Judges 16:23 · Bible study
Judges 16:23 Commentary: The Philistines’ Sacrifice to Dagon
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
The Philistine lords credit Dagon for Samson's capture, raising questions about divine sovereignty when God has withdrawn from his judge.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Philistine lords sacrifice to Dagon, praising him for delivering Samson, an ironic misattribution since Yahweh had withdrawn his presence.
- Key words: Dagon (H1712), Philistine fish-god; zevach (H2077), sacrifice; simchah (H8057), joy; natan bayad (H5414+H3027), “delivered into hand.”
- Main debate: Whether the temple described is typical of Philistine architecture, and whether Dagon was originally a Canaanite or Philistine deity.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereignty over apparent defeats; the folly of idolatry in attributing God’s actions to false gods.
- Best use: A warning against misplaced praise and a reminder that God works even when we cannot see him.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
The lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.”
KJV King James Version 1769
Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the lords of the Philistines gathered them together to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and the princes of the Philistines have been gathered together to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; and they say, `Our god hath given into our hand Samson our enemy.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Then the lords of the Philistines gathered together to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagon theirgod, and to rejoice; for they said, Ourgod has given Samson our enemy into our hands.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the princes of the Philistines assembled together, to offer great sacrifices to Dagon their god, and to make merry, saying: Our god hath delivered our enemy Samson into our hands.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces los príncipes de los Filisteos se juntaron para ofrecer sacrificio á Dagón su dios, y para alegrarse; y dijeron: Nuestro dios entregó en nuestras manos á Samsón nuestro enemigo.
Então os príncipes dos filisteus se juntaram para oferecer sacrifício a Dagom seu deus, e para alegrar-se; e disseram: Nosso deus entregou em nossas mãos a Sansão nosso inimigo.
Or les princes des Philistins s’assemblèrent pour offrir un grand sacrifice à Dagon, leur dieu, et pour se réjouir. Ils disaient: Notre dieu a livré entre nos mains Samson, notre ennemi.
Da aber der Philister Fürsten sich versammelten, ihrem Gott Dagon ein großes Opfer zu tun und sich zu freuen, sprachen sie: Unser Gott hat uns unsern Feind Simson in unsre Hände gegeben.
Toen verzamelden zich de vorsten der Filistijnen, om hun god Dagon een groot offer te offeren, en tot vrolijkheid; en zij zeiden: Onze god heeft onze vijand Simson in onze hand gegeven.
Or i principi dei Filistei si radunarono per offrire un gran sacrifizio a Dagon, loro dio, e per rallegrarsi. Dicevano: “Il nostro dio ci ha dato nelle mani Sansone, nostro nemico”.
A książęta Filistyńskie zebrali się sprawować ofiary wielkie Dagonowi, bogu swemu, weselili się, i mówili: Podał bóg nasz w ręce nasze Samsona, nieprzyjaciela naszego.
Владельцы Филистимские собрались, чтобы принести великую жертву Дагону, богу своему, и повеселиться, и сказали: бог наш предал Самсона, врага нашего, в руки наши.
非利士人 的首領 聚集，要給他們的神 大袞 獻 大 祭，並且歡樂，因為他們說：「我們的神 將 我們的仇敵 參孫 交 在我們手中了。」
And the chiefs of the Philistines came together to make a great offering to Dagon their god, and to be glad; for they said, Our god has given into our hands Samson our hater.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 16:23
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the Philistine lords gathered for a great sacrificial festival honoring Dagon, their national deity, attributing Samson's capture to him (Gill; Keil & Delitzsch). The Hebrew term zevach gadol (“great sacrifice”) indicates a large-scale thanksgiving offering, likely part of an annual celebration (Josephus, cited by Gill). Dagon, whose name derives from dag (“fish”), was represented as half-man, half-fish, a god of fertility and the sea (Barnes; Cambridge Bible). Gill observes the irony: the Philistines blindly credit a false god, while believers often fail to acknowledge the true God’s works. Keil & Delitzsch note that this festival set the stage for Samson’s final act of judgment. All agree that the narrative juxtaposes human attribution of victory to an idol with the sovereign purpose of Yahweh, who had departed from Samson but would use his death to strike the Philistines.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal-historical view: The Philistines genuinely believed Dagon acted; the text records their mistaken worship without approving it.
- Irony-saturated reading: The narrator undercuts the Philistine claim by noting Yahweh’s departure (v. 20) and Samson’s regrown hair (v. 22), showing God’s hidden sovereignty.
What is clear: The Philistines celebrated Samson’s capture as a victory from their god Dagon, but the biblical narrative presents this as a misunderstanding of the true God’s purpose.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Dagon’s nature as a deity | Commentators agree Dagon was the national god of the Philistines, often represented as half-man, half-fish, associated with fertility or the sea. | Some traditions (e.g., Philo of Byblos, referenced by Cambridge Bible) derive the name from <em>dagan</em> (grain), viewing him as an agricultural god; others emphasize the fish connection from <em>dag</em>. |
| The Philistines' attribution of victory | All agree the Philistines believed Dagon had delivered Samson into their hands, and they celebrated accordingly. | Theological emphasis varies: some (Gill) stress the blindness of the heathen, others (Keil & Delitzsch) highlight the narrative irony that God was using their celebration to bring judgment. |
| The temple setting | The festival occurred in a large building with pillars supporting a roof, likely a temple or palace hall. | The Cambridge Bible notes a textual suggestion that the phrase “for they said … our hand” might be a later gloss; most commentators treat it as original. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Philistines were a seafaring people (likely originating from Crete or the Aegean) who settled the coastal plain of Canaan. Their league of five city-states, Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, was governed by seranim (“lords” or “princes”). Dagon was their chief deity, with temples at Gaza and Ashdod (1 Samuel 5:2, 5; 1 Chronicles 10:10). The name Dagon is related to Hebrew dag (fish), and ancient descriptions portray him with a human upper body and a fish’s tail (Diodorus Siculus, cited by Clarke; Barnes). Some traditions also link him to grain (dagan), suggesting an agricultural aspect (Cambridge Bible).
The festival described in verse 23 was a public celebration of Samson’s capture and imprisonment. The lords “gathered together” (Niphal of asaph, denoting assembly) to offer a zevach gadol, a sacrifice involving many animals, accompanied by rejoicing (simchah). Such feasts commonly included the humiliation of war prisoners, who were brought out for mockery (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). The temple structure, with pillars supporting a roof that held about three thousand spectators (verse 27), reflects typical Canaanite-Philistine architecture. This setting would later become the scene of Dagon’s apparent defeat.
Textual Notes
No significant textual variants are noted for this verse in the consulted sources. The Cambridge Bible suggests that the clause “for they said, ‘Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand’” (v. 23b) may be a gloss added from the people’s song in verse 24, but the evidence is inconclusive and most manuscripts include it.
Reception History
The episode of the Philistines’ sacrifice to Dagon has been remembered in Christian tradition as a vivid illustration of the folly of idolatry. John Milton’s Samson Agonistes (1671) dramatizes the scene, using it to explore themes of humiliation and vindication. Earlier, the church fathers read Samson as a type of Christ: blinded and bound, but bringing down his enemies in death. In the Reformation era, commentators like Calvin and Matthew Henry used the passage to warn against attributing God’s works to false gods. The narrative continues to challenge readers to examine whom they credit for their successes.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The blindness of misplaced praise. The Philistines credit Dagon for Samson’s capture (v. 23, 24), but the reader knows Yahweh had departed from Samson (v. 20). Their rejoicing is founded on a lie.
- God’s hidden sovereignty in defeat. The Philistine triumph is permitted by God as part of His judgment on Israel and preparation for Samson’s final victory. The hair was growing back (v. 22), signaling restoration.
- The reversal of seeming victory. What begins as Dagon’s triumph ends with the temple’s destruction (v. 30). God uses his judge’s apparent weakness to accomplish a greater deliverance.
Five-point outline
- Setting the stage: The Philistine lords gather for a great sacrifice, national gratitude for Samson’s downfall.
- The wrong attribution: “Our god has delivered Samson into our hand.” They ignore Delilah’s bribery and God’s departure.
- The irony of the setting: The temple of Dagon, the fish-god, becomes the place of his own insult.
- The hidden work of God: Samson’s hair grows; God is not finished.
- The final blow: Samson’s death brings more Philistine deaths than his life, a judgment on Dagon’s house.
Illustration hooks
- Thanking the wrong source. A runner who credits a lucky charm instead of their training, then trips during the victory lap.
- The prisoner brought out for mockery. A captured soldier is paraded on stage, but unknown to the captors, his comrades are about to storm the building.
- A team celebrating a goal scored by their opponent. Rejoicing in a win that actually came from the other side’s error.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Did God abandon Samson completely, or was He still working through him?
- How could the Philistines think Dagon was real when God had proven stronger in the past?
- What modern “Dagons” do people credit for blessings that come from God alone?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures a moment of misplaced celebration. The Philistines attribute Samson’s downfall to Dagon, yet the larger story shows God’s unseen hand. As a group, explore how this passage challenges our own assumptions about who deserves credit for success.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What details does the text give about the Philistine festival? Who gathered, and what did they do?
- Observation: Compare verse 23 with verse 20. What does the reader know that the Philistines do not?
- Interpretation: Why did the Philistines attribute Samson’s capture to Dagon instead of to Delilah’s betrayal or their own soldiers?
- Interpretation: How does the note that Samson’s hair was growing back (v. 22) affect the meaning of this celebration?
- Interpretation: In what way does this verse prepare the reader for Samson’s final prayer and the temple’s collapse?
- Application: When have you seen people give credit to “luck” or a “higher power” without recognizing the true God?
- Application: How can we guard against the temptation to claim personal credit for successes that God has granted?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 5:2 | The Philistines took God’s ark, and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. |
| I Samuel 5:5 | Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. |
| I Chronicles 10:10 | They put his armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon. |
| Job 30:9 | “Now I have become their song. Yes, I am a byword to them. |
| Job 30:10 | They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, and don’t hesitate to spit in my face. |
| Psalms 35:15 | But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at me, and didn’t cease. |
| Psalms 35:16 | Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me. |
| Proverbs 24:17 | Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws on ancient sources to describe Dagon as a fish-tailed deity with a woman's head, a grotesque hybrid of human and sea creature. He cites classical poets to show that the Philistines worshiped this bizarre image, which then fell broken before the ark of God.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies Dagon as a fish-god, connecting the biblical account with ancient Assyrian carvings and cylinders. He notes that the Philistine idol appeared in varying forms: some had a human upper body with a fish tail, while others wore the fish's head as a mitre and its body as a cloak.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary notes that while Dagon was central to Philistine worship, his origins and nature remain uncertain. The name appears outside Philistine territory, suggesting he was a Canaanite god they adopted. Various theories identify him as an agricultural deity or a fish-god, but these remain guesses based on etymology rather than firm evidence.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that the Philistines credit their god Dagon for capturing Samson, offering a sacrifice and rejoicing in what they view as a divine victory over their enemy. This sets up a direct contrast between Dagon and the God of Israel, foreshadowing Dagon’s later humiliation.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill contrasts the Philistines' immediate and lavish praise to their false god Dagon for delivering Samson with believers' frequent reluctance to credit the true God for His blessings. He finds their blind devotion a pointed rebuke to those who know the living God yet fail to honor Him for His works.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
The Philistines brought their war captives to Dagon's festival, heaping public shame on them as part of their thanksgiving to the god they credited with victory. Dagon was a sea idol, depicted with a human head and upper body but the lower half of a fish.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch insists Samson's final act was not suicide but a heroic, God-ordained victory. By pulling down Dagon's temple, Samson vindicated Jehovah's honor against the Philistine fish-deity and proved that God would not let His enemies triumph. The shame of Samson's sin was taken away, and his death brought a greater defeat than his life had.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that Samson's physical blindness opens his spiritual eyes; while grinding in prison, he repents and
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Samson's final prayer was not mere personal revenge but a plea for God to be glorified over the Philistine idol Dagon. His strength returned as an act of faith, and his death accomplished more for Israel's deliverance than his entire life had done.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.