Author: Charlie Garrett

Matthew 12:41

Charlie Garrett Daily Writing, Matthew (Written)

Thursday, 28 August 2025

The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. Matthew 12:41

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Men, Nineveh, they will arise in the judgment with this generation and they will sentence it, for they reconsidered at the proclamation of Jonah. And you behold! Jonah’s greater is here!” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus noted that just as Jonah was in the belly of the great lunker three days and three nights, He would be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. Next, He continues His address to the scribes and Pharisees, saying, “Men, Nineveh, they will arise in the judgment with this generation.”

The location Nineveh is introduced here. The name Nineveh may be a word of foreign origin, but if connected to Hebrew, its meaning is Offspring’s Habitation. As the Bible is written from a Hebrew perspective, the Hebrew name is what is to be considered.

Nineveh is a city that was built at the earliest times of man after the flood. It was noted as being built by Nimrod in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10:11. It is noted in 2 Kings, Isaiah, Jonah, Nahum, and Zephaniah, but the main biblical accounts of Nineveh are recorded in Jonah and Nahum.

Jesus is referring to the account in Jonah, saying that the inhabitants of Nineveh will arise to judge the generation of Israel in which He came. And more, He next says, “and they will sentence it.”

The verb katakrinó, to judge against, is introduced. In judging against, it means an unfavorable verdict is rendered, leading to condemnation. Condemning or condemnation in the Bible is often associated with eternal punishment. This is not always the case when the word is used.

To condemn means expressing disapproval, censuring, sentencing, etc. The context will derive the meaning. In this case, Nineveh will be a part of the judgment and sentencing of Israel’s people at Jesus’ time. The reason is, “for they reconsidered at the proclamation of Jonah.”

Another new noun is stated, kérugma. It signifies a proclamation. Preaching is a type of proclamation. Jonah was sent to Nineveh to speak a word of the Lord against Nineveh. This was his kérugma, his proclamation –

“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.’” Jonah 1:1, 2

“And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’” Jonah 3:4

As noted in the Matthew 12:39 commentary, Jonah’s time in the belly of the lunker is not the sign of Jonah. The sign of Jonah is something Nineveh was aware of. They had no idea that Jonah was in the lunker’s belly. The sign of Jonah is the kérugma, the proclamation, of Jonah.

But more, it is specifically what the proclamation stated, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” As noted in the Matthew 12:38 commentary, a sign is something that stands for something else. It may be a miracle or a wonder, but a sign points to another thing, such as “this indicates this.”

Jesus clearly states in Luke 11:30-32 that the preaching of Jonah is the sign, just as Jesus’ preaching to the people of Israel is the sign. Jonah preached and promised destruction in forty days. Jesus preached and promised destruction as well.

The sign of Jonah is the preaching, which, if rejected, would lead to destruction after forty days. Jesus’ time in Sheol, followed by the resurrection, simply bears witness to the truth of Jesus’ preaching, which was to an already unbelieving people.

His words of the kingdom and reconsideration to “this generation” are the ultimate sign to them. Other prophets spoke in the name of the Lord, but Jesus spoke in His own name and under His own authority as the Son, and so He next says, “And you behold! Jonah’s greater is here!”

The warning to reconsider or be overthrown turned out to be a day for a year, just as it was in the Old Testament. When Israel disobeyed in the wilderness, they were given a day for a year punishment for every day that the spies were gone. It was forty days, and thus forty years of punishment.

In Ezekiel chapter 4, he was told to lie on his right side for forty days, signifying a day for a year of punishment for Judah. He was told to do the same for his left side, but for three hundred and ninety days. It was a day for a year for the house of Israel. Together, they formed the basis of the prophecy concerning the return of Israel in 1948.

Forty years after Jesus’ words, a day for a year, Israel’s temple was destroyed, and the people were carried away in exile. The Romans came in and did what Nineveh was spared of. God’s judgment fell heavily upon them for failing to reconsider, receive their long-awaited Messiah, and conform to the will of God, which is found in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Life application: The sign of Jonah is the preaching of Jonah. The word of God, spoken to Israel in fulfillment of Scripture, and under the full authority of the Messiah who had been promised since the very beginning of man’s time on the planet, was the sign. The resurrection simply proved it.

It is the word that conveys this to us. Thus, the word is its own sign to the people of the world. In essence, “I have used My people, Israel, to be a sign to the world as a proof that My word is true and that it is to be understood and accepted as such.”

The sign of Israel is a sign that is not yet fully fulfilled. To assume that the church has replaced Israel reflects a fundamental flaw in Christian understanding. It fails to match the reality of what is coming upon the world in the tribulation and millennium.

Be sure to have your theology concerning Israel properly aligned with what God is doing in the world. Otherwise, events that lie ahead will leave you surprised and confounded.

“Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.” Matthew 23:34-36

Lord God, thank You for being with us as we engage with Your word. On our own, it is often hard to see what is being conveyed. Add on top of that, innumerable incorrect analyses of what is being said have been loaded upon us. Help us cut to the heart of what You are telling us by reminding us to stay in and study Your word all our days. Amen.

 

Matthew 12:40

Charlie Garrett Daily Writing, Matthew (Written)

Wednesday, 27 August 2025

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“For just as Jonah, he was in the lunker’s belly three days and three nights, thus He will be, the Son of Man, in the earth’s heart three days and three nights” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that a “Generation – evil and adulteress – it seeks a sign, and not it will be given it, if not the sign of Jonah the prophet.” He continues with that now, saying, “For just as Jonah, he was in the lunker’s belly.”

Two new words are seen. The first is found only here in Scripture, kétos, a huge fish. It is believed to possibly be from chasma, a chasm. That comes from an obsolete word, chao, to gape or yawn. Thus, the idea is that of the gaping mouth of such a fish. The type of fish is not stated here. Some translations say “whale.” That could be correct, even though whales aren’t fish.

Some say sea monster, great fish, huge fish, etc. As it is unknown whether it is a fish, whale, or other sea monster, a single word that gets the idea across is lunker, which signifies “an exceptionally large specimen of something, in particular (among anglers) a fish” (Online Dictionary).

The next new word is koilia, the belly or womb. It is derived from koilos, hollow. Thus, it signifies a cavity. The context of the sentence will then provide the appropriate sense of what is being referred to. Jesus next says that Jonah was in this lunker’s belly “three days and three nights.”

The duration is specific, but its meaning, like many such things in Scripture, must be derived from the surrounding context. That will be considered momentarily. For now, Jesus says, “thus He will be, the Son of Man, in the earth’s heart.”

It is a term not found in exactly this manner elsewhere, and so the meaning must be derived from the story of Jonah in relation to the events coming upon Jesus. Any other view will force something not intended into the narrative.

Special note: To understand the amazing details of Jonah’s life, it would be unconscionable not to read or watch the Jonah sermons from the Superior Word library. There, the incredible story is opened up and explained in a manner not found anywhere else.

Having said that, when Jonah was cast into the sea, a picture of Christ’s death. He was swallowed by the dagah, fish, in Hebrew, or the kétos, fish, in the Greek Septuagint. From there, it says in Jonah 2:3 –

“From womb Sheol, I cried,
You heard my voice,
And you caused to cast me – depth,
In heart seas.” Jonah 2:3 (CG)

In Greek, the word translated as heart is kardias, the same as that used by Jesus here in Matthew. Likewise, the word translated as womb in the Hebrew text is the same as what Jesus uses here, koilia.

In other words, Jonah is speaking in parallelism, a literary device found elsewhere in the book and throughout the Bible. He is equating Sheol (Greek: Hades) and equating it directly to the belly of the fish. That is then set in parallelism to the heart. This is done while citing the essential contents of Jonah 2:3.

Jesus is taking the story of Jonah and equating the heart of the seas to His own coming death. As such, He has replaced “heart of the seas,” something the Jews were perfectly familiar with from the story, and equates His coming descent into Hades as the “heart of the earth.” This is the parallelism (Sheol = heart seas/heart earth) from which the intent must be derived. Understanding this, He next says this will be for “three days and three nights.”

This is a phrase that, unfortunately, leads to all kinds of misinterpretations and misanalyses of what Jesus went through. The timeline of Jesus’ passion, crucifixion, and resurrection is painfully clear when properly laid out. Jesus was crucified on a Friday, He was in the tomb throughout Saturday, and He arose on Sunday.

To confirm this timeline, a complete analysis of it will be attached at the end of the verses referring to Jesus’ words in this account, meaning after Matthew 12:42. Because of Jesus’ words here, however, some dogmatically claim that Jesus had to be in the grave a full three days and three nights. Some go so far as to demand a literal 72 hours.

This then leads to unscripturally backing up the crucifixion to Thursday or even Wednesday. But this then leads to many other unjustifiable claims, such as a “second Passover meal,” etc. These things are unscriptural, but must be made up to justify the unjustifiable.

The term “three days and three nights” simply speaks of any part of a day and a night. This is seen, for example, in 1 Samuel 30:12. However, it is explicitly noted with the same terminology as Jesus in Esther 4:16, where it says, “neither eat nor drink for three days, night and day.” In Esther 5:1, it reads, “Now it happened on the third day…” Thus, the time frame in Esther, which Jesus uses in Matthew, means three days, up to the third day.

Life application: Care needs to be taken to ensure that what is said in one place aligns with what is said in another place. The only source of understanding Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:40 is to be found in the reference that Jesus is using. In the case of the heart of the earth, the reference is explicitly stated in Jonah, where Sheol (Hades) is set in parallel to the heart of the seas. This is an explanation of the belly of the great sea creature.

The “three days and three nights” of Jonah 1:17, which Jesus also cites, is to be interpreted from other Old Testament passages, if available. As it is, explicitly so in Esther 4:16 and then interpreted in Esther 5:1, there is a full and justifiable explanation for the meaning of Jesus’ words in Matthew, without fudging or making anything up.

Think about our own use of such terminology. If someone leaves late Monday afternoon and comes back early Wednesday morning, he may comfort his wife by saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back in three days.” This is a true statement, even from a biblical sense (as seen in Esther), and yet, he will only be gone for as little as maybe 48 hours, or less.

Jesus died at approximately 3 pm (Luke 23:44) on Friday afternoon. This would be about three or four hours before the beginning of the Sabbath. That would last until the next evening. From there, it says He rose “very early in the morning” (Luke 24:1), it may have been at 5 am or earlier. This could be a time in the heart of the earth as little as 45 hours. And yet, He is said (again and again in Scripture) to have risen “on the third day.”

Be ready to challenge what you believe. Accept what Scripture says regardless of biases or presuppositions. In the end, you will find an answer to every seeming contradiction that you have been taught exists. None do, because this is the word of God!

Lord God, thank You for the surety and reliability of Your wonderful word. It is a precious treasure and a delight to consider. Amen.

 

Matthew 12:39

Charlie Garrett Daily Writing, Matthew (Written)

Tuesday, 26 August 2025

But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Matthew 12:39

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And having answered, He said to them, ‘Generation – evil and adulteress – it seeks a sign, and not it will be given it, if not the sign of Jonah the prophet’” (CG).

In the previous verse, some scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus, saying that they wanted to see a sign from Him. In response, Matthew next records, “And having answered, He said to them, ‘Generation – evil and adulteress – it seeks a sign.’”

The noun moichalis, an adulteress, is introduced. Almost all translations say adulterous, the adjective form of the word. This is incorrect. It is a feminine noun referring to a female who is unfaithful.

As throughout the Old Testament, Jesus equates the relationship of the Lord with His people as a covenant of marriage. A wife was to be respectful, obedient, and faithful to her husband. But Israel had been none of these things. That had not changed in the generation He came to.

As for His words, He sees their asking for a sign as an indication of evil, something that an adulteress would seek. The reason for this is that in seeking a sign, there is no faith behind their request. A person of faith does not need a sign. Instead, he will believe based on the surrounding evidence and the surety of the hope he possesses.

That surety should come from past history. They had the Scriptures, which detailed all of Israel’s history as well as prophesying of its coming Messiah. All they had to do was go there to find the fulfillment of innumerable signs given in prophecy.

From that springboard, they were to accept what their eyes beheld when they looked to Him. Jesus found this lack of faithful understanding highly displeasing, and so He next says, “and not it will be given it.”

The response holds the same weight and tone as what He says in John 5 –

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” John 5:39, 40

Without directly saying it, Jesus essentially conveys the same thought now. “If you want a sign, go back and search the Scriptures. Compare My ministry to what you see. After that, have faith.” Because of this, He next says to them, “if not the sign of Jonah the prophet.”

Here, Jesus tells them just where to go to find a sign confirming He is the Messiah, meaning Scripture. “Go to Jonah and see the sign He gave. Jonah’s words speak of what will come to pass. When they are fulfilled, you will have received your sign.”

But what is the sign of Jonah? Spoiler alert: it is not what Jesus will say in the next verse. The coming statement was a confirmation of Jonah’s inescapable call upon him as a prophet. It was a surety that his words were to be spoken as the Lord instructed and that they would come to pass.

Life application: Jesus says that no sign but that of the prophet Jonah would be given. As noted in the previous commentary, Mark 8 says that no sign will be given, period. But that was based on the people seeking a “sign from heaven.” The thought is not unlike what Paul says in Romans 10 –

“But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?”’ (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, ‘“Who will descend into the abyss?”’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach).” Romans 10:6-8

The Jews in Mark 8 wanted to bring a sign down from heaven. The Jews in Matthew 12 are looking for something already available. Jesus expects people to use what is available, and which points to Him, to make their decision about Him, meaning Scripture.

We do not need a sign from heaven to confirm what we can deduce from the word and accept by faith. What we need to do is evaluate the word, see if it matches what we know about the world around us and our relationship with God, and then accept, by faith, that Jesus is the solution to our dilemma.

Don’t be a person looking for a sign every time you need direction in life. Be confident that the Lord has you where He wants you, that He has a good plan and a purpose for you, and that by knowing and adhering to His word, He will direct your steps according to His wisdom.

“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:21-24

Lord God, forgive us when our faith fails. Help us to be confident that, because of Jesus, we are where we should be as we live out our lives. No matter what our station in life is, You are with us. Someday, we shall be in Your presence and have what we must now only hope for. May this hope be sufficient to carry us through each day. Amen.

 

Matthew 12:38

Charlie Garrett Daily Writing, Matthew (Written)

Monday, 25 August 2025

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” Matthew 12:38

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Then, they answered, some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, ‘Teacher, we desire to see a sign from You’” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus noted that from one’s words he will be justified and from one’s words he will be condemned. Now, the direction changes based on the following. Matthew records, “Then, they answered, some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, ‘Teacher, we desire to see a sign from You.’”

The words are similar in content in Matthew 16:4, Mark 8:11, 12, and Luke 11:29-32. Each varies a little, but what seems likely is that this request for a sign is something that was asked of Him more than once.

In Mark, it seems contradictory to the other accounts because it says, “Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.” In Matthew and Luke, a sign is promised, but none is in Mark. However, in Mark, the request is for a sign “from heaven,” something not requested in Matthew or Luke. Therefore, it is probable that Jesus was addressing that specifically in Mark.

Putting the three accounts side by side and analyzing them, no contradiction arises. There is just different information being conveyed with each account. As for the words here in Matthew, it is some of the scribes and Pharisees who petition Him.

In Mark, only the Pharisees are noted. In Luke, there is no one mentioned first. Rather, Jesus directly addresses the crowds. Whether His address was in response to a petition, as in Matthew and Mark, is unknown.

Concerning their petition, they desire to see “a sign.” It is a new word, sémeion, a sign which is normally miraculous in nature. It is derived from the verb, sémainó, to indicate or signify. Unlike a miracle, wonder, etc., a sign is something that stands for something else. It may be a miracle or a wonder, but a sign points to another thing, such as “this indicates this.”

On the other hand, a miracle or wonder is its own thing. The purpose of a miracle is determined by why it was given in the first place, such as exalting the Lord, bringing glory to God, etc. In John, specific signs are noted, each having the intended purpose of establishing Jesus as the Messiah.

Some translations, such as the KJV, inconsistently translate the word “sign” as “miracle,” “wonder,” etc. They may be these things, but the intent is that it is a sign pointing to something else. This is the same with the word oth, sign, in the Old Testament. For example –

“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs [oth] and seasons, and for days and years.’” Genesis 1:14

From there, the Bible will give signs in the heavens to indicate that other things will happen. Thus, the sign points to the event. For example, the star of Bethlehem, though not called a sign, is exactly that. It was a celestial event that pointed to the coming of the Messiah.

Life application: The Bible itself is a sign. It is something that is given to point to other things: there is a Creator, there is a problem that exists between God and man, God will send a Redeemer into the world to fix the relationship, God loves His creation, etc. Each of these things is found in the Bible.

It is a witness and a testimony to what He has done, is doing, and promises to do. The Bible may be miraculous in how it was received and in the contents it contains, such as future prophecy, but it is a miraculous sign.

When you pick it up and read it, consider it as such. God is pointing you to truths about Himself and what He is doing. Someday, Jesus will come again for His church. The Bible testifies to this, and it will be a sign to the people of the world who are left behind that what He did was anticipated by those who trust in Him.

Be sure to read your Bible and consider the marvel and wonder that it contains. It is God’s wonderful gift to us, a sign of His love for us.

Lord God, help each of us to remember that when we read Your word, we are reading YOUR word. It isn’t just something about You, but it is from You. Therefore, it reflects Your very heart and intent for us as we live before You. May we treat it with respect and carefully consider its sacred contents. Amen.

 

1 Samuel 5:1-12 (Pandemonium, Whopping)

Charlie Garrett 1 Samuel (Written), Recent Sermons (Written)

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

1 Samuel 5:1-12
Pandemonium, Whopping

(Typed 2 June 2025) In Romans, Paul gives reasons why God is just and how even our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God. One of his lines of reasoning is found in verse 3:7. He asks, “For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?”

The word “for” looks back to the previous two examples that he gave. He makes his case by citing arguments people could give to justify both their sin and why God should overlook it. He then says, “if the truth of God has increased through my lie…”

God, throughout His word as well as through the moral compass He has placed within man, lets us know that sin will be punished. In punishing sin, God demonstrates His holiness. His punishment of our sin because of His holiness demonstrates that He is truthful in His judgments.

He says He will punish, and then He follows through. This validates the truth of God to us and thus brings Him glory. As such, God is proven truthful and even glorified through my lying, so how can He punish me? I have only increased His glory… see the great thing I have done!

Text Verse: “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:19, 20

The argument just proposed about God being glorified through my lying reflects the faulty reasoning of someone attempting to justify his perverse actions. There are several points that have to be considered. The first is that the lying is actually intended to do the opposite of what is claimed.

Lying is intended to protect and elevate self, not God. When a person lies, it is motivated by self-serving interests, not another’s glory.

Second, if “the truth of God is increased through my lie to His glory” because He has promised to judge sin, then if He doesn’t judge my sin, the truth of God isn’t increased through my lie at all!

The question, “Why am I also still judged as a sinner?” is invalidated by the faulty premise of the question. Also, God doesn’t need man to be glorified. He is glorious in and of Himself.

The “glory” which is reasoned by the one proposing the argument is the glory of God in the eyes of His creation, not His innate glory. Likewise, the truth of God isn’t “increased” in God. Rather, God is truth. And so, the increase is found in our realization of His truth.

God’s character isn’t dependent on man, and He isn’t dependent on what we think about Him. Our perceptions of Him don’t change His innate truth or glory.

The answer to “Why am I still judged as a sinner?” is found in the fact that I am a sinner, and I am deserving of punishment based on my sin. To attempt to justify sin by using faulty reasoning can only add to my judgment. It will not fool God into throwing up His hands and overlooking my misdeeds.

What does this have to do with the ark being carried to the Philistines? The passage today will reveal that those who think they are pleasing to God during this dispensation through law observance are only fooling themselves.

This is a profound truth that is to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. In the Buboes (verses 1-7)

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

u-phelishtim laqekhu eth aron ha’elohim vayviuhu me’even ha’ezer ashdodah – “And Philistines, they took Ark the God and they caused to bring it from Stone, the Helper Ashdod-ward.”

With the capture of the ark and the death of Eli and his sons, the narrative now turns solely to the details about the ark while it is in captivity. It is the time that the land is denuded of its glory. That is seen in the words of Psalm 78 –

“So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
The tent He had placed among men,
61 And delivered His strength into captivity,
And His glory into the enemy’s hand.
62 He also gave His people over to the sword,
And was furious with His inheritance.
63 The fire consumed their young men,
And their maidens were not given in marriage.
64 Their priests fell by the sword,
And their widows made no lamentation.” Psalm 78:60-64

Ashdod is one of the five capital cities of the Philistines at this time. In the New Testament, it is known as Azotus (Acts 8:40). Today, it is a beautiful city in Israel. It sits along the coast between Tel Aviv and Ashkelon, which is north of Gaza.

Strong’s indicates Ashdod means Ravager based on the root shadad, to devastate or destroy. Abarim gives several possibilities, such as Mountain Slope, Ravine Bottom, Fortress, Demon Place, or Furrowed Field. They also provide the unusual name Fire of David based on esh, fire, and dod, David. Using that logic, it would also mean Fire of the Beloved.

Philistines means Weakeners. Ebenezer, with the article (even ha’ezer), would mean Stone the Helper.

2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon

vayiqhu phelishtim eth aron ha’elohim vayaviu oto beith dagon – “And they took, Philistines, Ark the God and they caused to bring it temple Dagon.” The words are similar to the previous verse but show the progression of events –

And Philistines, they took Ark the God, and they caused to bring Him from Stone, the Hepler Ashdod-ward.
And they took, Philistines, Ark the God, and they caused to bring Him temple Dagon.

The reason for bringing the ark to the house of Dagon is to use it as an offering to their god. It is intended to be a proof that Dagon is greater than the God of Israel. Because of this…

2 (con’t) and set it by Dagon.

vayatsigu otho etsel dagon – “And they caused to position it aside Dagon.” The word yatsag, to permanently place, is used. It is more definitive than the normal word, sum, to set. They have positioned the ark as a permanent reminder of their victory over Israel, and thus, the God of Israel.

Dagon comes from dag, fish. This signifies abundance. Hence, the word daga means to multiply or increase. The word dagan refers to cereal crops in general, thus natural abundance. Therefore, Dagon can mean Fish, Increase, or Cultivation of Natural Abundance.

The Philistines’ cities are coastal, thus, having a fish as their deity is logical, at least from a fallen human standpoint. The idol representing Dagon was believed to have the upper half reflecting a man and the lower half reflecting a fish.

One Assyrian depiction has a man cloaked in a fish with the mouth of the fish looking like one of the pointy hats of Catholic bishops. The rest of the fish hung like a garment around the man.

3 And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord.

vayashkimu ashdodim mimakhorath vehineh dagon nophel lephanav artsah liphne aron Yehovah – “And they caused to rise early, Ashdodites, from morrow. And behold! Dagon falling to his face, earthward, to faces Ark Yehovah.”

Rising early in the morning appears to indicate a priestly duty, such as making an offering to their god. For this or some other reason, they went in to attend to Dagon. However, despite the ark having been positioned aside Dagon, it is Dagon that is lying prostrate before the ark. The idea of triumph is thus turned on its head, or maybe better, “fallen on its face!”

Despite this, the Philistines have not yet clued into the significance of the matter…

3 (con’t) So they took Dagon and set it in its place again.

vayiqekhu eth dagon vayashivu otho limeqomo – “And they took Dagon, and they caused to set it in its place.” When one has to lift up his god and set it in place, it should be obvious that it is not a god. Obviously, they carried the ark in, and so they could assume this is a comparable event. But the ark is the place where the God of Israel dwelt, not Him.

Despite that, the ark is typologically given to represent Jesus, but that is not the point at this time. The Philistines have misunderstood the nature of the ark, assuming it is like their god. The Lord is instructing them that this is not the case…

4 And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord.

vayashkimu vaboqer mimakhorath vehineh dagon nophel lephanav artsah liphne aron Yehovah – “And they caused to rise early in the morning from morrow. And behold! Dagon falling to its face, earthward, to faces Ark Yehovah.” After righting Dagon and having it stand all day long, they must have figured all was good. However, a repeat of the previous night revealed that such was not the case. And more…

4 (con’t)  The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold;

Rather: verosh dagon ushtei kapoth yadav keruthoth el hamiphtan – “And head Dagon, and two palms its hands, cut unto the threshold.” The meaning is that the two parts of the idol that were specifically human in appearance were cut off.  The form would be a fish, but the head was cut off.

Likewise, the palms of the hands would appear like human hands. Thus, they were sliced off from the hands. And more, they lay upon the miphtan, threshold. This is a new word seen twice in this account, five times in Ezekiel, and once in Zephaniah 1:9.

It is from the word pethen, an asp. That is derived from an unused root signifying to twist. The connection is that the threshold is stretched out as the asp stretches out.

The rosh, head, signifies that which is chief, first, of highest importance, etc. The, kaph, palm (and sole), signifies possession and/or the state of something. Thus, Dagon is not the chief god, it has no authority, and it possesses nothing. Of this failed god, it next says…

4 (con’t)  only Dagon’s torso was left of it.

Rather: raq dagon nishar alav – “Only Dagon, it was left, upon it.” The meaning is that the fish part remained. And it wasn’t as if the idol had fallen over and the things were broken off. Rather, the head and palms were cut off and lying on the threshold, separate from it. It was an evident, visual event that could not be explained away.

5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

al ken, lo yidre’khu kohane dagon vekal habaim beith dagon al miphtan dagon beashdod ad ha’yom hazeh – “Upon thus not they tread, priests Dagon and all the ‘coming house Dagon,’ upon threshold Dagon in Ashdod until the day, the this.” Because of the events that occurred, a new and superstitious practice took hold. Rather than stepping on the threshold, they would step over it. Of this, Clarke rightly states –

“Thus it was ordered, in the Divine providence, that, by a religious custom of their own, they should perpetuate their disgrace, the insufficiency of their worship, and the superiority of the God of Israel.” Adam Clarke

The words “until the day, the this” indicate that the narrative was written and compiled some amount of time later. It was a practice that endured and became a regular part of their customs when going before Dagon.

The practice of leaping over the threshold is something that the inhabitants of Jerusalem took up, as indicated in Zephaniah 1 –

“And it shall be,
In the day of the Lord’s sacrifice,
That I will punish the princes and the king’s children,
And all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.
9 In the same day I will punish
All those who leap over the threshold,
Who fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit.” Zephaniah 1:8, 9

It is debated whether this habit was adopted from the narrative in 1 Samuel or not. The same word, miphtan, is used in both, and there is no other reference to the habit. It appears that someone probably heard of the practice and adopted it at the temple in Jerusalem as people tend to do.

6 But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod,

vatikhbad yad Yehovah el ha’ashdodim – “And it heavy, hand Yehovah, unto the Ashdodites.” This is the first of two times the name Yehovah will be mentioned apart from the ark. Both are the narrator referring to the hand of Yehovah being on the people as punishment.

The hand is the position of power and authority. The hand of Yehovah being heavy upon those of Ashdod means that He is wielding His power and authority against them.

They thought they were superior to Him and Israel because they prevailed in battle, but the lesson was for Israel to learn from, not because of their greatness. At the same time, those of Ashdod would also learn…

6 (con’t) and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.

The written and the oral Hebrew are different: vayshimem vayak otham baophalim eth ashdod veeth gevuleha – “And He caused to ravage them, and He caused to strike them in the buboes, Ashdod and her borders.” The written Hebrew says baophalim, in the XXX. The problem is that no one is sure what ophalim are. In verse 6:5, it says –

“And you will make images your buboes [ophalim] and images your mice the ‘causing to ruin’ the land. And you will give to God Israel glory, if not He will cause to lighten His hand from upon you, and from upon your gods, and from upon your land.”

As such, it is something that is caused by rats. Due to the difficulty of the translation, the oral Hebrew is changed to batekhorim, “in the tumors,” in both verses. Deuteronomy 28:27 uses the same word, ophalim, which the oral also changes to tekhorim, tumors.

“The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed.” Deuteronomy 28:27

I have translated ophalim as buboes. These are painful, swollen lymph nodes, resulting from bubonic plague. These buboes can turn black and necrotic. This will cause the surrounding tissue to rot away. They can also rupture with discharges of large amounts of pus. Thus, this analysis is perfectly in line with the words of verse 6:4.

Each time the word “tumors” is used in these verses by the NKJV, it is from the oral rather than the written Hebrew. Despite this, the written, ophalim, should be considered the correct rendering.

7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us,

vayiru anshe ashdod ki khen veameru lo yeshev aron elohe Yisrael imanu – “And they saw, men Ashdod, for thus. And they said, ‘Not it will sit, Ark God Israel, with us.’” There is an understanding that the plague upon them was a result of the ark they possessed. However, they apparently think that the plague is a result of their location, or them as a particular people, and not necessarily because of the ark being taken from Israel.

This would be a logical assumption because they had won the battle. Otherwise, they would have lost. As for them, they say…

7 (con’t) for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.”

ki qashetah yado alenu veal dagon elohenu – “For it severe upon us and upon Dagon our god.” They are the people of Dagon. The ark has brought trouble upon them and on the god of their temple. In order to resolve the matter, they will devise other plans…

When a god isn’t a god, shouldn’t we know?
How is it that we can’t get this right?
Let us not worship what is false, even if though…
We don’t know the true God by sight

To not know what is true is one thing
But to worship what we know is false is another
To do this would make us a ding-a-ling (aling)
Let us not be ding-a-lings, brother

We can seek out the true while rejecting the rong
This is what we should do
To this unknown God, we should sing our song
Until we know He who is true

II. To Kill Me and My People

8 Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”

vayishlekhu vayaasephu eth kal sarne phelishtim alehem vayomeru mah naaseh laaron elohe Yisrael – “And they will send, and they will gather all axles Philistines unto them, and they said, ‘What we do to Ark God Israel?’” The word that describes the leaders of the five major cities of the Philistines is seren, an axle. Thus, the leader is the central figure upon whom the city turns.

The leaders are called because a problem and its cause have been identified. They know it would be unwise to arbitrarily return the ark to Israel, but it would also be unwise to move the ark to another Philistine city without an agreement to do so.

Therefore, they have called the leaders to discuss and decide…

8 (con’t) And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away.

vayomeru gath yisov aron elohe Yisrael vayasebu eth aron elohe Yisrael – “And they said, ‘Gath! It will turn, Ark God Israel.’ And they caused to turn Ark God Israel.” The decision is to turn the ark from Ashdod to Gath. Ostensibly, there was no temple of Dagon there. Therefore, the lords could see what happened. If nothing, it would tell them that the conflict was between the Lord and Dagon.

The meaning of Gath is Winepress. In Scripture, the winepress is a place of judgment symbolized by the treading out of grapes. However, in treading out grapes, there is also a sense of joy because of the produce derived from the process. This is seen in the symbolism of Revelation –

“Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, ‘Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.’ 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.” Revelation 14:17-20

9 So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction;

vayhi akhare hesobu otho vatehi yad Yehovah bair mehumah gedolah meod – “And it will be after they caused to turn it, and it was, hand Yehovah, in the city – pandemonium, whopping, very.” As before, the hand of the Lord, His power and authority, is brought to bear against the city. In turn, that caused severe pandemonium.

The word mehumah signifies an uproar. It is derived from hum, to make an uproar. It is an onomatopoetic expression where the noise of the events hums out in profuse and profound panic and pandemonium…

9 (con’t) and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.

vayakh eth anshe ha’ir miqaton vead gadol vayisateru lahem ophalim – “And He caused to strike men the city, from diminutive and until great, and it was erupted to them buboes.” The word sathar is found only here. It signifies to erupt, burst, or break out. This is exactly what buboes do.

And more, these eruptions were indiscriminate in who they came upon. From the smallest to the greatest, it affected them all. Because of this, and not cluing into the obvious trouble they were in…

10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron.

vayshalekhu eth aron ha’elohim eqron – “And they will send, Ark the God, Ekron.” After the breakouts in Ashdod and Gath, they decided to give it another try by sending it to Ekron. The name comes from aqar, to pluck up or uproot. But that is from the same as eqer, an offshoot or descendant. Hence, the name could mean either Offshoot or Uprooted.

10 (con’t) So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!”

vayhi kevo aron ha’elohim eqron vayizeaqu ha’eqronim lemor hesabu elay eth aron elohe Yisrael lahamitheni veeth ami – “And it was, according to coming, Ark the God, Ekron, and they shrieked, the Ekronites, to say, “They caused to bring unto me Ark God Israel to cause to kill me and my people.”

The change from the plural to the singular reveals the mindset of the people. First, they all shrieked, and then they all, individually, referred to themselves and those they lived with.

There is an obvious time lapse here that must be ascertained from the words of verse 11. The ark was brought to Ekron and, as it says, “according to coming,” things devolved for them. It seems likely that they had heard of the disaster that befell the other cities.

However, whether that was the case or not, it became immediately apparent that they were being affected by the presence of the ark, be it after a day, a week, or whatever. Therefore, hoping that before further danger could come upon them…

11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines,

vayishlekhu vayaasphu eth kal sarne phelishtim – “And they sent, and they gathered all axles Philistines.” They sent out messengers, certainly in haste, to bring their complaints before the lords of the cities. Even if the leaders had not yet added the numbers together, the people of Ekron had, and they wanted nothing more to do with the ark.

Once the deaths started, the gathering of the lords was called for…

11 (con’t) and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.”

vayomeru shalekhu eth aron elohe Yisrael veyashov limqomo velo yamith othi veeth ami – “And they said, ‘You must send Ark God Israel, and may you return it to its place, and not it must cause to kill me and my people.” Again, the words go from the plural to the singular.

They know that the ark must be returned to Israel. Its presence had brought misery and death to three cities, and the stubbornness of keeping it needed to end.

11 (con’t) For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city;

Rather: ki hayethah mehumath maveth bekal ha’ir – “For it was pandemonium – death in all the city.” The city was in complete uproar from what was occurring. One can almost see body collectors walking through the city with wagons calling, “Bring out your dead. Bring out your dead,” in an attempt to keep the place from becoming overwhelmed with stench and rot…

11 (con’t) the hand of God was very heavy there.

kavedah meod yad ha’elohim sham – “It was heavy, very, hand the God there.” This is the first time that the term elohim, God, is used without being connected to the ark. And more, the narrator says, “the God.”

As always, the use of the article is expressive. It refers to the one true God in relation to man. It is used to reveal those who are in a right relationship with Him, or to contrast those who are not in a right relationship with Him. In this case, it is apparent that the Philistines are not in a right relationship with Him…

12 And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors,

vehaanashim asher lo methu huku ba’ophalim – “And the men not they died, they were caused to be struck in the buboes.” The plague caught up with everyone. Many died, but those who didn’t still faced the excruciating pains of the plague. It was such a catastrophe that the people cried out in anguish…

*12 (fin) and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

vataal saveath ha’ir ha’shamayim – “And it ascended, vociferation the city, the heavens.” The noun shavah is used. It signifies a hallooing, meaning a cry for help. The intent is that these Philistines have concluded that the all-powerful hand of the God of Israel, who dwells in the heavens, had come upon them. Thus, their cry was directed to Him, even if they didn’t know Him personally.

Death in the city! Bring out your dead
There is nothing but loss since the ark came
Many have suffered plagues and bled
Because of their God, Yehovah by name

We must return Him to His land
The ark must return to Israel
We have been afflicted by His mighty hand
If we don’t return it, things won’t go well

Hear our cry, You in the heavens
We will return the ark as we know is right
We swear the oath, swearing by sevens
The ark will return and be gone from our sight

III. An Explanation of the Verses

The events of this chapter occur at the time when Israel was denuded. The glory has departed. The Philistines, the Weakeners, have taken the ark from Stone the Helper to Ashdod, Fire of Beloved.

They took it into the House of Dagon, meaning House of Increase, placing it, supposedly permanently, next to Increase. However, the next day, Increase fell on its face before Yehovah. Undeterred, the priests set it up again in its place.

A second time, they went in to find Increase fallen on its face before Yehovah, but this time its head and its palms had been cut off and cast to the threshold. This signifies Increase is not the first or head god. In fact, it possesses nothing.

Despite this, the priests and others continued to come to the house of Increase but would not tread on the threshold. The very place where they should have learned their lesson about Dagon not being a god became a place of reverence towards it.

Only after this are the plagues and buboes mentioned, so it appears these were a result of not learning the lesson of Dagon. At that time, it was said that the hand of Yehovah was heavy upon the Ashdodites.

That word, kaved, heavy, is the root of the word kavod, glory, used in the previous chapter to signify that the glory had been denuded from Israel. Those who took it now face the weight of the hand of the Lord for having done this.

Despite that, perhaps thinking that this was a result of their location and/or a conflict with Dagon, Increase, they gathered the lords and asked what should be done.

Instead of sending it back to Israel, they decided to send it to Gath, Winepress, signifying a place of judgment. That, however, turned into another disaster upon the people with the plague of buboes.

It was next sent to Ekron, Uprooted. That led to panic among the people and more disaster upon them throughout the city. Because of that, it was recommended to send the ark back to Israel.

The narrator at that time noted that the hand of the God was very heavy, kaved meod, upon them. At the time of the denuding of Israel, there is the heavy hand upon the Weakeners.

Each of the cities has a name that signifies some type of judgment. Ashdod appears most likely to mean Fire of Beloved. As such, it would signify a burning of the Lord against it, such as is noted in Zephaniah 2:4. Gath, Winepress, signifies judgment as noted in Revelation. Ekron, Uprooted, forms a clear picture of judgment, such as in Amos 9:15 and Matthew 15:13.

As has been seen previously, the Philistines picture those who weaken the faith of others, particularly through law observance. The purpose of the passage is to show that judgment should be expected during the time of Israel’s being denuded of its glory for those who fail to live by faith.

Instead, they should expect only judgment. The example given in the introduction about increasing God’s glory through sin exactingly explains why Dagon, Increase, is named in this passage.

Those who have rejected faith in Christ and who believe they can merit God’s favor through the law, epitomized by the Philistines (Weakeners), are trusting in a false god.

The proposition set forth in these verses is based on the attitude of some who exist during our present dispensation. It is not intended as a picture of everything that happens with Jesus during this time.

Instead, it is only a proposition of what will happen based on people’s attitude when considering their position in relation to the now obsolete law.

Some supposedly attempt to increase the glory of God through observance of the law, but are doing it with faulty reasoning. If they truly wanted to glorify God, they would be trusting in the full, finished, final, and forever work of Christ, who is God.

Instead, their true purpose is self-exaltation. Because of this, as Paul says in Romans 3:9, their condemnation, meaning their judgment, is just.

God is not looking for people who want to impress themselves, others, or Him. He looks for those willing to trust Him and what He has done through Jesus Christ. There is no substitute for this.

There is no excuse for sin, and all sin is dealt with through punishment. For those in Christ, it was dealt with through His crucifixion. Those who are not in Christ must face their own punishment.

As you go about your day, don’t try to rationalize away your wrongdoings. Once you have accepted that sin necessitates a penalty, take the time to give God praise for what He has done for you through Jesus. The cross of Calvary was a high price for the sins we so easily dismiss. Amen.

Closing Verse: “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.” Romans 3:21, 22

Next Week: 1 Samuel 6:1-12 The Philistines took it and it wasn’t so fun… (The Return of the Ark, Part I) (11th 1 Samuel sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He is the One who abases the haughty and exalts the humble. He regards the lowly, and the proud He knows from afar. So yield yourself to Him, trust Him, and believe His word. In this, He will do great things for you and through you.

1 Samuel 5 (CG)

5 And Philistines, they took Ark the God, and they caused to bring it from Stone, the Helper Ashdod-ward. 2 And they took, Philistines, Ark the God, and they caused to bring it temple Dagon. And they caused to set it aside Dagon. 3 And they caused to rise early, Ashdodites, from morrow. And behold! Dagon falling to his face, earthward, to faces Ark Yehovah. And they took Dagon, and they caused to set it in its place. 4 And they caused to rise early in the morning from morrow. And behold! Dagon falling to its face, earthward, to faces Ark Yehovah. And head Dagon, and two palms its hands, cut unto the threshold. Only Dagon, it was left, upon it. 5 Upon thus, not they tread, priests Dagon and all the ‘coming house Dagon,’ upon threshold Dagon in Ashdod until the day, the this.

6 And it heavy, hand Yehovah, unto the Ashdodites. And He caused to ravage them, and He caused to strike them in the buboes, Ashdod and her borders. 7 And they saw, men Ashdod, for thus. And they said, “Not it will sit, Ark God Israel, with us. For it severe upon us and upon Dagon our god. 8 And they will send, and they will gather all axles Philistines unto them, and they said, ‘What we do to Ark God Israel?’

And they said, ‘Gath! It will turn, Ark God Israel.’ And they caused to turn Ark God Israel. 9 And it will be after they caused to turn it, and it was, hand Yehovah, in the city – pandemonium, whopping, very. And He caused to strike men the city, from diminutive and until great, and it was erupted to them buboes.

10 And they will send, Ark the God, Ekron. And it was, according to coming, Ark the God, Ekron, and they shrieked, the Ekronites, to say, “They caused to bring unto me Ark God Israel to cause to kill me and my people. 11 And they sent, and they gathered all axles Philistines, and they said, ‘You must send Ark God Israel, and may you return it to its place, and not it must cause to kill me and my people. For it was pandemonium – death in all the city. It was heavy, very, hand the God there. 12 And the men not they died, they were caused to be struck in the buboes. And it ascended, vociferation the city, the heavens.

 

1 Samuel 5 (NKJV)

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. 4 And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.” 8 Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”

And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away. 9 So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.

10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!” 11 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 back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.