The glory has departed from Israel: see the comments on verse 21. Glory is often used in the Old Testament to refer to the presence of God. With the loss of the covenant box, God’s very presence is gone from Israel. In certain languages this will have to be worded quite differently. For example, some may more naturally make Israel the subject of the sentence and say something like “Israel has lost the glory of God” or “Israel is no longer honored by God.” Others may make God the subject: “God has withdrawn his glory from the people of Israel.”

The conjunction for in the statement by Phinehas’ wife expresses the reason or cause for the departure of glory from Israel. Several modern English versions translate “because.”

In some languages the passive construction has been captured will need to be expressed with a verb in the active voice and an explicit subject, that is, “the Philistines have captured.” See the comments on verse 11.

The verse as a whole may have to be restructured as follows:

• And she said “When the Philistines captured the Covenant Box, God’s glory departed from Israel.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

When translates the common Hebrew conjunction waw. Two actions are mentioned in this verse: (1) the ark is captured, and (2) it is carried to Ashdod. To indicate more precisely that one event happened after the other and not at the same time, Good News Translation translates the conjunction with the word “After.” In other languages it may be more natural to use a word like “Then” between the two parts of the sentence. New American Bible makes the first element into a participial phrase: “Having captured the Ark of God.”

The ark of God: see the comments on 3.3.

From Ebenezer to Ashdod: regarding Ebenezer, see 4.1. Ashdod, located about four kilometers (two and one-half miles) inland from the Mediterranean Sea and about forty-five kilometers (twenty-eight miles) west of Jerusalem, was one of five major Philistine cities (see the comment on verse 8; also 6.17) and was located southeast of Ebenezer. Since many readers today will not know that Ashdod was a city, it may be helpful to add the qualifier “the city of” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) or “their city of” (Good News Translation).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

It may be unnecessary and even awkward in some languages to repeat the word Philistines as the subject of this sentence, since the name is already given in the previous verse.

Took … and brought: though the Hebrew uses two verbs here, only one action is described—the Philistines did not take the ark somewhere else before they brought it to the house of Dagon. Many translations combine the two verbs into one, as in Good News Translation.

The ark of God: see the comments on 3.3. For reasons of style Good News Translation uses the pronoun “it” rather than repeating the noun phrase.

The house of Dagon: it may be necessary to make explicit the fact that the house is a temple or “shrine” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), and that Dagon is a Philistine god (Judges 16.23 refers to Dagon as the god of the Philistines). Archaeological evidence shows that Dagon was worshiped also in Mesopotamia and Syria.

Beside Dagon: Revised Standard Version is a literal translation, while Good News Translation, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, and Contemporary English Version clarify that the reference is to a “statue” of the god Dagon.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Ashdod: see the comments on verse 1.

Behold: this Hebrew particle calls special attention to the statement that follows, and adds an element of immediacy to the narrative. The Hebrew leaves implicit the fact that the people saw the fallen statue. But in many cases it will be wise to make this explicit in translation into other languages.

Dagon had fallen: as in the previous verse, Good News Translation states that “the statue” had fallen. Dagon was a male deity, so Revised Standard Version uses the pronouns him and his, while Good News Translation uses the pronoun “it,” referring to the statue of Dagon. That Dagon fell face downward suggests to the reader an attitude of worship and submission, as shown by the same action in Gen 17.3; Num 16.45; Dan 3.5. It is said that pagan gods bow down before God in Psa 97.7; Isa 19.1; 46.1.

In the Septuagint verse 3 begins as follows: “And the people of Ashdod rose early and went into the house of Dagon; and they looked and behold Dagon had fallen face downward.” The Septuagint is the basis for the addition of the words “and went to the temple of Dagon” found in New Jerusalem Bible and Osty-Trinquet. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text; but for translation purposes it may be wise in some languages to state that the people of Ashdod went to the temple.

Put him back in his place: in some languages it may be necessary to state clearly what is implied in this clause, namely that the statue was also restored to an upright position. This is done in several modern English versions by using verbs like “lifted up” (Moffatt) or “picked … up” (New American Bible).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

But when they rose early on the next morning: Good News Translation leaves implicit the information that the Philistines got up, but in some languages it may be natural to state this. It may also be important to include the contrasting conjunction But, as in Revised Standard Version, because it may be considered somewhat surprising to the reader that the same thing happened again.

Behold: see the comments on this focusing particle in the preceding verse.

Dagon had fallen: see the comments on previous verse. Since the preceding verse shows that the statue of Dagon had already fallen once before, Good News Translation adds that the statue had fallen “again.” To show that what happened to the statue was different this second time that it fell, Good News Translation inserts the words “this time.” For the same reason Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “In addition [the head and the hands…].”

Both his hands: literally “two of palms of his hands.” Though some translations follow the Hebrew literally (Reina-Valera revisada, Fox), it will make no sense in some languages to state that only the palms of his hands were cut off, not the rest of the hands as well.

Were lying cut off upon the threshold: literally “being cut off on the threshold.” Though Good News Translation uses the verb “broken off,” the Hebrew says that the hands were cut off (so New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). A number of other versions also have “broken off” (Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Contemporary English Version), while still others (New Jerusalem Bible and Knox) use the general term “severed.” But “broken off” fails to capture the sense that Dagon has been defeated by Yahweh, who cuts his head off, just as David will cut off Goliath’s head (17.51) and the Philistines will cut off Saul’s head (31.9). In languages where passive verbs are not used, it may be necessary to make the agent explicit and say “head … hands which God had cut off were lying separately.”

Usually the word threshold refers to a flat stone or wooden plank that lies under a door. In this context, however, the exact meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain. Most understand it in the usual sense of the word threshold or “doorway” (Contemporary English Version, Knox), but some presume it to mean a podium or platform on which an idol sat. This second understanding is the basis for the Revised English Bible translation: “with his head and his two hands lying broken off beside his platform; only Dagon’s body remained on it.” The idea of the “doorway” or “threshold” is, however, more likely the correct understanding of the text.

Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him: literally “only Dagon was left on him [or, it].” A literal translation of the Hebrew will be meaningless in most languages. Probably a noun meaning “his body [or, trunk]” has accidentally been omitted from the Masoretic Text. Nearly all translations supply the necessary noun, either following the Septuagint or following translation principles that require the addition of the implied information. Other models include “only the trunk was left intact” (Anchor Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) or “only the trunk of Dagon was left in its place” (New Jerusalem Bible). Also possible, but less likely, the pronoun him may refer to the ark, and the clause may be translated “only the trunk of Dagon was left by it [the ark].”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The words This is why refer to the incidents mentioned in verses 3 and 4. Good News Translation takes the whole verse as a kind of aside and encloses it in parentheses.

The priests of Dagon are the Philistine priests, who offer sacrifices to the idol Dagon.

All who enter the house of Dagon: Good News Translation makes clear that the reason people enter the temple of Dagon is to worship him.

The threshold: see the comments on verse 4. In keeping with its rendering of verse 4, Revised English Bible says “do not set foot on Dagon’s platform.”

To this day, that is, at the time this account was written. For the same expression elsewhere in 1 and 2 Samuel, see 1 Sam 6.18; 27.6; 30.25; 2 Sam 4.3; 6.8; 18.18.

At the end of this verse, the Septuagint adds the words “because stepping over, they step over.” This is the basis for the addition in New American Bible “they always step over it.” at and Osty-Trinquet also follow the Septuagint: “they leap over it.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The hand of the LORD was heavy upon the people of Ashdod: this clause is connected to the next clause, and he terrified and afflicted them, with the word and. This should not be understood to mean that God first punished the people and then did something else. Rather the second part is a fuller explanation of the first.

Hand of the LORD: regarding the metaphorical use of the word hand, see the comments on 4.8. God’s “hand,” that is, his power, may be related to punishment or deliverance. The context here clearly indicates punishment (see also verses 7 and 11 below). A literal rendering is not advisable, and the clause may be rendered “The LORD caused a lot of trouble for the people of Ashdod” (Contemporary English Version) or “The LORD dealt severely with the people of Ashdod” (New American Bible).

Tumors: the noun comes from a root meaning “to swell” and has been variously interpreted to be hemorrhoids (New American Bible, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), boils (Nueva Biblia Española), a form of tropical dysentery, and bubonic plague (see note in Good News Translation). If a specific word or expression does not exist for this word, a more general expression such as “growths on their skin” (New Century Version) or “sores” (Contemporary English Version) may be used.

Both Ashdod and its territory: the reference is to the city of Ashdod and the surrounding territory near the city. Several modern versions take this to mean the “neighbors” of the people of Ashdod (New Century Version, Contemporary English Version).

The Septuagint contains additional words at the end of this verse. The manuscripts of the Septuagint differ, but all refer to mice in this verse, while the Masoretic Text mentions mice for the first time in 6.4. Revised English Bible, following the Septuagint, translates the end of the verse as follows: “he plagued them with tumours, and their territory swarmed with rats. There was death and destruction all through the city.” La Bible du Semeur is similar to Revised English Bible and states in a footnote that these words are missing from the traditional Hebrew text and have been added according to the ancient Greek version. An American Translation, following one part of the Septuagint tradition, adds the following words: “He brought mice upon them, and they swarmed in their ships. Then mice went up into their land, and there was a mortal panic in the city” (so also New American Bible). For some interpreters the casual mention of mice in 6.4 seems to presuppose that they had been introduced earlier in the story; such an understanding gives support to the Septuagint text. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text. Translators may wish to include a footnote similar to that in Good News Translation.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The men of Ashdod: the Hebrew word translated men is probably not intended to exclude women. While some modern translations retain the translation men (Revised English Bible), others use an inclusive word such as “inhabitants” (New Revised Standard Version) or “the people of Ashdod” (New Jerusalem Bible, New Century Version).

The verb they said may be better translated as a reciprocal form in some languages (“they said to each other”), since the content of this direct quotation is obviously something that was exchanged between the people of Ashdod.

The God of Israel: see the comments on 1.17.

For expresses the reason that the ark must not remain among the people of Ashdod. Good News Translation reverses the order of the clauses, stating the reason first. It also avoids wording that may give the impression that the ark acted on its own. So instead of “the ark … must not remain with us,” it will be better in some languages to say “we must not keep the ark … any longer.” It may also be more natural to transform the entire direct quotation into an indirect statement as follows:

• When they saw what was happening, they thought that the God of Israel was punishing them and their god Dagon. And they decided among themselves that they could no longer keep the Covenant Box.

On the meaning and translation of the words his hand is heavy upon us, see the comments on verse 6.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .