1 Samuel 5:5
New International Version
That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.

New Living Translation
That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor anyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod will step on its threshold.

English Standard Version
This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

Berean Standard Bible
That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the threshold.

King James Bible
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.

New King James Version
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

New American Standard Bible
For that reason neither the priests of Dagon nor any who enter Dagon’s house step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

NASB 1995
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

NASB 1977
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

Amplified Bible
This is the reason neither the priests of Dagon nor any who enter Dagon’s house step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

Christian Standard Bible
That is why, still today, the priests of Dagon and everyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on Dagon’s threshold.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and everyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on Dagon’s threshold.

American Standard Version
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, unto this day.

Contemporary English Version
This is why the priests and everyone else step over that part of the doorway when they enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod.

English Revised Version
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, unto this day.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is why the priests of Dagon and everyone else who comes into Dagon's temple in Ashdod still don't step on the temple's threshold.

Good News Translation
That is why even today the priests of Dagon and all his worshipers in Ashdod step over that place and do not walk on it.)

International Standard Version
This is why neither the priests of Dagon nor anyone who enters the temple of Dagon step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

Majority Standard Bible
That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the threshold.

NET Bible
(For this reason, to this very day, neither Dagon's priests nor anyone else who enters Dagon's temple step on Dagon's threshold in Ashdod.)

New Heart English Bible
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshhold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

World English Bible
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
therefore the priests of Dagon, and all those coming into the house of Dagon, do not tread on the threshold of Dagon, in Ashdod, until this day.

Young's Literal Translation
therefore the priests of Dagon, and all those coming into the house of Dagon, tread not on the threshold of Dagon, in Ashdod, till this day.

Smith's Literal Translation
Therefore the priests of Dagon, and all coming into Dagon's house, will not tread upon the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod even to this day.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And only the stump of Dagon remained in its place. For this cause neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that go into the temple tread on the threshold of Dagon in Azotus unto this day.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Moreover, only the trunk of Dagon remained in its place. For this reason, the priests of Dagon, and all who enter his temple, do not tread upon the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, even to this day.

New American Bible
For this reason, neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter the temple of Dagon tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this very day.

New Revised Standard Version
This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any that enter Dagon's house cross the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because of this, the Priests of Dagun and all who enter do not tread on the threshold of Dagun in Ashdod until today
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Therefore the priests of Dagon, and every one that enters into the house of Dagon, do not tread upon the threshold of the house of Dagon in Azotus until this day, for they step over.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Ark Afflicts the Philistines
4But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained. 5That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the threshold. 6Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.…

Cross References
Exodus 12:29-30
Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the firstborn among the livestock. / During the night Pharaoh got up—he and all his officials and all the Egyptians—and there was loud wailing in Egypt; for there was no house without someone dead.

2 Kings 19:37
One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place.

Isaiah 37:38
One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place.

Judges 16:23-30
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands.” / And when the people saw him, they praised their god, saying: “Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy who destroyed our land and multiplied our dead.” / And while their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison to entertain them. And they stationed him between the pillars. ...

1 Kings 18:21
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.

2 Samuel 6:6-7
When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled. / And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God.

1 Chronicles 13:9-10
When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark, because the oxen had stumbled. / And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

2 Chronicles 26:16-21
But when Uzziah became powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. / Then Azariah the priest, along with eighty brave priests of the LORD, went in after him. / They took their stand against King Uzziah and said, “Uzziah, you have no right to offer incense to the LORD. Only the priests, the descendants of Aaron, are consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have acted unfaithfully; you will not receive honor from the LORD God.” ...

Isaiah 46:1-2
Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal. / The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity.

Jeremiah 50:2
“Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’

Jeremiah 51:44
I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will make him spew out what he swallowed. The nations will no longer stream to him; even the wall of Babylon will fall.

Daniel 5:1-4
Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. / Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. / Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. ...

Daniel 5:22-23
But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. / Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.

Acts 12:21-23
On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people. / And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” / Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Acts 17:29-31
Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination. / Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent. / For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

neither

Psalm 115:4-7
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands…

Psalm 135:15-18
The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands…

tread

Joshua 5:15
And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

Zephaniah 1:9
In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.

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Ashdod Dagon Dagon's Doorstep Enter House Others Priest Priests Temple Threshhold Threshold Tread
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1 Samuel 5
1. The Philistines having brought the ark into Ashdod, set it in the house Dagon
3. Dagon is smitten down and cut and cut in pieces,
5. and they of Ashdod smitten with tumors
8. So God deals with them of Gath, when it was brought thither
10. and so with them of Ekron, when it was brought thither














That is why
This phrase introduces a cause-and-effect relationship, indicating that the events described in the preceding verses have led to a lasting tradition or practice. In the context of 1 Samuel 5, the Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant and placed it in the temple of their god, Dagon. The subsequent miraculous toppling of Dagon's statue serves as a divine assertion of God's supremacy. The phrase underscores the enduring impact of God's actions, which continue to influence behavior and beliefs.

to this day
This expression suggests the persistence of a tradition or practice over a significant period. It implies that the events surrounding the Ark and Dagon had a profound and lasting effect on the Philistines. Historically, this phrase is often used in the Bible to indicate that the consequences of divine intervention are not fleeting but have a lasting legacy. It serves as a reminder of God's enduring power and the lasting nature of His judgments.

neither the priests of Dagon
The priests of Dagon were the religious leaders responsible for the worship and rituals associated with the Philistine deity. Their avoidance of the threshold signifies a recognition of the power of the God of Israel, even among those who served other gods. This acknowledgment by the priests highlights the supremacy of the God of Israel over the false gods of the nations, a recurring theme in the Old Testament.

nor any who enter Dagon’s temple
This phrase extends the practice of avoiding the threshold to all who enter the temple, not just the priests. It indicates a communal acknowledgment of the event's significance. The temple, a place of worship and reverence, becomes a site of testimony to the power of the God of Israel. This collective behavior underscores the widespread impact of God's actions and serves as a witness to His authority.

step on the threshold
The threshold, in ancient Near Eastern culture, often held symbolic significance as a boundary between the sacred and the profane. By avoiding stepping on the threshold, the Philistines were acknowledging the power that had caused Dagon to fall. This act of avoidance becomes a ritualistic acknowledgment of the God of Israel's supremacy. It serves as a physical reminder of the divine encounter and the power of God to disrupt and challenge the status quo.

in Ashdod
Ashdod was one of the principal cities of the Philistines, known for its strategic and economic importance. The mention of Ashdod situates the event in a specific historical and geographical context, emphasizing the real-world impact of God's actions. The city's prominence in Philistine culture highlights the significance of the event, as it occurred in a major center of their religious and political life. This underscores the reach and influence of God's power beyond the borders of Israel.

(5) Unto this day.--This curious "memory" of the disaster to the Dagon image in this Philistine temple at Ashdod long existed among the worshippers of the fish-god. Zephaniah (1Samuel 1:9), in the reign of King Josiah, mentions this among idolatrous observances which he condemns: "In the same day I will punish all those that leap on (or over) the threshold."

Verse 5. - Henceforward, therefore, his priests and other worshippers carefully abstained from treading on the door sill, where his nobler members had lain, unto this day. Apparently the Books of Samuel were written some time after the events recorded in them took place, and we have remarkable evidence of the permanence of the custom in Zephaniah 1:9, where the Philistines are described as "those that leap on," or more correctly over, "the threshold." The custom, so curious in itself and so long continued, bears strong testimony to the historical truth of the narrative.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
That is why,
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

to
עַ֖ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

this
הַזֶּֽה׃ (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

day,
הַיּ֥וֹם (hay·yō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

the priests
כֹהֲנֵ֨י (ḵō·hă·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3548: Priest

of Dagon
דָג֜וֹן (ḏā·ḡō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1712: Dagon -- a god and an idol of the Philistines

and everyone
וְכָֽל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who enters
הַבָּאִ֧ים (hab·bā·’îm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

the temple
בֵּית־ (bêṯ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Dagon
דָּג֛וֹן (dā·ḡō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1712: Dagon -- a god and an idol of the Philistines

in Ashdod
בְּאַשְׁדּ֑וֹד (bə·’aš·dō·wḏ)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 795: Ashdod -- a city of the Philistines

do not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

step
יִדְרְכוּ֩ (yiḏ·rə·ḵū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1869: To tread, to walk, to string a, bow

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the threshold.
מִפְתַּ֥ן (mip̄·tan)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4670: A stretcher, a sill


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OT History: 1 Samuel 5:5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 5:4
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