בֵּית־דָּגוֹן (bet-da.gon)
bet-da.gon
Beth-dagon
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The place name Beth-dagon translates simply to "house of Dagon." In the Hebrew Bible, it refers to a location in the territory of Judah that served as the site of a temple dedicated to the Philistine deity Dagon. The term functions primarily as a geographical marker within the narrative of Israel’s conquest and settlement.
Its appearance is limited to two verses in Joshua (15:41 and 19:27), where it lists cities assigned to the tribes of Judah and Asher respectively. While the text identifies it as a temple site, the biblical narrative does not elaborate on the religious practices that occurred there. Instead, the name remains a static detail in the census-like records of tribal boundaries.
The etymology points directly to the worship of Dagon, a god often associated with grain and fertility in ancient Near Eastern cultures. By including this location in the lists of inherited land, the text acknowledges the presence of foreign religious centers within the promised territory. The name serves as a historical reminder of the cultural and spiritual landscape Israel encountered, rather than offering theological commentary on the deity itself.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Beth-dagon appears in the Bible simply as a place, translating to "house of Dagon." It marks a location where ancient peoples worshipped a deity associated with grain and fertility. For modern readers, these entries in Joshua might seem like dry geography, but they ground our faith in real history. God’s people settled in actual towns, navigating a landscape filled with competing spiritual claims.
Seeing this name reminds us that the promise of God was given in a world quite different from ours. It acknowledges the presence of foreign beliefs without validating them. We can trust that God knows every corner of the earth and every heart within it. His word remains true regardless of the idols standing nearby.
This historical detail invites us to reflect on where we place our ultimate trust today. Just as Israel had to discern truth from falsehood in their land, we too navigate a world with many voices. The Bible records these places not to glorify them, but to show how God’s covenant people lived among them. We are encouraged by the fact that God’s promises endure through every cultural shift and spiritual challenge.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Dagon2×
- Beth2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- דָּגֹן֒1×
- דָּג֥וֹן1×
- בֵּית\־1×
- בֵּ֣ית1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 15:41
Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.
This verse lists Beth-dagon as part of Judah's inheritance, showing how the tribal boundaries encompassed areas with significant religious history.
-
Joshua 19:27
It turned toward the sunrise to Beth Dagon, and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtah El northward to Beth Emek and Neiel. It went out to Cabul on the left hand,
Here the boundary for Asher reaches Beth-dagon, illustrating how these geographic markers defined the extent of Israel's settlement in the north.