Lexical Definition
בֵּית־דָּגוֹן Bêyth-Dâgôwn (bayth-daw-gohn') Beth-dagon N:N--L
from בַּיִת and דָּגוֹן; house of Dagon
Beth-dagon.
- § Beth-dagon = "house of Dagon"
- Beth-Dagon, the name of two places in Palestine
1) the temple of Dagon in Judah
2) the temple of Dagon in Asher
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| דָּג֥וֹן | Dagon | Josh.15.41 |
| בֵּית | Beth | Josh.15.41 |
Brown-Driver-Briggs
בֵּיתדָּֿגוֺן Josh 15:41, בֵּית דָּגֹן Josh 19:27
proper name, of a location 1. in Judah (house, i.e. temple of Dagon; Assyrian Bit-Daganna COTJosh 15:41, & i. p. 281) Josh 15:41 (ᵐ5 Βαγαδιηλ, but ᵐ5L Βηθδαγων) — name appears in modern Beit Dejân, southeast of Jaffa, but location unsuitable, compare RobBR ii. 232.
2. in Asher Josh 19:27 (ᵐ5 Βαιθεγενεθ, but ᵐ5L Βηθδαγων) perhaps = Beit Dejen, near Akko, compare Di. **Jeromeopp. (ed. Vallarsl). iii. 38 defines as domus tritici, and says Id.ib. 174): 'sed et usque hodie grandis vicus Capherdago inter Diospolim et Jamnian demonstratur.' [Elsewhere he defines דגון (Id.ib. 48) as 'piscis tristitiae'] (HPS, privately).
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Joshua | 15:41 · 19:27 |
Profile
Beth-dagon_1 • Town in Judah, named after the Philistine god Dagon.
Beth-dagon was a town in Judah, likely named after the Philistine god Dagon. (Joshua 15:41)
- A location only mentioned at Jos.15.41;
- only referred to as Beth-dagon בֵּית־דָּגוֹן.
Beth-dagon, meaning "house of Dagon" in Hebrew, was a town allotted to the tribe of Judah during the division of the Promised Land. It is mentioned only once in the Bible, in Joshua 15:41, as part of a list of towns in the lowland region of Judah, known as the Shephelah.
The name Beth-dagon suggests that the town was associated with the worship of Dagon, a Philistine deity often depicted as having the upper body of a man and the tail of a fish. Dagon was considered the god of fertility, agriculture, and storms. The Philistines believed that Dagon had granted them victory over the Israelites and captured the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 5:1-7).
The presence of a town named after Dagon within Judah's territory indicates the influence of Philistine culture and religion in the region. It is not uncommon for towns and cities in the ancient Near East to be named after the deities worshipped there.
The exact location of Beth-dagon is not specified in the Bible, but it was likely situated in the western part of Judah, near the Philistine border.
All entries for Beth-dagon: בֵּית־דָּגוֹן