1 Samuel 5:2

2 in das Haus Dagons und stellten sie neben Dagon.

1 Samuel 5:2 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 5:2

When the Philistines took the ark of God
And had brought it to Ashdod:

they brought it into the house of Dagon;
a temple dedicated to that idol, and in which his image stood; of which (See Gill on Judges 16:23),

and set it by Dagon;
by the side of him, either in honour to the ark, as Abarbinel, designing to give it homage and adoration, as to their own deity; for though the Gentiles did not choose to change their gods, yet they would add the gods of other nations to them; and such the Philistines might take the ark to be: or else, as Procopius Gazaeus, they brought it into their idol's temple, as a trophy of victory, and as a spoil taken from their enemies, and which they dedicated to their idol. Laniado F18 observes, that the word here used signifies servitude, as in ( Genesis 33:15 ) and that the ark was set here to minister to, or serve their god Dagon. The temple of Dagon at Ashdod or Azotus was in being in the times of the Maccabees, and was burnt by Jonathan,

``83 The horsemen also, being scattered in the field, fled to Azotus, and went into Bethdagon, their idol's temple, for safety. 84 But Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them that were fled into it, he burned with fire.'' (1 Maccabees 10)


FOOTNOTES:

F18 Cli Yaker, fol. 162. 4.

1 Samuel 5:2 In-Context

1 Die Philister aber nahmen die Lade Gottes und brachten sie von Eben-Ezer gen Asdod
2 in das Haus Dagons und stellten sie neben Dagon.
3 Und da die von Asdod des andern Morgens früh aufstanden, fanden sie Dagon auf seinem Antlitz liegen auf der Erde vor der Lade des HERRN. Aber sie nahmen den Dagon und setzten ihn wieder an seinen Ort.
4 Da sie aber des andern Morgens früh aufstanden, fanden sie Dagon abermals auf seinem Antlitz liegen auf der Erde vor der Lade des HERRN, aber sein Haupt und seine beiden Hände waren abgehauen auf der Schwelle, daß der Rumpf allein dalag. {~} {~}
5 Darum treten die Priester Dagons und alle, die in Dagons Haus gehen, nicht auf die Schwelle Dagons zu Asdod bis auf diesen Tag.
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