1 Samuel 5:6

1 Samuel 5:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.

Context of 1 Samuel 5:6

4But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. This time, Dagon’s head and both of his hands were broken off and lying on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso remained. 5That is why, still today, the priests of Dagon and everyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on Dagon’s threshold. The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod. He terrified the people of Ashdod and its territory and afflicted them with tumors. 7When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of Israel’s God must not stay here with us, because his hand is strongly against us and our god Dagon.” 8So they called all the Philistine rulers together and asked, “What should we do with the ark of Israel’s God?” “The ark of Israel’s God should be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they moved the ark of Israel’s God.

1 Samuel 5:6 word by word

וַתִּכְבַּ֧ד יַד־יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־הָאַשְׁדּוֹדִ֖ים וַיְשִׁמֵּ֑ם וַיַּ֤ךְ אֹתָם֙ בַּטְּחֹרִ֔ים אֶת־אַשְׁדּ֖וֹד וְאֶת־גְּבוּלֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• was heavyכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: heavyH3513
• upon them of Ashdodאַשְׁדּוֹדִי'ashdôdîy · AshdodH796
• and he destroyedשָׁמֵםshâmêm · be desolate: appalledH8074
• them, and smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• them with emerodsעֹ֫פֶל‛ôphel · hillH6076
• them with emerodsטְחֹרţechôr · tumorH2914
• Ashdodאַשְׁדּוֹד'ashdôd · AshdodH795
• and the coastsגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 5:6

• 1 Samuel 5:7When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of Israel’s God must not stay here with us, because his hand is strongly against us and our god Dagon.”
• Exodus 9:3then the Lord’s hand will bring a severe plague against your livestock in the field — the horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks.
• Psalms 32:4For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat.Selah
• Acts 13:11Now, look, the Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
• 1 Samuel 5:9After they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against the city of Gath, causing a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, from the youngest to the oldest, with an outbreak of tumors.
• 1 Samuel 6:5Make images of your tumors and of your mice that are destroying the land. Give glory to Israel’s God, and perhaps he will stop oppressing you, your gods, and your land.
• Deuteronomy 28:27“The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, tumors, a festering rash, and scabies, from which you cannot be cured.
• Job 31:3Doesn’t disaster come to the unjust and misfortune to evildoers?
• Psalms 78:66He beat back his foes; he gave them lasting disgrace.
• 1 Samuel 6:4They asked, “What guilt offering should we send back to him?” And they answered, “Five gold tumors and five gold mice corresponding to the number of Philistine rulers, since there was one plague for both you and your rulers.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 5:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Smote them with emerods - The word עפלים apholim, from עפל aphal, to be elevated, probably means the disease called the bleeding piles, which appears to have been accompanied with dysentery, bloody flux, and ulcerated anus. The Vulgate says, Et percussit in secretiori parte natium; "And he smote them in the more secret parts of their posteriors." To this the psalmist is supposed to refer, Psalm 78:66, He smote all his enemies in the Hinder Parts; he put…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Emerods - A corruption of “hemorrhoids.” It is mentioned Deuteronomy 28:27 among the diseases with which God threatened to punish the Israelites for disobedience.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-12Verses 6-12 The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their friend. But…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6tumors: The Hebrew word might just mean "swellings." Another possible translation is "hemorrhoids." They could have been deadly buboes from the bubonic plague, affecting the lower body, especially the rectal area. Rats are known to carry the plague.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod--The presumption of the Ashdodites was punished by a severe judgment that overtook them in the form of a pestilence. smote them with emerods--bleeding piles, hemorrhoids (Psa 78:66), in a very aggravated form. As the heathens generally regarded diseases affecting the secret parts of the body as punishments from the gods for trespasses committed against themselves, the Ashdodites would be the more ready…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 5:6

• Boil
• Hand
• Hemorrhoids
• Tumor

In the dictionaries

• Ashdod
• Ashdod, or Azotus
• Ashdod, Azotus
• Dagon
• Destruction
• Ground
• Haemorrhoids
• Samuel, Books of
• Ark of the Covenant
• Emerods

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings