Dagon
The chief national idol of the Philistines in Ashdod — beside whom they placed the captured Ark of the Covenant, only to find Dagon fallen face down before the Ark on the first morning and decapitated with his hands severed on the threshold on the second.
Celebrating their battlefield capture of the Ark of God at Ebenezer, the Philistines brought the sacred chest to Ashdod and set it inside the house of their chief god Dagon, right beside the towering stone idol, as proof that Dagon had conquered Yahweh (1 Samuel 5:1–2).
When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, 'behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD.' Propping their helpless god back in his place, they rose early the following morning to find Dagon fallen face downward a second time — and 'the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him' (1 Samuel 5:3–4).
The Fallen Idol — The Fallen Idol
The captured Ark is placed beside Dagon in Ashdod — and twice the idol falls face down, the second time losing its head and hands.
