John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 5 This chapter relates how that the ark being brought by the Philistines to Ashdod, and placed in the temple of their idol, that fell down before it, 1 Samuel 5:1, that the hand of the Lord was upon the men of Ashdod, and smote them with emerods, 1 Samuel 5:6 and being carried to Gath, the men of Gath were smitten likewise with the same, 1 Samuel 5:8, and after that...
John Gill
And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so,.... That many of their inhabitants were taken away by death, and others afflicted with a painful disease; all which they imputed to the ark being among them: they said, the ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us; like the Gergesenes, who besought Christ to depart their coasts, having more regard for their swine than for him: for his hand is...
Matthew Henry
It is now time to enquire what has become of the ark of God; we cannot but think that we shall hear more of that sacred treasure. I should have thought the next news would have been that all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, had gathered together as one man, with a resolution to bring it back, or die in the attempt; but we find not any motion made of that kind, so little was there of zeal or courage...