Dagon
Male
Little fish; diminutive from dag = a fish, the fish-god; the national god of the Philistines (Judg. 16:23). This idol had the body of a fish with the head and hands of a man. It was an Assyrio-Babylonian deity, the worship of which was introduced among the Philistines through Chaldea. The most famous of the temples of Dagon were at Gaza (Judg. 16:23-30) and Ashdod (1 Sam. 5:1-7).
Relationships
Appears in 1 Samuel
Key verses
1 Samuel 5:3
When they of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark. They took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
Judges 16:23
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.”
1 Samuel 5:7
When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is severe on us, and on Dagon our god.”
1 Samuel 5:2
The Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
1 Samuel 5:4
When they arose early on the next day morning, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso was intact.
1 Samuel 5:5
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.