1 Samuel 5:2

1 Samuel 5:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
• New International Version (NIV)Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon.
• New King James Version (NKJV)When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon.

Context of 1 Samuel 5:2

1When the Philistines took God's Covenant Box, they took it from Ebenezer to the town of Ashdod. They carried it into the temple of Dagon, their god. They put the box next to the idol of Dagon. 3The next morning, the people in Ashdod got up early. They saw that Dagon had fallen down in front of the Lord's Covenant Box. The idol's face was touching the ground. So they took Dagon and they put him back in his place. 4The next morning, they got up early again. They saw that Dagon had fallen down in front of the Lord's Covenant Box again! His head and both his hands had broken off. They were lying on the step of the temple's door. Only his body remained together.

1 Samuel 5:2 word by word

וַיִּקְח֤וּ פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֹת֖וֹ בֵּ֣ית דָּג֑וֹן וַיַּצִּ֥יגוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֵ֥צֶל דָּגֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• When the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• they broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• it into the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: templeH1004
• of Dagonדָּגוֹןdâgôn · DagonH1712
• and setיָצַגyâtsag · to setH3322
• it byאֵ֫צֶל'êtsel · besideH681

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 5:2

• Judges 16:23One day, the rulers of the Philistines met together to have a big feast. They offered a great sacrifice to their god, Dagon. They said, ‘Dagon has put our enemy, Samson, under our power.’
• 1 Chronicles 10:10They put Saul's weapons in the temple of their gods. They hung his head in the temple of their god, Dagon.
• Daniel 5:2When he had drunk a lot of wine, he spoke to his servants. He commanded them to bring the valuable gold and silver cups, so that the people could drink from them. His father, King Nebuchadnezzar, had taken those cups from God's temple in Jerusalem. King Belshazzar wanted to drink from them, as well as his important friends, his wives and his other women.
• Habakkuk 1:11Their army quickly moves on to another place, like a wind that blows. They think that their own god has made them strong, and so they are guilty.’

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 5:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The house of Dagon - On this idol, which was supposed to be partly in a human form, and partly in that of a fish, see the note on Judges 16:23. Some think that this idol was the same with Dirceto, Attergatis, the Venus of Askelon, and the Moon. - See Calmet's Dissertation on the gods of the Philistines. The motive which induced the Philistines to set up the ark in the temple of Dagon, may be easily ascertained. It was customary, in all nations, to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2They brought it into the house of Dagon (see the marginal reference) in order to enhance the triumph of the gods of the Philistines over the God of Israel. (Compare 1 Samuel 31:9; Judges 16:23; Isaiah 37:12.)Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Dagon was a god worshipped by the Philistines (see Judges 16:23–24). The name might come from the Hebrew word dag, which means "fish." This would be an appropriate name for a god of seafaring people. However, it is more likely related to the Hebrew word dagan, which means "grain." This would indicate a god of fertility or agriculture.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. the house of Dagon--Stately temples were erected in honor of this idol, which was the principal deity of the Philistines, but whose worship extended over all Syria, as well as Mesopotamia and Chaldea; its name being found among the Assyrian gods on the cuneiform inscriptions [Rawlinson]. It was represented under a monstrous combination of a human head, breast, and arms, joined to the belly and tail of a fish. The captured ark was placed in the temple…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 5:2

• Miracles
• Temple

In the dictionaries

• God
• Philistines
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Dagon
• Destruction
• Ground
• Samuel, Books of
• Ark of the Covenant
• Ashdod
• Elijah

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings