The Meaning of 1 Samuel 5:2 Explained

1 Samuel 5:2

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

YLT: and the Philistines take the ark of God and bring it into the house of Dagon, and set it near Dagon.

Darby: And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

ASV: And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When 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?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 5:1-12 - The Captured Ark Brings Trouble
Dagon's fall before the Ark of God has a sublime significance. In the evening, as the priests left the temple, the hideous image stood erect on its pedestal; in the morning, it was found prostrate before the sacred symbol. A repetition of the incident proved that it was no coincidence. So shall it be with all the idols of the heathen. They shall be utterly abolished, and the demons of whom they are the grotesque representations, together with the Devil whom they obey, shall be cast into the "bottomless pit," Revelation 20:3. Thus has it been in many countries already. They have "cast their idols to the moles and bats," Isaiah 2:20.
Let this scene be reproduced in your heart! Let Jesus enter and the dearest idols you have known will yield before Him. The presence of Christ, which brings terror to his foes, will bring blessing and deliverance to those that love Him. The dying thief passes from his cross to Paradise, while Judas goes to his own place. Dare to admit the Savior into the secret place of your heart. He will utterly destroy the works of Satan, and will drive out the evil things that have too long infested it. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 5:2 mean?

And when took the Philistines - the ark of God and they brought it into the temple of Dagon and set by Dagon
וַיִּקְח֤וּ פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ אֶת־ אֲר֣וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֹת֖וֹ בֵּ֣ית דָּג֑וֹן וַיַּצִּ֥יגוּ אֵ֥צֶל דָּגֽוֹן

וַיִּקְח֤וּ  And  when  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
פְלִשְׁתִּים֙  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲר֣וֹן  the  ark 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ  and  they  brought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בֵּ֣ית  into  the  temple 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
דָּג֑וֹן  of  Dagon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּגֹון  
Sense: a Philistine deity of fertility; represented with the face and hands of a man and the tail of a fish.
וַיַּצִּ֥יגוּ  and  set 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָצַג  
Sense: to place, set, establish.
דָּגֽוֹן  Dagon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּגֹון  
Sense: a Philistine deity of fertility; represented with the face and hands of a man and the tail of a fish.