1 Samuel 5:5 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Because of where the idol's broken pieces fell, Dagon's priests and worshipers avoid stepping on the temple threshold ever after.
What Does 1 Samuel 5:5 Mean?
The narrator pauses to note a custom that lasted into his own day: in Dagon's temple no one would step on the threshold, the place where the broken head and hands had lain. A superstition grew up around the spot of the Lord's judgment, observed by the very priests whose god had fallen.
There is irony here that the heart should feel. The Philistines honored the threshold but missed the message. They changed their footsteps but not their hearts, guarding a ritual while ignoring the God who had spoken so plainly. It is possible to be religious about the wrong things, careful with customs yet deaf to the One whose hand wrote the lesson in the dust.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 5:5
What does 1 Samuel 5:5 mean?
Because of where the idol's broken pieces fell, Dagon's priests and worshipers avoid stepping on the temple threshold ever after.