Judges 16:23

Contemporary English Version

The Philistine rulers threw a big party and sacrificed a lot of animals to their god Dagon. The rulers said: Samson was our enemy, but our god Dagon helped us capture him!

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now the Philistine leaders gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said:

Hebrew Names Version
The lords of the Pelishtim gathered them together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, Our god has delivered Shimshon our enemy into our hand.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
The rulers of the Philistines had gathered to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice. And they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand."

English Standard Version
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand."

New Century Version
The Philistine rulers gathered to celebrate and to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They said, "Our god has handed Samson our enemy over to us."

New English Translation
The rulers of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate. They said, "Our god has handed Samson, our enemy, over to us."

Amplified Bible
Now the Philistine lords gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to celebrate, for they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands!"

New American Standard Bible
Now the governors of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to celebrate, for they said, "Our god has handed Samson our enemy over to us."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the Princes of the Philistims gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice vnto Dagon their god, and to reioyce: for they said, Our god hath deliuered Samson our enemie into our handes.

Legacy Standard Bible
and for others, save, snatching them out of the fire; and on others have mercy with fear, hating even the tunic polluted by the flesh.

Complete Jewish Bible
The chiefs of the P'lishtim assembled to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. As they celebrated they sang, "Our god has handed over to us our enemy Shimshon."

Darby Translation
Then the lords of the Philistines gathered together to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands.

Easy-to-Read Version
The Philistine rulers came together to celebrate. They were going to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They said, "Our god helped us defeat Samson our enemy."

George Lamsa Translation
Then the lords of the Philistines assembled 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.

Good News Translation
The Philistine kings met together to celebrate and offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They sang, "Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!"

Literal Translation
And the Philistine rulers gathered to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon, and to exult. And they said, Our god has given our enemy Samson into our hand.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan ye prynces of the Philistynes were gathered together, to make a greate sacrifice vnto Dagon their god, and to be ioyfull, they sayde: Oure god hath delyuered Samson or enemye in to or hande.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
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.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then the lordes of the Philistines gathered them together, for to offer a solempne offring vnto Dagon their God, and to reioyce: For they sayd, Our God hath deliuered Samson our enemie into our handes.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.'

King James Version (1611)
Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together, for to offer a great sacrifice vnto Dagon their god, and to reioyce: for they said, Our god hath deliuered Samson our enemy into our hand.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the chiefs of the Philistines met to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon, and to make merry; and they said, God has given into our hand our enemy Sampson.

English Revised Version
And 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.

Berean Standard Bible
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."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and the princes of Filisteis camen togidere to offre grete sacrifices to Dagon, her god, and `to ete, seiynge, Oure god hath bitake oure enemy Sampson in to oure hondis.

Young's Literal Translation
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.'

Update Bible Version
And 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then 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.

World English Bible
The lords of the Philistines gathered them 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.

New King James Version
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice. And they said: "Our god has delivered into our hands Samson our enemy!"

New Living Translation
The Philistine rulers held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god, Dagon. They said, "Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!"

New Life Bible
Now the leaders of the Philistines gathered to give a large gift to their god Dagon. They were happy, for they said, "Our god has given us Samson, the man who has fought against us."

New Revised Standard
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon, and to rejoice; for they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, the lords of the Philistines, had gathered themselves together to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice, - and they said, Our god hath delivered into our hand, Samson our enemy.

Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Revised Standard Version
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand."

THE MESSAGE
The Philistine tyrants got together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They celebrated, saying, Our god has given us Samson our enemy! And when the people saw him, they joined in, cheering their god, Our god has given Our enemy to us, The one who ravaged our country, Piling high the corpses among us.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice, for they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands."

Contextual Overview

²² But they didn't cut his hair any more, so it started growing back. ²³ The Philistine rulers threw a big party and sacrificed a lot of animals to their god Dagon. The rulers said: Samson was our enemy, but our god Dagon helped us capture him! ²⁴Everyone there was having a good time, and they shouted, "Bring out Samson—he's still good for a few more laughs!" The rulers had Samson brought from the prison, and when the people saw him, this is how they praised their god: Samson ruined our crops and killed our people. He was our enemy, but our god helped us capture him. They made fun of Samson for a while, then they told him to stand near the columns that supported the roof. ²⁶ A young man was leading Samson by the hand, and Samson said to him, "I need to lean against something. Take me over to the columns that hold up the roof." ²⁷ The Philistine rulers were celebrating in a temple packed with people and with three thousand more on the flat roof. They had all been watching Samson and making fun of him. ²⁸ Samson prayed, "Please remember me, Lord God. The Philistines poked out my eyes, but make me strong one last time, so I can take revenge for at least one of my eyes!" ²⁹ Samson was standing between the two middle columns that held up the roof. He felt around and found one column with his right hand, and the other with his left hand. ³⁰ Then he shouted, "Let me die with the Philistines!" He pushed against the columns as hard as he could, and the temple collapsed with the Philistine rulers and everyone else still inside. Samson killed more Philistines when he died than he had killed during his entire life. ³¹ His brothers and the rest of his family went to Gaza and took his body back home. They buried him in his father's tomb, which was located between Zorah and Eshtaol. Samson was a leader of Israel for twenty years.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Dagon: 1 Samuel 5:2-5, Jeremiah 2:11, Micah 4:5, Romans 1:23-25, 1 Corinthians 8:4, 1 Corinthians 8:5, 1 Corinthians 10:20

to rejoice: Job 30:9, Job 30:10, Psalms 35:15, Psalms 35:16, Proverbs 24:17

Reciprocal: Exodus 32:6 - sat down Judges 9:27 - the house Judges 10:6 - the gods of the Philistines 1 Samuel 6:16 - the five 1 Samuel 30:16 - eating 1 Samuel 31:9 - to publish 2 Samuel 1:20 - Tell 1 Chronicles 10:4 - abuse 1 Chronicles 10:9 - tidings Isaiah 44:11 - let them all Isaiah 45:11 - command Ezekiel 31:11 - delivered Daniel 1:2 - and he Daniel 3:2 - sent Daniel 5:4 - praised Daniel 5:23 - hast praised Hosea 2:5 - give Amos 6:13 - which James 5:13 - any merry Revelation 11:10 - rejoice

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together,.... The five lords, with their friends, not directly upon Samson's being taken and committed to prison, but some time after; perhaps some months:

for to get a great sacrifice to Dagon their god; in later times their god was called Marnas o, which signifies the lord of men, but now Dagon; who also had a temple at Ashdod, another of the five principalities of the Philistines, 1 Samuel 5:2 and seems to have been at this time their common and chief deity: according to Jarchi in the place referred to, it was in the form of a fish, for "dag" in Hebrew signifies a fish; and Kimchi on the same place says, that from its navel upwards it was in the form of a man, and from thence downwards in the form of a fish p; and Diodorus Siculus q relates that Derceto, a goddess of Ashkelon, another of the five principalities of Palestine, its face was human, and the other part of its body resembled a fish; and the same Lucian says of the Syrian goddess; and Cicero r testifies, that the Syrians worshipped a fish, and Porphyry s says they will not eat any; and Gaza being a maritime city, a sea port, this might be their sea god in this form: but Ben Gersom in the above place says, it was in the form of a man; and Sanchoniatho t making mention of Dagan, a brother of Saturn, Philo Byblius, who translated his history into Greek, interprets it by Siton, which signifies corn, deriving it from Dagan, which so signifies; as if this deity presided over corn, as Ceres in other nations, and Jupiter Frumentarius, or Aratrius; yea, he says he invented corn and the plough; however this be, the Philistine princes met together to sacrifice to him, not a common offering, but a great sacrifice. It is very probable that this was a public festival of the Philistines, as Josephus u says, an anniversary one; and perhaps was held in a more grand manner on the present occasion, since it is added,

and to rejoice: for they said, our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hands; for though Samson's harlot had done it, and they had paid her for it, yet they attribute it to their god, such was their blindness and stupidity; and yet this may shame us believers in the true God, who are so backward to ascribe to him the great things he does for us, when such Heathens were so forward to give glory to their false deities, without any foundation for it.

o Hicron. in Isa. xvii. fol. 39. K. p So David de Pomis Lexic. fol. 18. 3. Milton in his Paradise Lost, l. 1. v. 462, 463. "Dagon his name sea monster! upward man, And downward fish." q Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 92. & Ovid Metamorph. l. 4. Fab. 1. v. 44, &c. r De Natura Deorum, l. 3. s De Abstinentia, l. 2. sect. 6. t Apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 1. p. 36, 37. u Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 12.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Dagon was the national idol of the Philistines 1 Chronicles 10:10, so called from Dag, a fish. The description of Dagon, in his temple at Ashdod 1 Samuel 5:4, exactly agrees with the representations of a fish-god on the walls of Khorsabad, on slabs at Kouyunjik, and on sundry antique cylinders and gems. In these the figures vary. Some have a human form down to the waist, with that of a fish below the waist; others have a human head, arms, and legs, growing, as it were, out of a fish’s body, and so arranged that the fish’s head forms a kind of mitre to the man’s head, while the body and fins form a kind of cloak, hanging down behind.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 16:23. 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. Judges 16:1.

"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.