1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
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2007 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 <strong>Samuel</strong> 27hands <strong>of</strong> their enemies to count accurately the number <strong>of</strong> their slain (cf.29:4; Judg. 8:6). 72 Earlier Samson's defeat had involved the cutting <strong>of</strong> thehair <strong>of</strong> his head and the weakening <strong>of</strong> his hands (Judg. 16:21-30). LaterDavid would cut <strong>of</strong>f Goliath's head (17:51), and the Philistines would cut<strong>of</strong>f King Saul's head (1 Chron. 10:10).The breaking <strong>of</strong> Dagon's head and hands on the threshold <strong>of</strong> his templerendered the threshold especially sacred. From then on the pagan priestssuperstitiously regarded the threshold as holy (cf. Zeph. 1:4). 73 This isanother ironical testimony to the utter folly <strong>of</strong> idolatry and to Yahweh'ssovereignty (cf. Exod. 20:3).5:6-12 The writer now began to stress the major theme in the ark narrative: thehand <strong>of</strong> the Lord. 74 There are nine occurrences <strong>of</strong> this phrase in thissection <strong>of</strong> 1 <strong>Samuel</strong> (4:8; 5:6, 7, 9, 11; 6:3, 5, 9; 7:13). The hand <strong>of</strong> theLord represents Yahweh in action (cf. Exod. 9:3; Jer. 21:5-6). In thebiblical world, people spoke <strong>of</strong> sickness and death as the bad effects <strong>of</strong> the"hand" <strong>of</strong> some god. 75 This was the conclusion <strong>of</strong> Ashdod's leaders whoattributed their recent calamities to Yahweh (v. 7). God afflicted thePhilistines with tumors, a swelling caused by new tissue growth.Evidently the men <strong>of</strong> Ashdod believed that it was particularly with theircity that Yahweh felt displeasure. So they moved the ark to Gath (lit.winepress), which was about 12 miles southeast <strong>of</strong> Ashdod. Dagon couldnot prevent the tumors (lit. buboes) and death with which Yahwehafflicted the Philistines (vv. 6, 9-12). The people <strong>of</strong> Ashdod should haveturned from worshipping Dagon and put their trust in Yahweh. Deathfollowed because they chose to continue in unbelief in spite <strong>of</strong> theirconfession <strong>of</strong> Yahweh's superiority (v. 7).The Hebrew word translated "broke out" occurs only here in the OldTestament (v. 9). The Septuagint translators interpreted it accurately as"groin." These tumors were apparently most prominent in the groin area,hence the translation "hemorrhoids." Tumors in the groin are a symptom<strong>of</strong> bubonic plague. Since the Philistines associated mice with this plague(6:4-5), and mice carry bubonic plague, it seems clear that the hand <strong>of</strong>Yahweh sent this particular affliction on them.72 Antony F. Campbell, The Ark Narrative, p. 86, n. 1.73 The ancients commonly treated sanctuary thresholds with respect because they marked the boundary thatdivided the sacred from the pr<strong>of</strong>ane (Gordon, p. 99). This incident involving Dagon made the threshold tohis sanctuary even more sacred.74 Patrick D. Miller Jr. and J. J. M. Roberts, The Hand <strong>of</strong> the Lord: A Reassessment <strong>of</strong> the "Ark Narrative"<strong>of</strong> 1 <strong>Samuel</strong>, p. 48.75 See J. J. M. Roberts, "The Hand <strong>of</strong> Yahweh," Vetus Testamentum 21:2 (1971):244-51.