CHAPTER FIVE

5:1
After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
The ark was captured by the Philistines (c. 100 !C" in a battle with the Israelites at Ebene#er (site
unkn$wn"% and &hil$h was s$$n therea'ter destr$yed( (Encycl$p)dia !ritannica *00+"
Ebenezer lit(% a ,&t$ne $' Help(, Ebene#er &cr$$-e is the .ain character in Charles /ickens0 1123 n$4el% A
Christ.as Car$l(
The battle was e4idently '$u-ht at a place called Ebene#er( This l$cati$n was -i4en the na.e Ebene#er at
s$.e ti.e a'ter the battle was '$u-ht( In $ther w$rds% the battle t$$k place be'$re the site was actually na.ed
Ebene#er(
5iterally speakin-% an Ebene#er is a ,st$ne $' help%, $r a re.inder $' 6$d7s Real% H$ly Presence and /i4ine
aid( (/r( 6re-$ry &( 8eal"
I7. sure y$u kn$w that there are .any churches% sch$$ls% and $r-ani#ati$ns na.ed Ebene#er% pr$bably
.$stly black% kn$win- h$w black pe$ple like weird na.es(
Ashd$d was the chie' city $' the Philistine pentap$lis( Ashd$d has been e9tensi4ely e9ca4ated: it was l$cated
three .iles 'r$. the ;editerranean c$ast ab$ut thirty .iles s$uthwest $' Ebene#er(
Acc$rdin- t$ s$.e% &hil$h was destr$yed at this ti.e (Psa <1=>0% ?er( <=1*"

2
hen they carried the ark into !a"on#s temple and set it beside !a"on.
!a"on
1( /a-$n was the Philistine nati$nal -$d(
*( /a-$n was w$rshipped as early as ab$ut *00 !C(
3( @The $lder ety.$l$-y $' da-h$n (dagon" 'r$. dha-h (dag ,'ish,"AAassu.in- either that /a-$n was a 'ishA
-$d $r that he was the -$d $' a .ariti.e pe$pleAAhas n$w been al.$st uni4ersally aband$ned in 'a4$r $' a
deri4ati$n 'r$. da-han (dagan ,-rain,"( Best &e.itic -$d $' cr$p 'ertility% w$rshiped e9tensi4ely
thr$u-h$ut the ancient ;iddle East( /a-an was the Hebrew and C-aritic c$..$n n$un '$r @-rain%D and the
-$d /a-an was the le-endary in4ent$r $' the pl$w(
2( C-aritic epic literature clai.s that /a-$n was the 'ather $' !aal% the st$r.A-$d $' 'ertility% a paternity
c$.patible with his r$le as a -rainA-$d(
( 8u.er$us t$wns were na.ed a'ter hi.% includin- !eth /a-$n in ?udah (?$sh 1=21" and !eth /a-$n in
Asher (?$sh 1+=*<"% neither $' which has been l$cated(D (E$nder4an"
>( /a-$n had se4eral sanctuaries% includin- th$se at !ethAda-$n in Asher (?$shua 1+=*<"% 6a#a (?ud-es
1>=*3"% and Ashd$d (1 &a.uel =*F<"( At Ras &ha.ra% /a-an was apparently sec$nd in i.p$rtance $nly t$
El% the supre.e -$d% alth$u-h his 'uncti$ns as a -$d $' 4e-etati$n see. t$ ha4e been trans'erred t$ !aal by
ab$ut 100 !C( (Encycl$p)dia !ritannica *00+ /elu9e Editi$n"
1
<( Bhen the Philistines had captured &a.s$n (a'ter /elilah had cut his hair"% they $''ered sacri'ices t$ their
-$d /a-$n in ?ud-es 1>=*3( &$.e chr$n$l$-ies separate this incident 'r$. $ur c$nte9t $' I &a.( by a .ere
*0 years(
1( Bhen the Philistines take the b$dies $' &aul and his s$ns% they cut $'' the head $' &aul and attached it t$
the te.ple $' /a-$n( I Chr$n( 10=10( The Philistines will be s$undly de'eated by /a4id and we will hear $'
their -$d /a-$n n$ .$re in &cripture(
1( /a-$n is .enti$ned in the Ap$crypha( I ;accabees 10=13bF12 reads= They 'led t$ A#$tus GAshd$dH and
entered !ethA/a-$n% the te.ple $' their id$l% '$r sa'ety( !ut ?$nathan burned A#$tus and the surr$undin-
t$wns and plundered the.: and the te.ple $' /a-$n% and th$se wh$ had taken re'u-e in it% he burned with
'ire(
+( Bhy did they d$ thisI Pr$bably t$ -ain the 'a4$r $' the 6$d $' the Israelites( They were -i4in- the 6$d $'
Israel the sa.e h$n$r that they -a4e their -$d% /a-$n( Jr .$re likely it was a si-n $' the in'eri$rity $' the
6$d $' the Israelites and its sub$rdinati$n t$ their -$d% /a-$n( (86&!" Acc$rdin- t$ $ne auth$r% @it was
c$..$n practice in the near east '$r 4ict$ri$us ar.ies t$ carry $'' ene.y id$ls and install the. in the te.ple
$' their chie' -$d in sy.b$l $' the latter7s s$4erei-nty $4er the subKect pe$ple and its -$ds(D (Lukis"
10( In the battle between the 5$rd 6$d and the -$d $' &atan% the 5$rd 6$d always wins(
$
%hen the people of Ashdod rose early the ne&t day, there 'as !a"on, fallen on his face on the "round
before the ark of the ()*!+ hey took !a"on and put him back in his place.
The pe$ple apparently were w$rried because they -$t up early t$ check $n /a-$n(
Apparently they th$u-ht it was Kust an accident and set up the statue(
Israel was de'eated tw$ ti.es and /a-$n 'ell be'$re the ark tw$ ti.es( The sec$nd ti.e '$r b$th was .$re
se4ere(

,
-ut the follo'in" mornin" 'hen they rose, there 'as !a"on, fallen on his face on the "round before
the ark of the ()*!+ .is head and hands had been broken off and 'ere lyin" on the threshold/ only
his body remained.
/a-$n was represented in hu.an '$r.( The head was br$ken $'' like the head $' 6$liath w$uld be cut $'' by
/a4id( It 'ell as i' w$rshippin- be'$re the Ark( The heads and hands $' an ene.y were $'ten re.$4ed in a
war (1&a.( 1<=2% 31=+% *&a.( 2=1*"(
The ark was a si-n $' the presence $' Israel% but used by sin'ul .en% had n$ e''ect $n the ene.y $' 6$d: but
the ark in the presence $' the Philistines was de4astatin- t$ their 'alse -$d( The p$wer $' 6$d is $nly
a4ailable t$ th$se wh$ are in 'ell$wship with Hi.(
/a-$n is le't with$ut a head '$r thinkin- and hands '$r w$rkin-( Bhen the id$l 'ell its the hands and head
r$lled $nt$ the thresh$ld( The -$d $' the Philistines is helpless(
only his body remained Jr $nly the stu.p $r trunk( Jne 'alse -$d d$wn% but there was a place '$r an$ther
'alse -$d(
*
Either 6$d $r &atan resides in the heart $' .en(
5
hat is 'hy to this day neither the priests of !a"on nor any others 'ho enter !a"on#s temple at
Ashdod step on the threshold.
hat is 'hy to this day ;eanin- a l$n- ti.e between the e4ent and the acc$unt $' it( (86&!" E4idently
this narrati4e was written .any years a'ter the e4ents(
There was an ancient superstiti$n that all kinds $' de.$ns and e4il spirits li4ed beneath the thresh$ld% and
they had t$ be appeased by pe$ple wh$ wanted t$ enter $r lea4e a h$use( /a-$n7s hands $n the thresh$ld
sy.b$li#ed his atte.pt t$ appease these e4il sprits and thereby seek re'u-e 'r$. the 6$d $' Israel( His
se4ered head and br$ken hands sh$wed that this wasn7t success'ul( Pe$ple belie4ed steppin- $n a thresh$ld
put pressure $n the heads $' the spirits( &$ they a4$ided the thresh$ld( (B!C"
An$ther 4iew is that the thresh$ld beca.e tab$$ because $' the hands $n it( (B!C" The Philistines are
described Eephaniah 1=+% where as @th$se that leap $n%D $r .$re c$rrectly over, @the thresh$ld(D
An$ther auth$r% 6$rd$n% @says t$ the thresh$lds $' the te.ples in the ancient w$rld were n$r.ally treated
with respect% as they represent the transiti$n 'r$. the secular t$ the reli-i$us: they .ark the boundary
dividing sacred from profane(D (Lukis"
The superstiti$us Philistines are still a'raid t$ step $n the thresh$ld( The 86&! su--ests that his was said t$
ridicule the Philistines .$re than t$ c$n4ey an hist$rical 'act(
@This incident% $b4i$usly% had a pr$'$und a''ect up$n the citi#enry $' Ashd$d '$r years t$ c$.e( The Ark $'
?eh$4ah% '$r all intents and purp$ses% was $n a .issi$nary t$ur( There were s$.e in Philistia wh$ belie4ed in
?eh$4ah% the 6$d $' Israel( There were s$.e wh$ .$4ed t$ Israel (which we are in'errin-" and s$.e wh$
allied the.sel4es with IsraelMD (Lukis"
0
he ()*!#s hand 'as hea1y upon the people of Ashdod and its 1icinity/ he brou"ht de1astation
upon them and afflicted them 'ith tumors.
he ()*!#s hand 'as hea1y Be ha4e the e9pressi$n $' bein- hea4y handed(
tumors The L?V has e.er$ds% .eanin- he.$rrh$ids and lea4es $ut ab$ut the rats( The &eptua-int and
Vul-ate als$ translate the w$rd t$ be tumors. The !ible Ln$wled-e C$..entary by Bal4$$rd belie4es that
the Philistines were a''licted with he.$rrh$ids( I can7t see he.$rrh$ids bein- the pr$ble.( Jther auth$rs
translate the w$rd t$ .ean the bub$nic pla-ue% which supp$rts the translati$n $' rats: rats that cause the
spread $' the disease( (The !ible% &cience% and Creati$n% C$der"
The 5NN and Vul-ae add% @And rats appeared in their land, and death and destruction 'ere throu"hout
the city.2 The A.p( !ible has% @He caused .ice t$ sprin- upMD The B!C includes these e9tra w$rds(
The B!C has% he hand of 3ah'eh 'as hea1y a"ainst the Ashdodites. 4t horrified them and smote
them 'ith buboes55 in Ashdod and its en1irons. 4t brou"ht up a"ainst them mice 'ho s'armed in
their boats and came up into the midst of their land. here 'as a "reat panic in the city55 a deadly
one.
3
he ()*!#s hand 'as hea1y upon the people of Ashdod Hea4y in Kud-.ent% death and destructi$n(
4t brou"ht up a"ainst them mice 'ho s'armed in their boats It see.s the ships were 'ull $' rats( Rattus
rattus is .$st $'ten '$und in lar-e nu.bers in c$astal areas because $' the way the species is spread thr$u-h
hu.an sea 'arin-( Rattus rattus is a pest and is dan-er$us t$ hu.ans in se4eral ways( First% these ani.als are
se4erely destructi4e t$ cr$ps% 'ar.s% and 'ruit trees( 8$t $nly d$ they 'eed $n these but they tend t$ destr$y
what they are unable t$ c$nsu.e( !y urinatin- and de'ecatin- $n re.ains $' their .eals% they ruin -rain%
cereals% and $ther '$$d s$urces( This species is 'a.$us '$r its r$le in spreadin- the bub$nic pla-ue (Yersinia
pestis" that t$$k .illi$ns $' li4es in the .iddle a-es( The 'leas that li4e $n these rats carry a nu.ber $'
diseases that can seri$usly har. hu.ans% li4est$ck% and $ther ani.als( (The Ani.al /i4ersity Beb"
The c$nsensus see.s t$ be that the city was in'ected with the bub$nic pla-ue= ,It is a disease characteri#ed
by an epide.ic $ccurrence% by the appearance $' tu.$urs% by the pr$ducti$n $' panic a.$n- the a''ected
p$pulati$n% by a hi-h .$rtality rate% and by an ass$ciati$n with .ice $r rats, (E$nder4an" &$ a-rees the
86&!(
The Pla-ue ca.e t$ 6a#a in the ;iddle East in 1321( There it killed an esti.ated 10%000 pe$ple( Alepp$ in
&yria rec$rded a death rate $' 00 a day durin- the sa.e year( In /a.ascus% at the disease0s peak in
&epte.ber and Jct$ber 1321% a th$usand deaths were rec$rded e4ery day% with $4erall .$rtality esti.ated at
between *O and 31O( &yria l$st a t$tal $' 200%000 pe$ple by the ti.e the epide.ic subsided in ;arch
132+(

6
%hen the men of Ashdod sa' 'hat 'as happenin", they said, 7he ark of the "od of 4srael must not
stay here 'ith us, because his hand is hea1y upon us and upon !a"on our "od.7
The hands $' /a-$n were br$ken% s$ the Philistines belie4ed the hand $' 6$d was punishin- the.(

8
9o they called to"ether all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, 7%hat shall 'e do 'ith the
ark of the "od of 4srael:7 hey ans'ered, 7.a1e the ark of the "od of 4srael mo1ed to Gath.7 9o they
mo1ed the ark of the God of 4srael.
hey sent and assembled all the lords of the Philistines to themsel1es, sayin", ;%hat shall 'e do about
the ark of the God of 4srael: he Gathites said, ;(et the ark "o around to us.2 9o they brou"ht the ark
of God around to Gath. (B!C"
9o they called to"ether all the rulers of the Philistines These rulers c$$perated with each $ther when they
had t$( Apparently% the Philistines didn7t want t$ part with the tr$phy $' their 4ict$ry( And the 6athites
b$$sted they c$uld handle the ark(
6ath was ab$ut 1* .iles away( The rulers see. t$ belie4e that the pla-ue and rats were due t$ a c$n'lict
between the -$d $' Israel and their -$d% /a-$n( ;$4in- the ark w$uld place it away 'r$. the statue $'
/a-$n(
<
-ut after they had mo1ed it, the ()*!#s hand 'as a"ainst that city, thro'in" it into a "reat panic.
.e afflicted the people of the city, both youn" and old, 'ith an outbreak of tumors.
2
The A.p has% @!ut a'ter they had carried it t$ 6ath% the hand $' the 5$rd was a-ainst the city% causin- an
e9ceedin-ly -reat panic Gat the deaths 'r$. the pla-ueH% '$r He a''licted the pe$ple $' the city% b$th s.all and
-reat% and tu.$rs $r b$ils br$ke $ut $n the.(D The pla-ue was -reater as it tra4eled 'r$. t$wn t$ t$wn(
'ith an outbreak of tumors Jr with tu.$rs in the -r$in (see &eptua-int"
They didn7t want t$ -i4e up this battle tr$phy( ;aybe they were thinkin- that e4entually it w$uld brin- the.
-$$d luck( They were as superstiti$us as the Israelites were re-ardin- the ark( Als$% the Philistines were n$t
sure that the disasters ca.e 'r$. the 6$d $' Israel: they w$uldn7t kn$w this until 1&a. >=+(

1=
9o they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God 'as enterin" Ekron, the people of Ekron
cried out, 7hey ha1e brou"ht the ark of the "od of 4srael around to us to kill us and our people.7
hey ha1e brou"ht the ark of the "od of 4srael around to us to kill us and our people Jr %hy ha1e you
brou"ht the ark of the God of 4srael to me, to kill me and my people: (B!C"
Ekr$n was ab$ut > .iles 'r$. 6ath( Each successi4e .$4e br$u-ht .$re pain t$ the pe$ple than pre4i$usly(
The pe$ple $' 6ath su''ered .$re than the pe$ple $' Ashd$d and the pe$ple $' Ekr$n su''ered .$re than
th$se in 6ath( 6$d is .$4in- the ark cl$ser t$ the pe$ple $' Israel(
As s$$n as the ark ca.e t$ Ekr$n% the pe$ple wanted t$ -et rid $' it(

11
9o they called to"ether all the rulers of the Philistines and said, 79end the ark of the "od of 4srael
a'ay/ let it "o back to its o'n place, or it 'ill kill us and our people.7 >or death had filled the city 'ith
panic/ God#s hand 'as 1ery hea1y upon it.
The Philistines th$u-ht the 6$d $' Israel was li.ited t$ bein- in the Ark% and pr$bably .any in Israel
th$u-ht the sa.e thin-(
Apparently the pe$ple $' Ekr$n kept the ark '$r a while and were a''licted(
12
hose 'ho did not die 'ere afflicted 'ith tumors, and the outcry of the city 'ent up to hea1en.
The sch$larly c$nsensus see.s t$ be a pla-ue like the bub$nic pla-ue( The descripti$n and the .enti$n $'
.icePrats see. t$ 'it and the 'act that the pla-ue spread 4ery Quickly( Th$se wh$ did n$t die su''ered a -reat
deal(
and the outcry of the city 'ent up to hea1en The pe$ple $' the city were in terrible pain( This .ay als$
p$int t$ the 'act that the 5$rd heard their cry( 6$ hears the prayers $' unbelie4ers (?$nah 2"( The citi#ens $'
the city de.anded the ark be re.$4ed(