Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day. 1 Samuel 5:5 KJV COMMENTARY https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.5.5.KJV
Instead of learning from this and realizing the supremacy of the God of Israel and converting,
The formed another religious ritual out of it.
This was how loyal these philistines were, just as one cannot change one’s parents nor do away with you history and ancestory, these were children 🧒 of Dagon and stayed their allegiance to death ☠.
Contrast this with Israel who were ever so quick to clinger unto new gods they know nought of. https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.5.5.KJV
And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
1 Samuel 5:7 KJV COMMENTARY https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.5.7.KJV
Was this not an appropriate point to repent and serve the one true God. https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.5.7.KJV
NOTE 2
And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
1 Samuel 5:7 KJVCOMMENTARY Nhttps://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.5.7.KJV
It’s interesting they noticed that God’s hands was not just against them but against their God.
Yet they did not repent nor convert to the one true God. https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.5.7.KJV
So they sent and gathered together all the Lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
1 Samuel 5:11 KJV COMMENTARY https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.5.11.KJV
Next time https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.5.11.KJV
And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
1 Samuel 5:12 KJV COMMENTARY https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.5.12.KJV
This was a very good strategy. More like a Trojan horse 🐴.
God took advantage to destroy them and also teach them a lesson in respect for the God is Israel. https://bible.com/bible/1/1sa.5.12.KJV