1 Samuel 5 1

1 Samuel 5:1 kjv

And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

1 Samuel 5:1 nkjv

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

1 Samuel 5:1 niv

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

1 Samuel 5:1 esv

When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

1 Samuel 5:1 nlt

After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from the battleground at Ebenezer to the town of Ashdod.

1 Samuel 5 verses

1 Samuel 5 1 Meaning

The verse narrates the immediate aftermath of a significant military defeat for Israel: the Philistines, having triumphed over Israel, physically take the captured Ark of God. This highly sacred object, symbolizing the very presence of Yahweh, is transported from the battlefield at Ebenezer to Ashdod, a major city of the Philistines and a prominent center for the worship of their god, Dagon. This action, perceived as a supreme victory by the Philistines, sets the stage for a dramatic display of God's unassailable sovereignty over pagan deities and nations.

1 Samuel 5 1 Context

Chapter 5 of 1 Samuel directly follows the devastating defeat of Israel by the Philistines detailed in chapter 4. In a misguided attempt to secure victory, Israel presumptuously brought the Ark of God from Shiloh to the battlefield at Ebenezer, treating it as a magical charm rather than a symbol of God's active, faithful presence. The outcome was catastrophic: a major defeat, 30,000 Israelite soldiers killed, Hophni and Phinehas (Eli's sons) slain, and most significantly, the capture of the Ark itself. This capture, a theological horror for Israel, signaled "the glory has departed" (Ichabod). Thus, 1 Samuel 5:1 initiates the next phase of this narrative: God's independent demonstration of His power through the Ark within Philistine territory, even in apparent defeat. Historically, the Philistines were a formidable foe to Israel, possessing superior iron technology and organized cities. Their cultural practice likely involved bringing captured enemy gods or their symbols into their own temples to declare their deity's superiority, which they undoubtedly intended by taking the Ark to Ashdod and placing it before Dagon.

1 Samuel 5 1 Word analysis

• After: Implies a temporal sequence, a direct consequence. The Philistine victory over Israel and the Ark's capture are now a settled fact.
• the Philistines (פְּלִשְׁתִּים, Pelīštîm): Refers to the powerful inhabitants of the southern coastal plain of Canaan, adversaries of Israel. They are portrayed as instruments of God's discipline against Israel's sinfulness, and paradoxically, as witnesses to His supreme power.
• had captured (לָכְדוּ, lāḵ'ḏû): A strong verb meaning "to seize," "to take captive," or "to conquer." It underscores the fact that the Ark was taken as spoil of war, a symbol of military dominance over their defeated foe and, in their eyes, their foe's deity.
• the ark of God (אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים, ărôn hā’ĕlōhîm):
  • Ark (ărôn): The covenant chest, the most sacred artifact in Israel, signifying Yahweh's throne and His dwelling presence among His people (Ex 25:22). It contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments.
  • of God (hā’ĕlōhîm): Explicitly states ownership by Israel's God, Yahweh. Its capture was perceived as a divine defeat by both Israel and the Philistines, setting up the subsequent vindication of Yahweh's name.
• they took it (וַיְבִאֻהוּ, way'ḇi’u'hû): "And they brought it." A straightforward verb indicating physical transportation. The captors now dictate the Ark's journey, but unbeknownst to them, God's sovereign will is still at work.
• from Ebenezer (מֵאֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר, mē'eḇen hā‘ēzer): Literally, "stone of help." This place name ironically contrasts with the current reality of Israel's crushing defeat and utter lack of divine "help" when the Ark was captured here. Later, Samuel sets up a memorial with the same name, signifying Yahweh's true help (1 Sam 7:12).
• to Ashdod (אַשְׁדּוֹדָה, ’Ašdôdâ): One of the five major Philistine cities, centrally located and a significant religious hub for the worship of Dagon. Bringing the Ark here, particularly into Dagon's temple, was a deliberate act of triumphalism, aimed at demonstrating Dagon's supremacy over Yahweh. This act of religious desecration directly provokes God's subsequent, swift, and undeniable action, serving as a powerful polemic against idolatry.

1 Samuel 5 1 Bonus section

The seemingly contradictory event of the Ark's capture highlights several profound truths. First, God's holiness is so absolute that He can allow His most sacred symbol to be profaned as a means of discipline for His unfaithful people (1 Sam 4). Second, His sovereignty extends far beyond the confines of Israel; He is Lord over all nations and their false gods. The journey of the Ark into Philistine territory demonstrates that God is not confined to the tabernacle or to Israel, nor does He need a human army to defend Him. He actively chose to invade enemy territory, revealing Himself in a hostile environment, much like Christ's triumphant entry into the domain of death. The Philistine triumph quickly transforms into a series of divine judgments that showcase the inherent weakness and falsehood of their idol worship when confronted with the reality of Yahweh. The "stone of help" turning into a stone of judgment at Ebenezer and then setting the stage for Dagon's humiliation in Ashdod is a striking irony that prefigures God's consistent ability to use human failure and enemy triumph to ultimately accomplish His divine will and bring glory to His name.

1 Samuel 5 1 Commentary

1 Samuel 5:1 marks a crucial turning point. What appeared to be Israel's ultimate spiritual catastrophe—the capture of the Ark—is revealed as a strategic maneuver in God's sovereign plan. The Philistines, celebrating their victory, ignorantly transport not a defeated idol, but the very tangible symbol of the living God into their most sacred pagan space. This verse, though brief, sets the stage for Yahweh to vindicate His name, not by the hands of His people who had presumed upon Him, but by His own mighty power directly exercised against the false gods and defiant people who dared to defy His holiness. It underscores the profound theological truth that God's presence is not contained by a box, nor His power dependent on human defense. He allowed the Ark's capture to chastise His people and, even more profoundly, to launch a divine campaign that would unequivocally prove His singular, unchallenged deity over all human inventions of worship. The Ark’s journey from Ebenezer, the place of Israel’s ignominious defeat, to Ashdod, the heart of Philistine idolatry, thus becomes the divinely orchestrated path for Yahweh to unleash a plague of judgment and publicly shatter the credibility of Dagon.