³ When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, ^(A)Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and ^(B)set him in his place again. ⁴ But when they arose early the next morning, behold, ^(C)Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; ^[a]only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

⁷ When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.”