Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 3. They of Ashdod arose early on the morrow] Probably to perform some act of their superstition in the temple of their idol.
Dagon was fallen upon his face] This was one proof, which they little expected, of the superiority of the God of Israel.
Set him in his place again.] Supposing his fall might have been merely accidental.
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 וישׁכמו7925 אשׁדודים796 ממחרת4283 והנה2009 דגון1712 נפל5307 לפניו6440 ארצה776 לפני6440 ארון727 יהוה3068 ויקחו3947 את853 דגון1712 וישׁבו7725 אתו853 למקומו׃4725
