Back to 1 Samuel 5

1 Samuel 5:1-4

Now the Philistines had taken God’s ark, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. The Philistines took God’s ark, and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark. They took Dagon and set him in his place again. When they arose early on the following morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’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.

World English Bible · Public Domain
Show the surrounding paragraph

1 Samuel 5:1-4 sits inside this longer paragraph.

Now the Philistines had taken God’s ark, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. The Philistines took God’s ark, and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark. They took Dagon and set him in his place again. When they arose early on the following morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’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. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. But Yahweh’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and he destroyed them and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders.

Read all of 1 Samuel 5 →

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Now the Philistines had taken God’s ark, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

    The Philistines took God’s ark, and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon.

    When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark. They took Dagon and set him in his place again.

    When they arose early on the following morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’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.

  • KJV King James Version

    And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod.

    When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

    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.

    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.

Show all 3 translations
  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod.

    And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

    And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

    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 lay cut off upon the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

View more translations →

Cross-references (35)

  • Isaiah 19:1 (v3) The burden of Egypt. “Behold, Yahweh rides on a swift cloud, and comes to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence; and the…
  • Isaiah 46:1-2 (v3) Bel bows down. Nebo stoops. Their idols are carried by animals, and on the livestock. The things that you carried around are heavy loads, a…
  • Micah 1:7 (v4) All her idols will be beaten to pieces, and all her temple gifts will be burned with fire, and all her images I will destroy; for of the…
  • Judges 16:23 (v2) The lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, “Our god has…
  • 1 Samuel 7:12 (v1) Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Yahweh helped us until now.”
Show all 35 cross-references
  • Isaiah 46:7 (v3) They bear it on their shoulder. They carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands there. It cannot move from its place. Yes, one may…
  • 1 Samuel 4:1 (v1) The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the…
  • Mark 3:11 (v3) The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, “You are the Son of God!”
  • Joshua 13:3 (v1) from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, which is counted as Canaanite; the five lords of the…
  • 1 Samuel 4:22 (v1) She said, “The glory has departed from Israel; for God’s ark has been taken.”
  • 1 Chronicles 10:10 (v2) They put his armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.
  • Isaiah 2:18-19 (v4) The idols shall utterly pass away. Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of…
  • Jeremiah 10:11 (v4) “You shall say this to them: ‘The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth, and from under the…
  • Jeremiah 50:2 (v4) “Declare among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and don’t conceal: say, ‘Babylon has been taken, Bel is…
  • Daniel 5:2 (v2) Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the…
  • Daniel 5:23 (v2) but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your lords,…
  • Zephaniah 2:11 (v3) Yahweh will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the…
  • Luke 10:18-20 (v3) He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions,…
  • Exodus 12:12 (v3) For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. I will…
  • Joshua 11:22 (v1) There were none of the Anakim left in the land of the children of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, did some remain.
  • 1 Samuel 4:11 (v1) God’s ark was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
  • 1 Samuel 4:17-18 (v1) He who brought the news answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people. Your…
  • Psalms 97:7 (v3) Let all them be shamed who serve engraved images, who boast in their idols. Worship him, all you gods!
  • Isaiah 27:9 (v4) Therefore by this the iniquity of Jacob will be forgiven, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: that he makes all the stones of…
  • Isaiah 40:20 (v3) He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up a carved image for…
  • Isaiah 41:7 (v3) So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smoothes with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering,…
  • Isaiah 44:17-20 (v3) The rest of it he makes into a god, even his engraved image. He bows down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, “Deliver me; for…
  • Jeremiah 10:8 (v3) But they are together brutish and foolish, instructed by idols! It is just wood.
  • Ezekiel 6:4-6 (v4) Your altars will become desolate, and your incense altars will be broken. I will cast down your slain men before your idols. I will lay the…
  • Daniel 11:8 (v4) He will also carry their gods, with their molten images, and with their goodly vessels of silver and of gold, captive into Egypt. He will…
  • Habakkuk 1:11 (v2) Then he sweeps by like the wind, and goes on. He is indeed guilty, whose strength is his god.”
  • Habakkuk 1:16 (v2) Therefore he sacrifices to his net, and burns incense to his dragnet, because by them his life is luxurious, and his food is good.
  • Acts 8:40 (v1) But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
  • 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 (v3) Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship do righteousness and iniquity have? Or what fellowship does light have with…
  • Psalms 78:61 (v1) and delivered his strength into captivity, his glory into the adversary’s hand.

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (24 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv1–2 Which was one of the five principal cities of…

Which was one of the five principal cities of the Philistines.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv1–4 1Sa 5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv1–4 Quest. Why were not they immediately killed, who touched…
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v1 Here is, I. The Philistines' triumph over the ark,…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv1–4 And the Philistines took the ark of God,.... Which…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv1–4 The Philistines carry the ark into the temple of…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv1–4 The Philistines set up the ark in the temple…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 4 1Sa 5:1. The Philistines took the ark of God…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v2 They brought it into the house of Dagon (see…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv1–4 Azotus, one of the principal cities of the Philistines.…
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v1 III. The Ark and the Philistines. 1Sa_5:1 to 1Sa_7:1
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv2–3 the house of Dagon--Stately temples were erected in honor…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv1–4 THE ARK OF GOD AMONG THE PHILISTINES, 1Sa_5:1-12.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv1–4 Ch. 1Sa_5:1-12. Chastisement of the Philistines for the Removal…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv1–4 (1) The Philistines took the ark of God.—The sacred…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv1–3 THE ARK OF GOD IN PHILISTIA (vers. 1-12).
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v1 And the Philistines took the ark of God and…
The Expositor's Bible 1887 · Public Domain On v1 1Sa_5:1-12; 1Sa_6:1-21
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v1 1Sa_5:1. “Ashdod.” One of the five Philistine satrapies, about…
J. R. Dummelow 1909 · Public Domain On v1 The Ark among the Philistines
Arno C. Gaebelein 1922 · Public Domain On v1 6. The Ark in the Hands of the Philistines…
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v1 The Ark in Ashdod.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 4 This word marks the beginning of a new part…
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 2, 4 5:1 Ebenezer: See study note on 4:1b. • Ashdod,…
Share