SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:23
Entonces los príncipes de los filisteos se juntaron para ofrecer un gran sacrificio a Dagón su dios, y para alegrarse; y dijeron: Nuestro dios entregó en nuestras manos a Sansón nuestro enemigo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Judges 16:23
Verse 23. Unto Dagon their god] Diodourus Siculus describes their god thus: to men proswpon ecei gunaikov, to dÆ allo swma pan icqouv; "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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 23. Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together , etc.] 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 f352 , 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 f353 ; and Diodorus Siculus 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 testifies, that the Syrians worshipped a fish, and Porphyry f356 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 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 f358 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 wer opened; and by depriving him of bodily strength, the Lord was please to renew his spiritual strength. The Lord permits some few to wande wide and sink deep, yet he recovers them at last, and marking his displeasure at sin in their severe temporal sufferings, preserves the from sinking into the pit of destruction. Hypocrites may abuse thes examples, and infidels mock at them, but true Christians will thereb be rendered more humble, watchful, and circumspect; more simple in their dependence on the Lord, more fervent in prayer to be kept from falling, and in praise for being preserved; and, if they fall, the will be kept from sinking into despair.
Original Hebrew
וסרני 5633 פלשׁתים 6430 נאספו 622 לזבח 2076 זבח 2077 גדול 1419 לדגון 1712 אלהיהם 430 ולשׂמחה 8057 ויאמרו 559 נתן 5414 אלהינו 430 בידנו 3027 את 853 שׁמשׁון 8123 אויבינו׃ 341
