Dagon

Dagon (from Hebrew dag, fish, or possibly dagan, grain) was the chief national deity of the Philistines. Ancient sources and the idol's name suggest he was depicted with a human head and hands but the body of a fish, combining Mesopotamian and Semitic fish-deity traditions. His worship was widespread across the ancient Levant — temples to Dagon existed at Gaza, Ashdod, and Beth-shan. In Scripture he appears at three decisive moments: Samson's destruction of the temple at Gaza, killing thousands of Philistines (Judges 16:23–30); the capture of the ark of the covenant by the Philistines, when Dagon's idol fell prostrate before the ark and was broken (1 Samuel 5:2–7); and the deposit of Saul's armor in the temple of Dagon at Beth-shan after his death (1 Chronicles 10:10). Each episode serves in the biblical narrative to demonstrate the LORD's supremacy over pagan deities.