Bible Strands
1 Samuel 5:7
And when the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay here with us, because His hand is heavy upon us and upon our god Dagon.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The men of Ashdod speak to themselves upon witnessing the devastation inflicted on their city and its idol Dagon. This declaration occurs immediately after the LORD’s hand ravages Ashdod with tumors, prompting them to recognize the ark’s dangerous presence.
The words — יֵשֵׁ֞ב (ye.Shev) means "it will remain" or "it will dwell," while כִּֽי (ki) functions as "because," linking their decision to the observed judgment. These terms frame their conclusion that the ark’s continued presence is untenable.
The thread — The pattern of divine judgment forcing relocation appears in 1 Chronicles 15:13, where failure to follow prescribed worship procedures brings anger. The motif of foreign gods being displaced parallels Jeremiah 48:7, where Chemosh goes into exile with his priests.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that opposing divine authority produces tangible consequences. It requires the reader to acknowledge that human systems, whether political or religious, cannot contain or control the God of Israel.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Exodus 12:33 And in order to send them out of the land quickly, the Egyptians urged the people on. “For otherwise,” they said, “we are all going to die!”
- 1 Chronicles 15:13 It was because you Levites were not with us the first time that the LORD our God burst forth in anger against us. For we did not consult Him about the proper order.”
- Jeremiah 48:7 Because you trust in your works and treasures, you too will be captured, and Chemosh will go into exile with his priests and officials.
- Exodus 8:8 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. Then I will let your people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
- Exodus 8:28 Pharaoh answered, “I will let you go and sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”
- Exodus 9:28 Pray to the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you do not need to stay any longer.”
- Exodus 10:7 Pharaoh’s officials asked him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the LORD their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt lies in ruins?”
- 1 Samuel 4:8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
- 1 Samuel 5:3 When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.
- 1 Samuel 6:20 The men of Beth-shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom should the ark go up from here?”