Judges 16:23 kjv
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 nkjv
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!"
Judges 16:23 niv
Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, "Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands."
Judges 16:23 esv
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."
Judges 16:23 nlt
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!"
Judges 16 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 12:12 | "For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night and strike all the firstborn... against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD." | YHWH's judgment over pagan gods. |
| Num 33:4 | "...while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them; on their gods also the LORD had executed judgments." | Divine judgment against idolatry. |
| Deut 32:21 | "They have made me jealous with what is no god...I will make them jealous with those who are no people..." | YHWH's jealousy over worship of false gods. |
| Ps 115:4-8 | "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands... Those who make them become like them..." | The impotence and worthlessness of idols. |
| Isa 45:5 | "I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides me there is no God..." | Assertion of YHWH's singular deity. |
| Jer 10:10-11 | "But the LORD is the true God... The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish..." | The truth of YHWH contrasted with false gods. |
| 1 Sam 5:2-5 | "When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it beside Dagon... Dagon had fallen face downward..." | Dagon's defeat and humiliation before the Ark of YHWH. |
| 1 Chr 10:10 | "They put his armor in the house of their gods and fastened his head in the house of Dagon." | David's death and Dagon's triumph over an Israelite leader (contrast with Samson's end). |
| 2 Kgs 19:18-19 | "Of a truth, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations... But now, O LORD our God, save us... that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD." | Prayer for YHWH's demonstration against false gods. |
| Acts 14:11 | "When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, 'The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!'" | Misidentification of divine power by pagans. |
| Ps 7:16 | "His mischief will return upon his own head; his violence will come down upon his own scalp." | Divine judgment reversing evil back on the oppressor. |
| Prov 26:27 | "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling." | Consequences returning upon the schemer. |
| Obad 1:15 | "For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you..." | Retribution against enemies of God's people. |
| Phil 2:9-11 | "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow..." | All deities and powers subject to God/Christ. |
| Gen 50:20 | "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good..." | God's sovereignty working through human evil for His purpose. |
| Rom 8:28 | "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good..." | God's ultimate control over all circumstances. |
| Hab 2:18 | "What profit is an idol when its sculptor has sculpted it, a metal image, a teacher of lies?" | Futility and deceptive nature of idols. |
| Isa 46:1-2 | "Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock... They stoop; they bow down together; they cannot save the burden..." | Powerlessness of other gods compared to YHWH. |
| Zeph 1:4-5 | "...I will cut off those who worship the host of heaven on the rooftops... and those who swear by the LORD and yet swear by Milcom..." | Condemnation of syncretism and idolatry. |
| Isa 19:1 | "An oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; and the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence..." | Trembling of idols at YHWH's presence. |
Judges 16 verses
Judges 16 23 Meaning
Judges 16:23 describes the joyous assembly of the Philistine leaders who convene to offer a grand sacrifice to their god Dagon. This celebration is driven by their belief that Dagon has delivered Samson, their formidable enemy, into their control. The verse highlights the Philistines' religious worldview, where their deity is credited with their victory, setting the stage for a significant theological confrontation between Dagon and the God of Israel.
Judges 16 23 Context
This verse is situated after Samson's capture, blinding, and imprisonment by the Philistines. It represents the height of Philistine jubilation and their perceived triumph over Israel’s divinely empowered deliverer. The Philistine celebration of Dagon directly contrasts with the humiliation of Samson, and by extension, the apparent defeat of YHWH’s power in the eyes of the Philistines. The overall narrative of Judges frequently highlights the cycle of sin, oppression by enemies (like the Philistines), Israel's cry to God, and a divinely raised deliverer. Samson, despite his flaws, was meant to begin delivering Israel from the Philistines. His capture, however, presented an opportunity for the Philistines to reassert their dominion, not just militarily but religiously, claiming their god Dagon had overcome the God of Israel. Historically, the Philistines were a powerful Sea Peoples group settled in Canaan, rivals of Israel, with a strong polytheistic culture, centered around deities like Dagon.
Judges 16 23 Word analysis
- Then the Philistine lords: The Hebrew for "lords" is seranim (סְרָנִים), a title unique to the Philistines in the Old Testament, indicating a distinct political-military leadership structure (e.g., of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron). This indicates a powerful, unified decision-making body. Their gathering emphasizes the significance of the event.
- gathered: Implies a collective, public assembly. This was not a private act but a national display of triumph and religious devotion.
- to offer a great sacrifice: Hebrew la‘asot zevakh gadol (לַעֲשׂוֹת זֶבַח גָּדוֹל). "Sacrifice" (zevakh) refers to an offering, often involving feasting. "Great" (gadol) signifies its immense scale and importance. It suggests extensive preparation, many animals, and a large assembly, indicating immense resources and deep devotion to Dagon.
- to Dagon their god: Dagon was a primary deity in the Philistine pantheon, also worshipped by Canaanites, often depicted as half-man, half-fish, or a grain deity. Attributing victory to "their god" directly contrasts with Israel's belief in YHWH as the sole sovereign God, setting up a theological confrontation. This statement serves as a polemic against pagan polytheism by eventually demonstrating the falsity and impotence of such gods.
- and to celebrate: Hebrew u-lesame'ach (וּלְשִׂמֵּחַ). Implies deep joy, revelry, and jubilation over their perceived triumph. This was a time of national feasting and rejoicing.
- saying: Marks the direct attribution and their stated reason for the celebration.
- 'Our god has given Samson, our enemy, into our hands.': This is the core declaration of their triumph. "Our god" clearly refers to Dagon. "Given" (nathan) indicates a divine act of deliverance. The phrase "into our hands" signifies total control and victory. Calling Samson "our enemy" underscores his significance as a powerful threat from Israel, and thus, Dagon's perceived greater power in overcoming him. Theologically, this is an idolatrous boast and a challenge to YHWH, setting the stage for Dagon's later humiliation (1 Sam 5). The irony lies in the fact that YHWH, in His sovereign plan, had allowed Samson to be delivered into their hands, but for His ultimate redemptive purpose and to demonstrate His power.
Judges 16 23 Bonus section
- Dagon's Cultic Significance: Dagon was an ancient Near Eastern deity, prominent in Mesopotamia and Ugarit, often associated with grain (Dagan, meaning "grain" in some Semitic languages) or, as a popular folk etymology suggested, with dag (fish), hence the common fish-god iconography. His importance to the Philistines indicates that their primary security and prosperity were tied to agriculture or maritime trade, attributing success in these areas, and by extension in war, to Dagon.
- Irony of Deliverance: While the Philistines attribute Samson's capture to Dagon, Samson's entire story, including his birth, was an act of YHWH's intervention and appointment to begin Israel's deliverance (Jdg 13:5). Thus, Samson's delivery into their hands was ultimately within YHWH's divine providence, a bitter irony that will soon culminate in YHWH’s decisive vindication through Samson's final act.
- Polemic against Paganism: This verse, and indeed the broader Samson narrative, implicitly critiques polytheism. By attributing the victory to Dagon, the Philistines are establishing Dagon as the true sovereign. The subsequent events (especially Jdg 16:27-30 and 1 Sam 5) powerfully dismantle this claim, providing a clear biblical polemic that YHWH alone is God, and idols are powerless.
- Public Humiliation: The celebration in Dagon’s temple served to publicly humiliate not only Samson but implicitly Israel's God. The greater the public display of Philistine joy and Dagon’s presumed triumph, the more significant and public would be Dagon's ultimate disgrace and YHWH’s victory.
Judges 16 23 Commentary
Judges 16:23 serves as a pivotal moment, portraying the pinnacle of Philistine pride and spiritual blindness. Their lavish sacrifice and boisterous celebration of Dagon reveal a worldview where human victory is directly credited to a false god, in direct opposition to YHWH's sovereignty. This act of religious devotion by the Philistines is a public declaration that Dagon is superior to the God of Israel, given that he supposedly delivered Samson, the instrument of YHWH's initial deliverance for Israel. The intensity of their celebration and the declaration of Dagon's prowess highlight their spiritual enmity towards YHWH. Unbeknownst to them, their rejoicing is premature, for God's ultimate plan is not thwarted but rather being perfectly executed through these very events. This Philistine boasting is a dramatic setup for the powerful and ironic reversal that is about to occur, where God will demonstrate His supremacy not just over Samson’s captors but over their cherished deity, Dagon himself, validating YHWH's authority over all earthly powers and idols.