1 Samuel 5 · Verse 2

1 Samuel 5:2

When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
1 Samuel 5:2, King James Version

1 Samuel 5:2 in other translations

BSBcarried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.
WEBThe Philistines took God’s ark, and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon.
ASVAnd the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
YLTand the Philistines take the ark of God and bring it into the house of Dagon, and set it near Dagon.
DARBYAnd the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
BBEThey took the ark of God into the house of Dagon and put it by the side of Dagon.
WebsterWhen the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

What does 1 Samuel 5:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. 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 of Dagon, right before this image of the idol. 1Sa 5:3-5. Dagon Falls Down.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 The 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 Jdg 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 dedicate the spoils taken from an enemy to their gods: 1. As a gratitude-offering for the help which they supposed them to have furnished; and, 2. As a proof that their gods, i.e., the gods of the conquerors, were more powerful than those of the conquered. It was, no doubt, to insult the God of Israel, and to insult and terrify his people, that they placed his ark in the temple of Dagon. When the Philistines had conquered Saul, they hung up his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, 1Sam 31:10. And when David slew Goliath, he laid up his sword in the tabernacle of the Lord, 1Sam 21:8, 1Sam 21:9. We have the remains of this custom in the depositing of colors, standards, etc., taken from an enemy, in our churches; but whether this may be called superstition or a religious act, is hard to say. If the battle were the Lord's, which few battles are, the dedication might be right.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 5:1-5

See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be ready to sink, even then we may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. When Christ, the true Ark of the covenant, really enters the heart of…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 5:1-5 →

1 Samuel 5:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּקְח֤וּvai.yik.Chuand they tookH3947
פְלִשְׁתִּים֙fe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֲר֣וֹן'a.Ron[the] ark ofH727
הָאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.Him<the> GodH430
וַיָּבִ֥יאוּvai.ya.Vi.'uand they broughtH935
אֹת֖וֹ'o.To<obj.> itH853
בֵּ֣יתbeit[the] house ofH1004
דָּג֑וֹןda.GonDagonH1712
וַיַּצִּ֥יגוּvai.ya.Tzi.guand they placedH3322
אֹת֖וֹ'o.To<obj.> itH853
אֵ֥צֶל'E.tzelbesideH681
דָּגֽוֹן\׃da.GonDagonH1712

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 5:2

  • Judges 16:23

    Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

  • Daniel 5:2

    Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

  • 1 Chronicles 10:10

    And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.

  • Daniel 5:23

    But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

  • Habakkuk 1:16

    Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.

  • Habakkuk 1:11

    Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
of Dagon.
Jud 16:23; 1Ch 10:10; Da 5:2,23; Hab 1:11,16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 5:1

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

  • 1 Samuel 5:2

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

  • 1 Samuel 5:3

    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.

Read all of 1 Samuel 5

1 Samuel 5:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y tomaron los Filisteos el arca de Dios, y metiéronla en la casa de Dagón, y pusiéronla junto á Dagón.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les Philistins prirent l’arche de Dieu et l’apportèrent dans la maison de Dagon et la placèrent à côté de Dagon.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Philister nahmen die Lade Gottes und brachten sie in das Haus Dagons und stellten sie neben Dagon.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tuleruntque Philisthiim arcam Dei, et intulerunt eam in templum Dagon, et statuerunt eam juxta Dagon.