Beth-Dagon

Easton's Bible Dictionary

A city near the south-east border of Asher ( Joshua 19:27 ). It was a Philistine colony. It is identical with the modern ruined village of Tell D'auk.

Copyright Statement These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., DD Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Beth-Dagon'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/b/beth-dagon.html. 1897.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Beth-Dagon (‘house of Dagon’). 1 . A city of Judah (  Joshua 15:41 ), somewhere in the Shephelah. The name is preserved in the modern Beit Dejan , some 4 miles S.E. of Jaffa. This, however, is quite a modern village. Near it is a Roman site, named Khurbet Dajun . The Biblical Beth-dagon is still to seek. 2 . A border city in the tribe of Asher (  Joshua 19:27 ), not yet discovered.

R. A. S. Macalister.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Beth-da'gon. (House Of Dagon).

1. A city in the low country of Judah,  Joshua 15:41, and therefore, not far from the Philistine territory.

2. A town, apparently, near the coast, named as one of the landmarks of the boundary of Asher.  Joshua 19:27.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Joshua 15:41 Joshua 19:27

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Beyth Dagon', בֵּית דָּגוֹן , House [i.e. Temple ] Of Dagon ) , the name of at least two cities, one or the other of which may be the place called by this name in the Apocrypha ( Βεθ ???Daniel, 1 Maccedonians 10:63; comp. Josephus, Ant. 13, 4, 4), unless this be simply Dagon's temple at Ashdod ( 1 Samuel 5:2;  1 Chronicles 10:10). The corresponding modern name Beit-Dejan is of frequent occurrence in Palestine; in addition to those noticed below, one was found by Robinson (Researches, 3, 102) east of Nablous. There can be no doubt that in the occurrence of these names we have indications of the worship of the Philistine god having spread far beyond the Philistine territory. Possibly these are the sites of towns founded at the time when this warlike people had overrun the face of the country to "Michmash, eastward of Bethaven" on the south, and Gilboa on the north — that is, to the very edge of the heights which overlook the Jordan valley — driving "the Hebrews over Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead" ( 1 Samuel 13:5-7; comp. 17, 18; 29:1; 31:1). (See Dagon (House Of).)

1. (Sept. Βηθδαγών v. r. Βαγαδιήλ .) A city in the low country ( Shefelah ) of Judah ( Joshua 15:41, where it is named between Gederoth and Naamah), and therefore not far from the Philistine territory, with which its name implies a connection. From the absence of the copulative conjunction before this name, it has been suggested that it should be taken with the preceding, "Gederoth-Bethdagon;" in that case, probably, distinguishing Gederoth from the two places of similar name in the neighborhood. But this would leave the enumeration "sixteen cities" in  Joshua 15:41 deficient; and the conjunction is similarly omitted frequently in the same list (e.g. between  Joshua 15:38-39, etc.). The indications of site and name correspond quite well to those of Beit-Jerja, marked on Van de Velde's Map 5.5 miles S.E. of Ashkelon.

2. (Sept. Βηθδαγών v. r. Βαιθεγενέθ . ) A city near the S.E. border of the tribe of Asher, between the mouth of the Shihor-libnath and Zebulon ( Joshua 19:27); a position which agrees with that of the modern ruined village Hajeli, marked on Van de Velde's Map about 3.5 miles S.E. of Athlit. (See Tribe). The name and the proximity to the coast point to its being a Philistine colony. Schwarz's attempt at a location ( Palest. p. 192) is utterly destitute of foundation.

3. Eusebius and Jerome ( Onomast. S.V. Βεδαγών , Bethdagon) speak of a "large village" by this name ( Παραδαγών , Caphardago ) as extant in their day between Diospolis (Lydda) and Jamnia; without doubt the present Beit-Dejan (Robinson, Researches, 3, 30; Tobler, Topog. 2, 405; yet Schwarz says [Palest. p. 104], "not a vestige can be found!").

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

beth - dā´gon ( בּית־דּגון , bēthdāghōn  ; Βηθδαγών , Bēthdagō̇n ):

(1) A town in the Shephelah of Judah named with Gederoth, Naamah, and Makkedah ( Joshua 15:41 ). It may be represented by the modern Beit Dijan , about 6 miles Southeast of Jaffa. This however is a modern site, and not in the Shephelah. Nearly 2 miles to the south is Khirbet Dājūn , a Roman site. The connection in which it occurs leads us to expect a position farther Southeast

(2) A city on the border of Asher ( Joshua 19:27 ) which Conder would identify with Tell D'auk , near the mouth of the Belus, in the plan of Acre.

The name seems to have been of frequent occurrence. There is a Beit Dejan about 6 miles East of Nāblus , and Josephus speaks of a fortress called Dagon above Jericho ( Ant. , Xii , viii, 1; BJ , I, ii, 3). This would seem to indicate a widespread worship of Dagon. But the name may mean "house of corn."