John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. But the hand of the Lord was heavy on them of Ashdod , etc.] Not only on their idol, but on themselves; it had crushed him to pieces, and now it fell heavy on them to their destruction: and he destroyed them ; either by the disease after mentioned they were smitten with, or rather with some other, since that seems not to be mortal, though painful; it may be with the pestilence: and smote them with emerods ; more properly haemorrhoids, which, as Kimchi says, was the name of a disease, but he says not what; Ben Gersom calls it a very painful disease, from whence comes a great quantity of blood. Josephus takes it to be the dysentery or bloody flux; it seems to be what we commonly call the piles, and has its name in Hebrew from the height of them, rising up sometimes into high large tumours: even Ashdod and the coasts thereof ; not only the inhabitants of the city were afflicted with this disease, but those of the villages round about.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-12 - The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not onl convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised their insolence Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy they desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts, when they smar under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, put his far from them, than enter into covenant or communion with him, and see him for their friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgment only increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have enoug of it _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew ותכבד3513 יד3027 יהוה3068 אל413 האשׁדודים796 וישׁמם8074 ויך5221 אתם853 בעפלים6076 את853 אשׁדוד795 ואת853 גבוליה׃1366
