Home › Glossary › Letter D

Dagon

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A Philistine deity, defeated by the Ark of the Covenant in the biblical narrative; in poetry, he symbolizes idolatry, false power, and the triumph of the divine over pagan gods.

Detailed Definition
In the story of the Ark among the Philistines, the statue of Dagon repeatedly falls before the presence of Israel’s God, its humiliation becoming a comic and unsettling sign of displaced power. Dagon can therefore symbolize idols that collapse when confronted with a larger reality. Poets may invoke him for failing empires, broken monuments, or pride that discovers its own worship has no foundation.
Example
Example in poetry:
Dagon is the Philistine deity whose image falls before the Ark in the biblical narrative.; A poet can use Dagon as a symbol of an idol brought low by a greater power.; “Dagon broke before the dawn, his hands unable to defend him” retells the biblical image in lyric form.; The name may also represent false authority, especially when pride collapses in public.
Additional Notes
Dagon is a Philistine god whose image falls face-down before the Ark of the Covenant in 1 Samuel 5. After being set upright, it falls again, and its hands and head are broken. The narrative uses the toppled statue to dramatize the Lord’s superiority over idols and rival powers.
Other Meanings of “Dagon”
Also Known As
Dagan
Skip to main content