Judges 16 · Verse 23

Judges 16:23

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.
Judges 16:23, King James Version

Judges 16:23 in other translations

BSBNow 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.”
WEBThe 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.”
ASVAnd 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.
YLTand 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.'
DARBYThen 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.
BBEAnd 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.
WebsterThen the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

What does Judges 16:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Jud 16:23-25. Their Feast to Dagon.

23. the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon--It was a common practice in heathen nations, on the return of their solemn religious festivals, to bring forth their war prisoners from their places of confinement or slavery; and, in heaping on them every species of indignity, they would offer their grateful tribute to the gods by whose aid they had triumphed over their enemies. Dagon was a sea idol, usually represented as having the head and upper parts human, while the rest of the body resembled a fish.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 Unto Dagon their god - Diodorus Siculus describes their god thus: Το μεν προσωπον εχει γυναικος, το δ' αλλο σωμα παν ιχθους; "It had the head of a woman, but all the rest of the body resembled a fish." Dagon was called Dorceto among the heathens. Horace, in the following lines, especially in the third and fourth, seems to have in view the image of Dagon: - Humano capiti cervicem pictor equinam Pingere si velit; et varias inducere plumas, Undique collatis Inembris; ut turpiter atrum Desinat in piscem mulier formosa superne; Spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici? De Art. Poet., V. 1. "Suppose a painter to a human head Should join a horse's neck; and wildly spread The various plumage of the feather'd kind O'er limbs of different beasts, absurdly join'd; Or if he gave to view a beauteous maid, Above the waist with every charm array'd, Should a foul fish her lower parts infold, Would you not smile such pictures to behold?" Francis.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 16:22-24

Samson's afflictions were the means of bringing him to deep repentance. By the loss of his bodily sight the eyes of his understanding were opened; and by depriving him of bodily strength, the Lord was pleased to renew his spiritual strength. The Lord permits some few to wander wide and sink deep, yet he recovers them at last, and marking his displeasure at sin in their severe temporal sufferings, preserves them from…

Read the full comment on Judges 16:22-24 →

Judges 16:23 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְסַרְנֵ֣יve.sar.Neiand [the] rulers ofH5633
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗יםfe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
נֶֽאֱסְפוּ֙ne.'es.Futhey gatheredH622
לִזְבֹּ֧חַliz.Bo.achto sacrificeH2076
זֶֽבַח\־ze.vach-a sacrificeH2077
גָּד֛וֹלga.DolgreatH1419
לְדָג֥וֹןle.da.Gonto DagonH1712
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם'e.lo.hei.Hemgod theirH430
וּלְשִׂמְחָ֑הu.le.sim.Chahand for joyH8057
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּvai.Yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
נָתַ֤ןna.Tanhe has givenH5414
אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙'e.lo.Hei.nugod ourH430
בְּיָדֵ֔נוּbe.ya.De.nuin hand ourH3027
אֵ֖ת'et<obj.>H853
שִׁמְשׁ֥וֹןshim.ShonSamsonH8123
אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ\׃'oy.Vei.nuenemies ourH341

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 16:23

  • Proverbs 24:17

    Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

  • 1 Samuel 5:2-5

    When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon 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 upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.

  • 1 Corinthians 8:4-5

    As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

  • Micah 4:5

    For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.

  • Jeremiah 2:11

    Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

  • Romans 1:23-25

    And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

  • Psalms 35:15-16

    But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

  • Job 30:9-10

    And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword. They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.

  • 1 Chronicles 10:10

    And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:20

    But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dagon.
1Sa 5:2-5; Jer 2:11; Mic 4:5; Ro 1:23-25; 1Co 8:4,5; 10:20
to rejoice.
Job 30:9,10; Ps 35:15,16; Pr 24:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 16:22

    Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

  • Judges 16:23

    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.

  • Judges 16:24

    And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.

Read all of Judges 16

Judges 16:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		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.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les princes des Philistins s’assemblèrent pour offrir un grand sacrifice à Dagon, leur dieu, et pour se réjouir; et ils dirent: Notre dieu a livré entre nos mains Samson, notre ennemi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Fürsten der Philister versammelten sich, um ihrem Gott Dagon ein großes Schlachtopfer zu opfern und um ein Freudenfest zu feiern; denn sie sprachen: Unser Gott hat Simson, unseren Feind, in unsere Hand gegeben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et principes Philisthinorum convenerunt in unum ut immolarent hostias magnificas Dagon deo suo, et epularentur, dicentes: Tradidit deus noster inimicum nostrum Samson in manus nostras.