Philistines Don't Like the Ark of the Covenant

By Mary Vee
I Samuel 5

A Philistine Soldier's Journal

Our god, Dagon, fell to the ground right in front of the Israelite's Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and smashed to a million pieces.

If that wasn't enough, the people from our city became sick, really sick, so sick many died. And not just the people from our city, but from whole territory around us! We couldn't figure out what caused the problem. 


I'm thinking we shouldn't have taken the Israelites ark and maybe their God is punishing us. No matter what medicines we gave to the sick people, they didn't get better.

The lords from our city must have thought the same thing, too. After a couple of days they met together and asked, "What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel? It's making our people sick and many are dieing."


They decided to send the ark southeast about ten miles to the Philistine city, Gath. I was chosen to help carry the ark. We set it up in the city where the priest said then left.

Good, no more problems for us.


A few days later a messenger came to our captain and reported the men from Gath had been struck with a great illness. Everyone, young and old, rich or poor became  sick. No one escaped the plague.  The captain called me to his office. "That ark of the God of Israel is causing more problems than the people of Israel. Go to Gath, get the Israelite ark of God, and take it to Ekron.


The people of Gath cheered when we carried the ark of God away. We marched north only a few miles to Ekron. Citizens from Ekron formed a line and stood in our way shouting, "No! You have brought the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people! We won't let you in." 


They wouldn't let us in the city at all. The other soldiers and I had to stand outside the city gate with the ark of God until a decision could be made. While we stood there, doing absolutely nothing, bored...bored...bored, the people of Ekron sent for all the Philistine lords. 

Even with the ark not inside the city,  some men died, others became deathly sick.


A few days later the lords arrived. The people of Ekron raised their fists and shouted, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel. Let it go back to its own place and its own people so it does not kill us." . 


Our army had stolen the ark of the God of Israel about seven months ago. It caused us nothing but trouble. If the lords asked me, I'd say get rid of it.

The lords met and talked about what should be done with the ark. One suggested we send it back to the Israelites.

Another lord said, "If you send it away, don't send it empty. Return it with a sin offering. Then you will be healed."


Another said, "What should we send for an offering to their God?"


The lords decided five golden tumors and five golden rats. Five because there were five Philistine lords. Golden rats and tumors because that was the plague sent. "If we give glory to the God of Israel instead of ignoring Him like the Egyptians did, perhaps He will not punish us with many plagues like He did to them." 


We made a new cart, hitched two milk cows who had never worn a yolk before, and took their calves away from them. Last, we set the ark on the cart along with the golden offerings. 


To make sure the sickness came from the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, the lords thought of this test:  if the cows returned the cart to the Israelite city by themselves instead of leaving the road to search for their calves then the Israelite Lord punished us. If the cows turn back to search for their calves or refuse to move then the sickness came for a different reason.


We followed all the instructions the lords gave. Yolk milking cows, take calves away, put ark on cart with offereings and watch. I couldn't believe my eyes. The cows went straight for the road to Beth Shemesh and kept walking along the highway crying with each step until they reached the Israeliteas city.


I sneaked behind the cart the whole way. It really went there!


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1. What happened to the people of the Ashdod?
2. What did they do with the Ark of the Covenent?
3. What happened to the people of Gath?
4. What did they do with the Ark of the Covenant?
5. What did the people of Ekron do when they saw the Ark of the Covenant?
6. What did the Philistine Lords say?
7. What was the test and what was the result?


Photo is of the city of Ashdod. Courtesy of Visualbiblealive.com

Sixth Plague

By Mary Vee
Exodus 9:8-12

Moses came back to the house early.  Aaron looked up from his work surprised.  "Didn't the Lord speak to you this evening?"

"Yes. He wants you to join me tonight."

"Me?" Aaron rubbed his dusty hands on his clothes.  "I--wait--are you sure?"

"Yes. Follow me, I'll take you there." Moses turned to walk out the door. 

Aaron set his project aside and ran after Moses.  "What's going on.  Is this the time?  Will Pharaoh finally let the children of Israel leave?"

Moses laughed at his brother.  "Slow down.  Why do you think I know the answers to these questions?"

"Well, the Lord speaks to you.  I guess I thought He'd tell you when the time is right for us to leave."

Moses nodded.  "Perhaps He will tell me--but He hasn't yet."

The brothers hurried to the place where Moses spent time with God.  Moses whispered to his brother, "Take your sandles off."

Both brothers removed their shoes. The waited for the Lord to speak to them.  "Moses, Aaron, take handfuls of ashes from a furnace and let Moses scatter it toward the sky while Pharaoh is watching you.  As you throw it in the air, the ashes will become a fine dust in all of Egypt and will cause boils on the skin of the Egyptians and every animal."

Moses turned to Aaron, "We can go now. We have our instructions."  Aaron slipped his sandles back on and joined Moses for the walk back home.

The next day the brothers stood before Pharaoh in his chamber.  Pharaoh rolled his eyes.  "Why do I let you torment me day after day, Moses?  Each time you visit you bring the same message, "Let my people go--let my people go"--blah, blah, blah.  I do not wish to hear you say it again. Leave me."

Aaron bowed in respect and cleared his throat. Pharaoh raised his hand toward Aaron. "Don't think of saying that message to me."

Aaron nodded. "I will do as you say, Pharaoh.  Moses is going to show you something."

Pharaoh squinted toward Moses.  "What?"

Moses opened his hands to let Pharaoh see the ashes.  He tossed every speck in the air, as God said.  The specks flew high above the people's head and out toward the citizens throughout the city. 

The people in Pharaoh's chamber cheereed at  the amazing trick until deep sores burst on their skin.  They rubbed the sores and cried out, "Pharaoh save us!"

Pharaoh, rubbed the sores on his own body.  "Magicians. I command you to perform this trick."

The magicians fell to the floor.  "We cannot, oh Pharaoh." They looked at each other and cried. "We cannot stay any longer."  The magicians forced themselves to creep out of the chamber.

Pharaoh rubbed his sores.  "You magicians will pay for your disrespect."  He whipped around to face Moses and Aaron.  "No! I will not let the children of Israel go."

Aaron and Moses walked to the door without a guard.  Every Egyptian they passed cried out, "The boils hurt!"

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1.  Why does Pharaoh want the children of Israel to stay as his slaves?
2.  Name the first five plagues. (you may look at past stories)
3.  What did God ask Moses to throw into the air?
4.  Who did the Egyptian people ask to save them.  Who is the only one who could really save them?

Fifth Plague

By Mary Vee
Exodus 9: 1-12


Aaron sipped his water then set the cup on the table.  His fingers drummed softly on the table.  When's Moses coming home?  He yawned.  He laid his head on the table and yawned again.  His evening visits with God sometimes last a long time.


He heard himself snore and chose to ignore the sound. 


What seemed like a flash of a moment later, he heard the door click.  Aaron bolted up and whiped the drool from his face. Not wanting to wake the other family members he motioned for Moses to join him at the table.
"What did God say?"


Moses shook his head.  "I don't understand why Pharaoh hasn't let the children of Israel go.  The Egyptians still complain about the the water turning to blood, the frogs,  lice, and the flies."

Aaron smiled.  "They sure looked funny dancing around the streets scratching and shooing the lice and flies away.  Apparently it isn't enough to change Pharaoh's mind.  What did God say tonight?"

He wants us to go to Pharaoh tomorrow and tell him, "the Lord God of the Hebrews says "Let My people go, that they may serve Me.'"


Aaron sat back in his chair.  "He won't, not yet."


"I agree.  The Lord also wants us to tell Pharaoh, 'If you refuse to let them go, and hold them back, the hand of the Lord will bring a deadly sickness on your cattle in the field, the horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, and sheep.'"


"They won't be able to plow fields, or have transportation."  Aaron stroke his beard.  "This plague will bring the city to a stop."


"Not only that, but the Lord wants us also to say, 'The Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt.'  So nothing that belongs to the children of Israel will die.  He said to tell Pharaoh the plague on Egyptian livestock will happen the next day."


Aaron nodded. "Better get some sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow."


The next morning Aaron and Moses stood side by side in front of Pharaoh.  Aaron spoke the words Moses told him to say.  Pharaoh laughed and walked away.  "I won't let the children of Israel go!"


As the sun rose the following morning, Egyptians went out to care for their livestock.  They found their cattle in the field, horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, and sheep sick.  The moaning, bleeting, braying, and neighing from their livestock worried the Egyptians.  A little while later the animals fell to the ground, too sick to stand. 


Servants ran to Pharaoh to tell him the news.  "Pharaoh, the animals all over the city and out in the fields are dying from some mysterious disease. None of the doctors can help. We don't know what to do."


Pharaoh shook his fist at Moses. "What have you done?  Let me see the Israelite animals."


One servant cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Pharaoh, you will have to walk. The royal horses have died."


Pharaoh squinted his eyes and pounded one fist. "Fine, I'll walk." When he arrived where the Israelites lived, he saw all of their livestock were healthy. His face turned red with anger.  "You tell your God, I will not let the children of Israel go."


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1.  What more needs to happen to get Pharaoh to change his mind?
2.  What was the fifth plague?
3.  This time Pharaoh went to the place where the Israelites lived.  Why did he go there?
4.  What do you think will happen next?