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 arose early the following morning, surprisingly, Dagon had fallen to his face on the ground before the ark of Adonai, and the head of Dagon and both palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only Dagon’s trunk was left on him. 5That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any who enter Dagon’s house will tread on Dagon’s threshold in Ashdod. Then the hand of Adonai was heavy upon the Ashdodites, ravaging them and afflicting Ashdod and its vicinity with tumors. 7When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay with us, for His hand has dealt harshly against us as well as against our god Dagon.” 8So they sent word and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and asked, “What will we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They replied, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel over.

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 men of Ashdod saw what was happening they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay with us, for His hand has dealt harshly against us as well as against our god Dagon.”
• Exodus 9:3behold, the hand of Adonai will fall upon your livestock that are in the field—on the horses, donkeys, camels, herds and flocks. There will be a crushing plague.
• Psalms 32:4For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me. My strength was drained as in the droughts of summer. Selah
• Acts 13:11Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind and not see the sun for awhile.” Immediately, cloudiness and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.
• 1 Samuel 5:9But it came about, that after they had carried it around, that the hand of Adonai was against the city causing very great panic, as He struck the people of the city, from the youngest to the oldest, so that tumors broke out on them.
• 1 Samuel 6:5So you will make images of your tumors and images of your mice that mar the land, and you must give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps He will lighten His hand off of you, your gods and your land.
• Deuteronomy 28:27“Adonai will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with hemorrhoids, with scabs and with itching, from which you cannot be healed.
• Job 31:3Is it not calamity for the unjust, and disaster for workers of iniquity?
• Psalms 78:66He beat back His foes, putting them to lasting scorn.
• 1 Samuel 6:4“What guilt offering should we return to Him?” they asked. So they said, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice—according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for one plague was on each of you and on your lords.

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