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.
      1. Dagon, that is, the image (for that was all the god), had fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark,1 Samuel 5:3; 1 Samuel 5:3. God had seemed to forget the ark, but see how the Psalmist speaks of his appearing, at last, to vindicate his own honour. When he had delivered his strength into captivity, and all seemed going to ruin, then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine,Psalms 78:59-65. And therefore he prevented the utter desolations of the Jewish church, because he feared the wrath of the enemy,Deuteronomy 32:26; Deuteronomy 32:27. Great care was taken, in setting up the images of their gods, to fix them. The prophet takes notice of it, Isaiah 41:7, He fastened it with nails that it should not be moved; and again, Isaiah 46:7. And yet Dagon's fastenings stood him in no stead. The ark of God triumphs over him upon his own dunghill, in his own temple. Down he comes before the ark, directly towards it (though the ark was set on one side of him), as it were, pointing to the conqueror, to whom he is constrained to yield and do homage. Note, The kingdom of Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be run down and ready to sink, yet even then we may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. Great is the truth, and will prevail. Dagon by falling prostrate before the ark of God, which was a posture of adoration, did as it were direct his worshippers to pay their homage to the God of Israel, as greater than all gods. See Exodus 18:11.