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 the next morning the same thing happened—Dagon had fallen face down before the Ark of the Lord again. This time his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. Only the trunk of his body was left intact. 5That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor anyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod will step on its threshold. Then the Lord’s heavy hand struck the people of Ashdod and the nearby villages with a plague of tumors. 7When the people realized what was happening, they cried out, “We can’t keep the Ark of the God of Israel here any longer! He is against us! We will all be destroyed along with Dagon, our god.” 8So they called together the rulers of the Philistine towns and asked, “What should we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?” The rulers discussed it and replied, “Move it to the town of Gath.” So they moved the Ark of the God of Israel to Gath.

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 realized what was happening, they cried out, “We can’t keep the Ark of the God of Israel here any longer! He is against us! We will all be destroyed along with Dagon, our god.”
• Exodus 9:3the hand of the Lord will strike all your livestock—your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats—with a deadly plague.
• Psalms 32:4Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude
• Acts 13:11Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time.” Instantly mist and darkness came over the man’s eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him.
• 1 Samuel 5:9But when the Ark arrived at Gath, the Lord’s heavy hand fell on its men, young and old; he struck them with a plague of tumors, and there was a great panic.
• 1 Samuel 6:5Make these things to show honor to the God of Israel. Perhaps then he will stop afflicting you, your gods, and your land.
• Deuteronomy 28:27“The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, scurvy, and the itch, from which you cannot be cured.
• Job 31:3Isn’t it calamity for the wicked and misfortune for those who do evil?
• Psalms 78:66He routed his enemies and sent them to eternal shame.
• 1 Samuel 6:4“What sort of guilt offering should we send?” they asked. And they were told, “Since the plague has struck both you and your five rulers, make five gold tumors and five gold rats, just like those that have ravaged your land.

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