Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. V.

Vers. 2. WHen the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.] This they did either in contempt of the ark, presenting it as a captive before their Dagon, by whose help they perswaded themselves it was, that they had overcome both the Hebrews and their God; or else out of a kind of reverence they bare to this God of the Hebrews, whom therefore they thought good to place with Dagon in his Temple. Whence also perhaps it was, that they feared to offer any violence to it, by opening it and taking forth those holy things that were in it.

Vers. 3. Behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord.] And hereby did the Lord discover to the Philistines what a vain idol their Dagon was, and that the God of Israel was the onely true almightie God; yea the more the Lord was magnified herein, because he cast down this idol-god in his own temple, enemies being never foyled with more glorie to the conquerour then when they are overcome in their own dominions. Besides, the ark being a type of Christ, by whom God reveales his will unto men in the ministerie of the Gospel, the fall of Dagon before the ark, did notably shadow forth the ruine of idolatrie, by the preaching of the Gospel; God will not suffer any rivall-gods to stand cheek by jowl with him, but when the Gospel comes in, idolatrie shall down.

And they took Dagon and set him in his place again.] Had Dagon fallen but once, being at first dashed in pieces, they might have pretended that it came by some casualtie; but now when upon the first fall they set it up again, and no doubt used all the skill they could to fasten it; this made it beyond all excuse manifest, that by the mightie power of God onely it was beaten down.

Vers. 4. And the head of Dagon, and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold, &c.] The head, the seat of wisedome, and the hands, where∣with the strength of man is put forth were cut off, to shew that there was neither knowledge nor power in this their idol-god. Besides, now the priests could not set up their idol again, and conceal his overthrow from the people, as before perhaps they did. By casting the head and hands upon the threshold, that those that entred might presently trample upon them, the Lord shewed the basenesse of this their idol-god; or that he would have this spectacle scarre them from coming any more into that Temple for that grosse idolatry, whereto they had formerly given themselves. As for that last clause, onely the stump of Dagon was left to him, in the Originall it is onely Dagon remained, the ground whereof may be, because the most of the idol that remained, was the fishie part. For Dag signifieth a fish; now because this idol was so called, in regard that in the nether parts it resembled a fish, the hands and head being cut off, it is said that onely Dagon remained: see the note. Judges 16.23.

Vers. 5. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagons house, tread on the threshold, &c.] This they did either by way of veneration, as accounting the threshold sanctified by the touch of the head and hands of their idol; or rather by way of detestation, as thinking that it was the falling of their idol up∣on the threshold, that had dashed it in pieces (for why else should they not as well have forborn to tread upon the pavement, where the body of their idol lay?) how∣ever thus by the alruling Providence of God, even their superstition, became a means to perpetuate the memorie of this wonderfull work of God in the confusion of their idol, which otherwise within some short time, might have been forgotten.

Vers. 6. But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he de∣stroyed them, and smote them with emerods.] Because that the Lord had so clearly discovered to the men of Ashdod, that their Dagon was a vain idol, and that the God of Israel, whose ark they had boldly surprized, was the onely true almighty God, to wit, by casting down their idol before the Ark, and at last breaking it in pieces; and yet notwithstanding they continued still as superstitiously devoted to their idol, as they were before, and were not afraid still to detain the ark of God in captivity, as at the first: therefore now the Lord began to take vengeance on the men of Ashdod, the hand of the Lord was heavy upon the men of Ashdod. &c. Ma∣ny Expositours understand the next words, and he destroyed them, of the plague of mice, wherewith also that this time he destroyed and wasted their land, chap. 6.5. and others of some other mortall disease, which God sent amongst them, besides the emerods: but I rather conceive, that all the following words are meant of the plague of the emerods, wherewith God smote them, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods; onely these words, and he destroyed them, are prefixed to make known, that this disease of the emerods was amongst them not onely painfull and dis∣gracefull, Psal. 78.66. And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetuall shame; but mortall also, so that many died of them, and therefore the Ekronites cried out, vers. 10. They have brought about the Ark of the God of Is∣rael to us, to slay us and our people.

Vers. 8. And they answered, Let the Ark of the God of Israel, be carried about unto Gath.] This the Lords of the Philistines resolved upon, to try hereby whether

it were the presence of the ark that had caused those plagues; or whether they came by chance; with which conceit as yet they chuckered themselves; else the Princes of Gath, who were in this counsell amongst the other Lords of the Philistines, would never have consented to the removing of the Ark to their city.

Vers. 11. Send away the Ark of the God of Israel, &c.] The men of Ekron being fully now convinced, that it was because of the Ark, that so much misery was fallen on them; desire plainly, that it might be sent back to the land of Israel: but it seems their Princes, loth yet to part with such a glorious trophee of their victory; desired to try yet a little further; for that after this it was sent both to Gaza and Ashkelon, is evident: chap. 6. vers. 4. Then said they, What shall be the trespasse-offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your Lords: and again vers. 17. And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespasse-offering unto the Lord; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, &c.

Vers. 12. And the men that died not, were smitten with the emerods.] The mean∣ing of this may be, that there were many smitten with the emerods, besides those that died of them; or else we must hold that there was some other deadly dis∣ease which God sent amongst them besides the emerods, which is called in the fore∣going verse, a deadly destruction.