SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:2
Y tomaron los filisteos el arca de Dios, y la metieron en la casa de Dagón, y la pusieron junto a Dagón.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 5:2
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 Judg. xvi. 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 armour in the temple of Ashtaroth, chap. xxxi. 10. And when David slew Goliath, he laid up his sword in the tabernacle of the Lord, chap. xxi. 8, 9. We have the remains of this custom in the depositing of colours, standards, &c., 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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. When the Philistines took the ark of God , etc.] 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 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) Ver. 3 . And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow , &e.] Either the people, the inhabitants of the place, who came early to pay their devotions to their idol, before they went on their business; or the priests of the idol, who came to sacrifice in the morning: and, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord ; as if he was subject to it, and giving adoration to it, and owning it was above him, and had superior power over him: and they took Dagon, and set him in his place again ; having no notion that it was owing to the ark of God, or to the God of Israel, that he was fallen, but that it was a matter of chance.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan wil certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the heart 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 wil come. When Christ, the true Ark of the covenant, really enters the heart of fallen man, which is indeed Satan's temple, all idols wil fall, every endeavour to set them up again will be vain, sin will be forsaken, and unrighteous gain restored; the Lord will claim an possess the throne. But pride, self-love, and worldly lusts, thoug dethroned and crucified, still remain within us, like the stump of Dagon. Let us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have them more entirely destroyed.
Original Hebrew
ויקחו 3947 פלשׁתים 6430 את 853 ארון 727 האלהים 430 ויביאו 935 אתו 853 בית 1004 דגון 1712 ויציגו 3322 אתו 853 אצל 681 דגון׃ 1712
