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ופקדתי6485 על5921 כל3605 הדולג1801 על5921 המפתן4670 ביום3117 ההוא1931 הממלאים4390 בית1004 אדניהם113 חמס2555 ומרמה׃4820

1Sa 5:5

Verse 9. That leap on the threshold] Or, that leap over the threshold. It is most probable that the Philistines are here meant. After the time that Dagon fell before the ark, and his hands were broken off on the threshold of his temple, his worshippers would no more set a foot upon the threshold, but stepped or leaped over it, when they entered into his temple. The Chaldee understands this of the Philistines, without giving this reason for it. Some understand it of haughtiness and pride: others think that leaping on the threshold refers to the customs of the Arabs, who used to ride into people's houses and take away whatever they could carry; and that this is the reason why, in several parts of the East, they have their doors made very low, to prevent those depredators from entering. In this manner, we learn the Persians have frequently oppressed the poor Armenians, going on horseback into their houses, and taking whatever they thought proper. Mr. Harmer understands it in this way.

Ver. 9. In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold , etc.] Not in a ludicrous way, who, by dancing and leaping, made sport for persons, and brought their masters much gain, as the damsel possessed with a spirit of divination did, ( Acts 16:16) rather, that entered rashly and irreverently into the house of God; or else in an idolatrous way, who, when they went into an idol’s temple, did not tread upon the threshold, but leaped over it, as the priests of Dagon, after the fall of that idol on the threshold, ( 1 Samuel 5:4,5). So the Targum, “and I will visit all those that walk in the laws (or according to the customs) of the Philistines;” whose idol Dagon was: but it seems better to interpret it of such, who, seeing houses full of good things, in a rude, bold, insolent manner, thrust themselves, or jumped into them, and took away what they pleased; or when they returned to their masters’ houses with their spoil, who set them on, and encouraged them in these practices, leaped over the threshold for joy of what they had got, as Aben Ezra observes; which agrees with what follows: which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit ; that is, with goods got by rapine and force, and by fraudulent ways and methods: this is to be understood of the servants of great men, who, to feed the ambition and avarice of their masters, used very oppressive methods with inferior persons to get their substance from them, and gratify their masters.

Cocceius interprets these “three” verses of the day of Christ’s coming in the flesh being at hand, when the true sacrifice should be offered up, and God would call his people to feed by faith upon it; when all civil power and authority in the sanhedrim and family of David should be removed from the Jews; and all friendship with the nations of the world, signified by likeness of garments; and the priestly dignity, the priests, according to him, being those that leaped over the threshold; that is, of the house of the Lord, the temple, and filled it with the spoil of widows’ houses, unsupportable precepts, and false doctrines.

ופקדתי6485 על5921 כל3605 הדולג1801 על5921 המפתן4670 ביום3117 ההוא1931 הממלאים4390 בית1004 אדניהם113 חמס2555 ומרמה׃4820