1 Samuel 5:3

¹ After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,

² carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.

When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.

⁴ But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained.

⁵ That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the threshold.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.
KJV: And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
WEB: When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the LORD’s ark. They took Dagon and set him in his place again.
ASV: And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
DARBY: And when they of Ashdod arose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
BLB: And the Ashdodites arose early in the morning, and there was Dagon, fallen on his face to the earth before the face of the ark of YHWH. And they took Dagon, and returned him to his place.

ÅB: Tidlig den følgende dag fikk asdodittene se at Dagon var falt ned med ansiktet mot jorden foran Herrens ark; og de tok Dagon og satte ham igjen på hans plass.
OTB: Da folket i Asdod sto opp tidlig neste dag, lå Dagon der, falt med ansiktet ned på bakken foran Herrens ark. De tok Dagon og satte ham tilbake på plass.
B1930: Tidlig den følgende dag fikk asdodittene se at Dagon var falt ned med ansiktet mot jorden foran Herrens ark; og de tok Dagon og satte ham igjen på hans plass.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Isaiah 19:1
This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.
Read in context
Isaiah 46:1–2
Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal.
Read in context
Isaiah 46:7
They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.
Read in context
Mark 3:11
And when the unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!”
Read in context
Zephaniah 2:11
The LORD will be terrifying to them when He starves all the gods of the earth. Then the nations of every shore will bow in worship to Him, each in its own place.
Read in context
Luke 10:18–20
So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Read in context
Isaiah 44:17–20
From the rest he makes a god, his graven image. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
Read in context
2 Corinthians 6:14–16
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
Read in context