After the Philistines had captured
The Philistines were a significant adversarial group to the Israelites, often depicted in the Old Testament as a symbol of worldly power and opposition to God's people. The Hebrew root for "captured" is "לָכַד" (lakad), which conveys the idea of seizing or taking by force. This act of capturing the ark signifies a moment of triumph for the Philistines, yet it also sets the stage for God's sovereignty to be demonstrated despite apparent defeat. Historically, the Philistines were a seafaring people, known for their military prowess and advanced iron technology, which often gave them an advantage over the Israelites.

the ark of God
The ark of God, also known as the Ark of the Covenant, was the most sacred object in Israelite worship, representing God's presence among His people. It contained the tablets of the Law, Aaron's rod, and a pot of manna. The Hebrew word for "ark" is "אֲרוֹן" (aron), meaning a chest or box. The capture of the ark was not just a military loss but a spiritual crisis for Israel, as it symbolized the departure of God's glory from their midst. This event challenges the Israelites to reflect on their relationship with God and the consequences of their disobedience.

they took it from Ebenezer
Ebenezer, meaning "stone of help" in Hebrew, was a site of previous Israelite victory over the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:12). The irony of the ark being taken from a place named for divine assistance underscores the gravity of Israel's spiritual decline. It serves as a reminder that past victories do not guarantee future success if the people stray from God's commandments. The movement of the ark from Ebenezer marks a transition from a place of divine help to a period of divine judgment and correction.

to Ashdod
Ashdod was one of the five major Philistine cities, known for its worship of the god Dagon. The Hebrew name "אַשְׁדּוֹד" (Ashdod) can be associated with strength or power, fitting for a city that was a center of Philistine culture and religion. By bringing the ark to Ashdod, the Philistines intended to demonstrate the superiority of their god over the God of Israel. However, this sets the stage for God to reveal His power and supremacy, even in a foreign land. The journey of the ark to Ashdod is a pivotal moment that highlights the futility of idolatry and the ultimate authority of the God of Israel over all nations and deities.

(1) The Philistines took the ark of God.--The sacred writer concerns himself after the battle of Aphek only with the future of the Ark of the Covenant, and says nothing of the fate of Shiloh after the rout of the Israelites and the death of the high priest. We can, however, from Psalm 78:60-64, and two passages in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:12; Jeremiah 26:9), complete the story of the sanctuary city after the death of Eli. After the victory of Aphek, the Philistines, flushed with success, probably at once marched on Shiloh, where, from the words of the above quoted Psalm, they seem to have revenged themselves for past injuries by a terrible massacre, and then to have razed the sacred buildings of the city to the ground. The awful fate of the priestly city seems to have become a proverb in Israel. "This house shall be like Shiloh," wrote Jeremiah, hundreds of years later, and "this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant." Yet, in spite of this crushing blow, the national life of the Hebrew people was by no means exterminated; we shall soon hear of its revival under happier auspices. There were others in Israel like Samuel, who, as we have seen, with all their hearts trusted in that Lord who, "when Israel was a child, then He loved him;" others like that weak but still righteous judge Eli, who for one great weakness had paid so awful a penalty; many others, like the wife of Phinehas, the wicked priest, and Elkanah and Hannah, the pious father and mother of Samuel, who dwelt in "Ramah of the Watchers."

Verse 1. - The Philistines took the ark of God. The silence of Scripture is often as remarkable as what it tells us. From Psalm 78:60-64; Jeremiah 7:12; Jeremiah 26:9, we gather that from Aphek the Philistines marched upon Shiloh, and having captured it, put all whom they found there to the sword, and levelled the buildings to the ground. Especially their wrath fell upon the priests, in revenge for the bringing of the ark to the camp, by which the war was made a religious one, and the worst feelings of fanaticism aroused. Of all this the history says nothing, nor of the measures taken by Samuel under these trying circumstances. From his previous eminence, the government would naturally devolve upon him, especially as Eli's sons were both slain; and evidently he must have managed in some way to save the sacred vessels of the sanctuary, and the numerous records of the past history of the nation laid up at Shiloh. Whatever learning there was in Israel had its seat there; it was probably the only school wherein men were initiated in the knowledge brought out of Egypt; and it is one of the worst and most barbarous results of war that it destroys so much connected with human progress and civilisation, overthrowing with its violent hand as well the means of a nation's culture as the results thereof. Samuel evidently did all that was possible to counteract these evils; and as the Philistine army withdrew into its own country immediately after the destruction of Shiloh, probably to carry homo the rich spoils obtained there, he was apparently able to ward off the worst effects of the Philistine invasion, and by rapidly reorganising the government to save the people from utter demoralisation. But upon all this Scripture is silent, because it concerns the history of Israel on its temporal side, and not as it exemplifies God's spiritual dealings with nations and men. From Eben-ezer (see on 1 Samuel 4:1) unto Ashdod. This town, the Azotus of Acts 8:40, was with Ekron and other Philistine cities, assigned to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:47) but never actually conquered. It lay near the sea, about thirty-two miles north of Gaza, and is now an unimportant village, still bearing the name of Esdud. Of the five Philistine capitals Ashdod and Gaza were of the most importance, as being the keys of Egypt, and the former was also enriched by the sale of the produce of Arabia, of which it was the emporium.

Parallel Commentaries ...


After the Philistines
וּפְלִשְׁתִּים֙ (ū·p̄ə·liš·tîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 6430: Philistines -- inhabitants of Philistia

had captured
לָֽקְח֔וּ (lā·qə·ḥū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3947: To take

the ark
אֲר֣וֹן (’ă·rō·wn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

of God,
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

they took it
וַיְבִאֻ֛הוּ (way·ḇi·’u·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

from
מֵאֶ֥בֶן (mê·’e·ḇen)
Preposition
Strong's Hebrew

Ebenezer
הָעֵ֖זֶר (hā·‘ê·zer)
Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 72: Ebenezer -- 'stone of the help', a place of uncertain location, also a commemorative stone

to Ashdod,
אַשְׁדּֽוֹדָה׃ (’aš·dō·w·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 795: Ashdod -- a city of the Philistines


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OT History: 1 Samuel 5:1 Now the Philistines had taken the ark (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)