OET interlinear 1SA 5:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

וְ⁠רֹ֨אשׁ דָּג֜וֹן וּ⁠שְׁתֵּ֣י ׀ כַּפּ֣וֹת יָדָ֗י⁠ו כְּרֻתוֹת֙

and,head_of Dagon and,both_of palms_of hands_of,his cut_off

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [And it appeared that someone had cut off the head of Dagon and the two of the palms of his hands]

Note 2 topic: translate-symaction

וְ⁠רֹ֨אשׁ דָּג֜וֹן וּ⁠שְׁתֵּ֣י ׀ כַּפּ֣וֹת יָדָ֗י⁠ו כְּרֻתוֹת֙

and,head_of Dagon and,both_of palms_of hands_of,his cut_off

Cutting off the head and hands of Dagon was a symbolic action that indicated that this false god was not wise enough or strong enough to defend himself. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the significance of this action. Alternate translation: [And the head of Dagon and the two of the palms of his hands were cut off, demonstrating how helpless he actually was]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicitinfo

וּ⁠שְׁתֵּ֣י ׀ כַּפּ֣וֹת יָדָ֗י⁠ו

and,both_of palms_of hands_of,his

The word that the ULT translates as hands could indicate someone’s entire lower arms, so the author is clarifying what specific part of them had been cut off. Your language may be able to refer to his part more simply, and so this expression may seem to contain extra information that would not be natural to express in your language. If so, you can shorten it. Alternate translation: [and his hands]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

אֶל־הַ⁠מִּפְתָּ֔ן

to/towards the,threshold

The author is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You can supply these words from the context if that would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [and they were lying on the threshold]

Note 5 topic: translate-symaction

אֶל־הַ⁠מִּפְתָּ֔ן

to/towards the,threshold

Leaving the head and hands of Dagon on the threshold, where people coming in and out of the temple would trample on them, was a symbolic action that expressed contempt for these symbols of Dagon’s supposed wisdom and power. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the significance of this action. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: [Someone had left them contemptuously on the threshold]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

רַ֥ק דָּג֖וֹן נִשְׁאַ֥ר עָלָֽי⁠ו

only Dagon left on/upon/above=him/it

The author assumes that his readers will understand that by Dagon, in this instance he means the part of the statute that looked like a fish. The name Dagon comes from the word for “fish.” Fish symbolized prosperity for the Philistines, who lived by the seacoast. Statues of Dagon had a human head and hands but the body of a fish. You could indicate this explicitly in your translation if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [the only thing left of the statute was the part that looked like a fish]