Today's reading is an example of farce in the face of seeming disaster. The Philistines defeated the Israelites in battle, capturing the Ark of the Covenant -- the most holy object of the Jewish faith. They took their battle prize to their temple, setting it alongside an idol of their god, Dagon. However, misfortune plagues poor Dagon as long as the Ark of the Covenant is nearby. (In fact, the Philistines would return the Ark of the Covenant to the Hebrews voluntarily in only nine months.)
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