Judges 16:23
New International Version
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.”

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!”

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.”

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.”

King James Bible
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.

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 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.”

NASB 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.”

NASB 1977
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.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to be glad; and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands.”

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!”

Christian Standard Bible
Now the Philistine leaders gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said: Our god has handed over our enemy Samson to us.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now the Philistine leaders gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said: Our god has handed over our enemy Samson to us.

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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the Tyrants of the Philistines were assembled to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagun their god in joy, and they were saying: “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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.

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!

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.

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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Now, the Philistine rulers gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon and to celebrate. They said, "Our god handed Samson, our enemy, over to us."

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!"

International Standard Version
Some time later, the Philistine officials got together to present a magnificent sacrifice to their god Dagon, and to throw a party, because they were claiming, "Our god has given Samson into our control!"

JPS Tanakh 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.'

Literal Standard Version
and the princes of the Philistines have been gathered together to sacrifice a great sacrifice to their god Dagon, and to rejoice; and they say, “Our god has given our enemy Samson into our hand.”

Majority 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.”

New American Bible
The lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon and to celebrate. They said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our power.”

NET Bible
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."

New Revised Standard Version
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.”

New Heart English Bible
The lords of the Philistines gathered them together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon, and to celebrate; 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 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.”

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.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Samson's Vengeance and Death
23Now 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.” 24And when the people saw him, they praised their god, saying: “Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy who destroyed our land and multiplied our dead.”…

Cross References
Judges 16:22
However, the hair of his head began to grow back after it had been shaved.

1 Samuel 5:2
carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.

1 Samuel 31:9
They cut off Saul's head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temples of their idols and among their people.


Treasury of Scripture

Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for 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.

Dagon

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…

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.

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.

to rejoice

Job 30:9,10
And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword…

Psalm 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: …

Proverbs 24:17
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

Jump to Previous
Assembled Celebrate Chiefs Dagon Delivered Enemy Hand Hands Lords Offer Offering Philistines Rejoice Rulers Sacrifice Samson Together
Jump to Next
Assembled Celebrate Chiefs Dagon Delivered Enemy Hand Hands Lords Offer Offering Philistines Rejoice Rulers Sacrifice Samson Together
Judges 16
1. Samson at Gaza escapes, and carries away the gates of the city
4. Delilah corrupted by the Philistines, entices Samson
6. Thrice she is deceived
15. At last she overcomes him
21. The Philistines take him, and put out his eyes
22. His strength renewing, he pulls down the house upon the Philistines and dies














(23) Unto Dagon their god.--Comp. 1Samuel 5:1-2; 1Chronicles 10:10. This was the

" Sea-monster:--upward man,

And downward fish."

In 1Samuel 5:4 we have an allusion to his stump or fish-part. Dag means "fish," and the same root is found in Tagus. A goddess of similar form and attributes was worshipped under the name of Atargatis or Derceto (2 Maccabees 12:26). How widely the worship was spread we see from the commonness of the name Beth-dagon in the Shephelah (Joshua 15:41). His chief temple at Azotus was burned by Judas Maccabeus (1 Maccabees 10:83). The only other Philistine god mentioned in Scripture is Baal-zebub, god of Ekron (2Kings 1:2-16). . . .

Verse 23. - Gathered them, i.e. themselves. To rejoice. The Hebrew is for a festivity, or merry-making, or feast. There was to be a great feast upon the sacrifices offered to Dagon their God. Dagon (from dag, a fish in Hebrew), the national male god of the Philistines, as Atergatis, or Derceto, was their goddess. Both the male and female divinities seem to have had the head and breast and hands human, and the rest of the body fish-shaped (see 1 Samuel 5:5). The fish was a natural emblem of fertility and productiveness, especially to a maritime people. The fish-shaped idol is found upon old Phoenician coins, and also on the monuments of Khorsabad, and on some Assyrian gems in the British Museum. One of the chief temples of Dagon was at Gaza. Several towns bore the name of Dagon, as Beth-dagon in Judah (Joshua 15:41) and in Asher (Joshua 19:27), Caphar-dagon near Diospolis, etc., showing that the worship of Dagon was widespread.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now the lords
וְסַרְנֵ֣י (wə·sar·nê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5633: An axle, a peer

of the Philistines
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים (p̄ə·liš·tîm)
Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 6430: Philistines -- inhabitants of Philistia

gathered together
נֶֽאֱסְפוּ֙‪‬ (ne·’ĕs·p̄ū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 622: To gather for, any purpose, to receive, take away, remove

to offer
לִזְבֹּ֧חַ (liz·bō·aḥ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2076: To slaughter for sacrifice

a great
גָּד֛וֹל (gā·ḏō·wl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

sacrifice
זֶֽבַח־ (ze·ḇaḥ-)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2077: A slaughter, the flesh of an animal, a sacrifice

to their god
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם (’ĕ·lō·hê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

Dagon.
לְדָג֥וֹן (lə·ḏā·ḡō·wn)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1712: Dagon -- a god and an idol of the Philistines

They rejoiced
וּלְשִׂמְחָ֑ה (ū·lə·śim·ḥāh)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8057: Blithesomeness, glee

and said,
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Our god
אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ (’ĕ·lō·hê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

has delivered
נָתַ֤ן (nā·ṯan)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

Samson
שִׁמְשׁ֥וֹן (šim·šō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8123: Samson -- a deliverer of Israel

our enemy
אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃ (’ō·wy·ḇê·nū)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

into our hands.”
בְּיָדֵ֔נוּ (bə·yā·ḏê·nū)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 3027: A hand


Links
Judges 16:23 NIV
Judges 16:23 NLT
Judges 16:23 ESV
Judges 16:23 NASB
Judges 16:23 KJV

Judges 16:23 BibleApps.com
Judges 16:23 Biblia Paralela
Judges 16:23 Chinese Bible
Judges 16:23 French Bible
Judges 16:23 Catholic Bible

OT History: Judges 16:23 The lords of the Philistines gathered them (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 16:22
Top of Page
Top of Page