The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 113

1he Lord was he1n-y upon them of Ashdod" and" the coasts (territory) thereof" nm! '· ~,:1ote th~~-1 w~th emerods :' (Yers. 9, 12; either boils or hemorrhoids, bleeding piles -I~- lxxnn. 60). (1) Painful. (2) Heproachful, becau~e of the moral corrnption ~anction_ed in connection with idolatrous wo:ship (_Rom. i. 24-32). (3) lnstructive- ro11cermng the self-control and moral punty winch the true God requires in men. These things were adapted to show the folly of idolatry, the majesty of God and the 11ecessity of humiliation before him. Nor were they wholly without effect.' ~~I. INSPI~ED WITH DREAD OF THE ARK (ver. 7), for such was evidently the pre- ,·a1lmg feeling of the men of Ashdod, and of others subsequently as more fully expre~sed in vers. 11, 12. They attributed their afflictions to its presence-" His hand 1s sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god;" and feared a continuance of them. Hence they wished to get rid of it, as the Gergesenes desired Jesus to "depart out of their coasts" (Matt. viii. 34). 1. The religion of the heathen is a religion of fear. 2. The fear of man in the presence of the supernatural bears witness to the sinfulness of his nature, or of his disturbed relations with the Divine. 3. It springs from a conviction or instinct of retribution, which, however, is often mistaken in its applications. 4 . .A. servile, selfish fear drives away the soul from God instead of dra"l\·ing it near to him, and is contrary to the reverential, filial fear in which true religion has its root (2 Tim. i. 7). . IV. STRIVING FOR THE RETENTION OF THE ARK (vers. 8-12). The effect of their sufferings on the people of .A.shdod was to lead them to resolve, 11 The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide witl1 us; " but its removal was deemed a matter of such importance that they called a council of the lords (or princes) of the confederacy to- determine what should be done with it. Whilst they may have felt toward Jehovah a like fear to that with which they regarded Dagon, they were unwilling to render honour to him by II letting it go again to its own place 11 (ver. 11), still less to renounce- their idolatry. They wished to retain the ark for their own honour and glory ; and so indisposed were they to desist from their attempt, and acknowledge their fault, that even their own priests found it necessary to admonish them against II hardening their hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh" (ver. 6; eh. iv. 8). '!'hey sought to effect their purpose by sending it to Gath; and it was only when both Gath and Ekron were still more severely afflicted than Ashdod, many died, and the cry of distress "went up to heaven" (ver. 12), that in a second council they consented to let it go. 1. The devices of men against the Lord are foolish and vain (Prov. xxi. 30). 2. Their continued resistance to bis will causes increased misery to themselves and others. 3. Their efforts against him afford opportunities for a wider and more signal display of bis power. 4. What they are unwilling to do in the beginning they are, after much suffering, constrained to do in the end. V. INQUIRING ABOUT THE RETURN OF THE ARK (eh. vi. 2-9). The Philistine princes, having resolved to send it back, called II the priests and soothsayers" to- gether, to show them in what manner it shonld be done; and the answer they received, though not unmingled with the caution generally exhibited by heathen priests, was wise and good. 1. Men in all ages have had need of special guidance in Divine things. The very existence of a priesthood is a confession of such need. 2. Conviction often forces itself upon the most reluctant. 3. There is in men generally a deep feeling of the necessity of a propitiatory offering in order to avert Divine wrath-" trespass offering" (ver. 3). 4. Even the light which shines upon the heathen indicates the need of the higher light of revelation. Their wisest advisers exhibit uncertainty and doubt (vers. 5, 9). VI. RENDERING HOMAGE TO THE GOD OF THE ARK. 1. By sending it back to its own place. 2. By the open acknowledgment of their transgression in the trespass offerings they present on behalf of the whole nation. "Give glory unto the God_ of Israel" ( ver. 5). 3. By providing the most appropriate and worthy means of makmg their offerings. 11 A new cart" (2 Sam. vi. 3). 11 Two milch kine on wbi~b th~re hath come no yoke" (Num. xi.x. 2). 4. By the humble attendance of their chief m_en (vers. 12, 16). 5. By confessing the incompatibility of the worship of Jehovah with the worship of Dagon. "And from this time we bear no more of the attempts of the Gentile nations to join any part of the Jewish worship with their own 11 (Warburton). Imperfect as their homage was, it was not unacceptable to him II who is a gracious CII, \', 1-12.] THE FIRST BOOK 01:<' SAMUEL. 109