Bible Compass
Log inGet started
Back to the chapter

1 Samuel 5:4

Dagon
God's power and sovereignty

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

3 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.

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.

6 Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.

Read the whole chapter

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
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.
KJV
And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
WEB
When they arose early on the following morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the LORD’s ark; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso was intact.
ASV
And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands [lay] cut off upon the threshold; only [the stump of] Dagon was left to him.
DARBY
And when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the fish-stump was left to him.
BLB
And they arose in the morning on the next day, and behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the face of the ark of YHWH, and the head of Dagon and the two palms of its hands [were] broken off on the threshold. Only Dagon was left of it.
ÅB
Men tidlig om morgenen den neste dag fikk de se at Dagon var falt ned med ansiktet mot jorden foran Herrens ark, og at Dagons hode og begge hans hender lå avhugget på dørtreskelen; bare kroppen var tilbake av Dagon.
OTB
Men neste morgen da de sto opp tidlig, hadde Dagon igjen falt med ansiktet ned foran Herrens ark. Hans hode og begge hender var brukket av og lå på terskelen; bare overkroppen var igjen.
B1930
Men tidlig om morgenen den næste dag fikk de se at Dagon var falt ned med ansiktet mot jorden foran Herrens ark, og at Dagons hode og begge hans hender lå avhugget på dørtreskelen; bare kroppen var tilbake av Dagon.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Micah 1:7

    All her carved images will be smashed to pieces; all her wages will be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols. Since she collected the wages of a prostitute, they will be used again on a prostitute.

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 2:18–19

    and the idols will vanish completely.

    Read in context

  • Jeremiah 50:2

    “Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’

    Read in context

  • Jeremiah 10:11

    Thus you are to tell them: “These gods, who have made neither the heavens nor the earth, will perish from this earth and from under these heavens.”

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 27:9

    Therefore Jacob’s guilt will be atoned for, and the full fruit of the removal of his sin will be this: When he makes all the altar stones like crushed bits of chalk, no Asherah poles or incense altars will remain standing.

    Read in context

  • Ezekiel 6:4–6

    Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will cast down your slain before your idols.

    Read in context

  • Daniel 11:8

    He will take even their gods captive to Egypt, with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold. For some years he will stay away from the king of the North,

    Read in context