Judges 16:23The 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."
The setting
Gaza, Palestine. 1100 BC. Temple of Dagon packed with thousands of Philistines celebrating their greatest military victory...
The emotion here: recording the irony — these people have no idea what's coming
The original word
Dagon (דגון) — half-man, half-fish fertility god of the Philistines
Why it matters
Dagon temples had massive pillars supporting the roof where crowds gathered on top
Read with care
What most readers miss in Judges 16:23
This was the biggest religious festival in Philistine history — their 9/11 in reverse
Common misconceptionPeople think this shows God abandoned Samson. Actually, it sets up the greatest comeback in the Bible. God was positioning Samson for maximum impact.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Judges 16:23
Bible Genome reading
Judges 16:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Judges 16:23 comes from the book of Judges, written during the judges period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is joyful, with a comfort power of 65% and a tone that is celebratory. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include false worship, celebration. Notable phrases: great sacrifice to Dagon.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same joyful
“For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, …”
— Isaiah 9:6
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:22
“"Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?"”
— 1 Corinthians 15:55
“Rejoice always.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:16
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
Your reflection
What does Judges 16:23 mean to you, today?
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