After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,
Parallel translations
- WEB Now the Philistines had taken God’s ark, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
- KJV And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
- NKJV Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
- NASB Now the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
- NLT After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from the battleground at Ebenezer to the town of Ashdod.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Philistines carry the captured ark from Ebenezer to their city of Ashdod. The enemy thinks they have triumphed over Israel's God.
Overview
Having seized the ark, the Philistines bring it to Ashdod, presumably as a trophy of victory. From a human standpoint, Yahweh appears defeated. But the narrative is about to reveal that God will defend His own honor among the nations, needing no army to do so.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 1 Sam 7:12Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
- 1 Sam 4:1Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek.
- 1 Sam 4:22“The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “for the ark of God has been captured.”
- Josh 13:3from the Shihor east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north (considered to be Canaanite territory)—that of the five Philistine rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as that of the Avvites;
- 1 Sam 4:17–18The messenger answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
- Acts 8:40But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
- 1 Sam 4:11The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
- Josh 11:22No Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites; only in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod did any survive.
- Ps 78:61He delivered His strength to captivity, and His splendor to the hand of the adversary.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 5:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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