旧约 - 撒母耳记上(1 Samuel)第5章

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
Then they carried the ark into Dagon's temple and set it beside Dagon.
When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.
But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.
That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon's temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.
The LORD'S hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation upon them and afflicted them with tumors.
When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, "The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy upon us and upon Dagon our god."
So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, "What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?" They answered, "Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath." So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
But after they had moved it, the LORD'S hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, "They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people."
So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, "Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people." For death had filled the city with panic; God's hand was very heavy upon it.
Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
撒母耳记上第五章   第 5 章 

  撒上 5:1> 为何只有耶和华的约柜有异常能力,真假之神分别何在? 

  5:1 大衮是非利士人的主要神只,据说能降雨使五谷丰收。非利士人像邻近的民族一样,敬拜许多假神,认为有越多的神帮助就越安全。这是他们想夺取神约柜的原因,以为既然它帮助过以色列人,也会帮助他们。但是住在放置约柜的大衮庙的居民,开始生病死亡,因此他们觉得约柜是不祥之物。这是他们遇见的最大能力之源头──是人无法控制的能力。 

  撒上 5:6-7> 你是否愿意为真理的缘故聆听神,或者只因为受到伤害才去寻求祂? 

  5:6-7 非利士人虽然刚刚看到,以色列人的神大大地胜过他们的大衮神像,却不依照所得真知去行,直到遭灾的时候才惧怕。现代人也是一样,只有到遭受痛苦时,才去回应圣经真理。 

  撒上 5:8> 面对耶和华的权能,非利士人的态度如何? 

  5:8 非利士人由五个首领(或是五个王)治理。他们分别住在亚实突、亚实基伦、迦特、以革伦、迦萨。约柜先后被放在其中三个主要城市里,每次都使全城的人大大惊慌、束手无策。──《灵修版圣经注释》