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.
When they got up early the next morning, they found that Dagon had fallen face-down on the ground in front of the LORD's ark. Dagon's head and both hands had been cut off and were lying on the doorway threshold. Only the main body of Dagon was left.
God demonstrated His supreme power by causing the Philistine idol Dagon to fall down and break apart before His ark, showing that no false god can stand in His presence.
📚 Historical Context
The Philistines had captured Israel's ark of the covenant and placed it in their temple next to their fish-god Dagon in the city of Ashdod. This was the second morning they found their idol fallen - the first time they had simply set it back up, but now it was completely destroyed, with only the torso remaining.
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