It was a common practice in the ancient Near East to collect the hands and heads of the fallen in order to demonstrate a battle victory1 and to establish a proper body count (see Judges 7:25; Judges 8:6; 1 Samuel 17:54; 1 Samuel 31:9; 2 Samuel 4:12).2 With Dagon’s head and hands being chopped off, the Lord affirmed that Dagon had been defeated by him.
4 But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.