the curse,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+28:27">Deut. xxviii. 27</A>.
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It was both a painful and shameful disease; a vile disease for vile
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deserts. By it God would humble their pride, and put contempt upon
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them, as they had done upon his ark. The disease was epidemical, and
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perhaps, among them, a new disease. <I>Ashdod was smitten, and the
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coasts thereof,</I> the country round. For contempt of God's
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ordinances, <I>many are weak and sick, and many sleep,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+11:30">1 Cor. xi. 30</A>.
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3. The men of Ashdod were soon aware that it was <I>the hand of God,
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the God of Israel,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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Thus they were constrained to acknowledge his power and dominion, and
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confess themselves within his jurisdiction, and yet they would not
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renounce Dagon and submit to Jehovah; but rather, now that he touched
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their bone and their flesh, and in a tender part, they were ready to
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curse him to his face, and instead of making their peace with him, and
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courting the stay of his ark upon better terms, they desired to get
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clear of it, as the Gadarenes, who, when they had lost their swine,
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desired Christ to <I>depart out of their coasts.</I> Carnal hearts,
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when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were
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possible, put him far from them than enter into covenant and communion
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with him, and make him their friend. Thus the men of Ashdod resolve,
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<I>The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us.</I>
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4. It is resolved to change the place of its imprisonment. A great
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council was called, and the question proposed to all the lords was,
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"What shall be we with the ark?" And at last it was agreed that it
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should be carried to Gath,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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Some superstitious conceit they had that the fault was in the place,
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and that the ark would be better pleased with another lodging, further
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off from Dagon's temple; and therefore, instead of returning it, as
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they should have done, to its own place, they contrive to send it to
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another place. <I>Gath</I> is pitched upon, a place famed for a race
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of giants, but their strength and stature are no fence against the
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pestilence and the emerods: the men of that city were smitten, <I>both
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great and small</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:9">(<I>v.</I> 9</A>),
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both dwarfs and giants, all alike to God's judgments; none so great as
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to over-top them, none so small as to be over-looked by them.
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5. They were all at last weary of the ark, and very willing to get rid
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of it. It was sent from Gath to Ekron, and, coming by order of
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council, the Ekronites could not refuse it, but were much exasperated
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against their great men for sending them such a fatal present
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>):
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<I>They have sent it to us to slay us and our people.</I> The ark had
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the tables of the law in it; and nothing more welcome to faithful
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Israelites than the word of God (to them it is <I>a savour of life unto
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life</I>), but to uncircumcised Philistines, that persist in enmity to
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God, nothing more dreadful nor unwelcome: to them it is <I>a savour of
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death unto death.</I> A general assembly is instantly called, to advise
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about <I>sending the ark again to its place,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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While they are consulting about it, the hand of God is doing execution;
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and their contrivances to evade the judgment do but spread it. Many
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drop down dead among them. Many more are raging ill of the emerods,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+5:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>.
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What shall they do? Their triumphs in the captivity of the ark are soon
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turned into lamentations, and they are as eager to quit it as ever they
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had been to seize it. Note, God can easily make Jerusalem a burdensome
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stone to all that heave at it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+12:3">Zech. xii. 3</A>.
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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
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him and prospered. The wealth that is got by fraud and injustice,
|
|
especially that which is got by sacrilege and robbing God, though
|
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swallowed greedily, and rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel, must
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be vomited up again; for, till it be, the sinner shall not <I>feel
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quietness in his belly,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+20:15-20">Job xx. 15-20</A>.</P>
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