1 Samuel 5-6
After the LORD levels (5:1-4a) and dismembers (5:4b-c) the idol of Dagon, the Philistines don’t turn to God. Instead, they stubbornly set the idol back up AND respect the threshold Dagon fell on (5:5). Hence, they know that there is a power superior to Dagon, but their hearts are too blind to turn to him.
More divine judgment follows in the form of plague (5:6-9). Instead of turning to the God of Israel (5:10), whom they know is judging them, they merely try to expel the ark from their country. And when the plan is laid for that expulsion (6:1-8), they consider the possibility that the misfortunes following the ark’s arrival were the hand of the Lord upon them (6:9), if the kine bearing the ark go straight home. The kine do (6:12), but the Philistines are so blind that they simply turn and walk away (v. 16).
No wonder God continues to judge these people as a whole through the end of David’s reign (2 Sam. 21:15-22), the entire period of the kings (2 Chron. 26:6-7, Jer. 47:1-7), and even post-captivity (Zech. 9:6; Neh. 4:7, 13:23-24)!
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