Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge on 1 Samuel 5:4

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · Cross-reference reference work
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

the head: Isa 2:18, Isa 2:19, Isa 27:9; Jer 10:11, Jer 50:2; Eze 6:4-6; Dan 11:8; Mic 1:7 of Dagon: The name of this idol, Dagon, signifies a fish, and it is supposed to be the Atergatis of the Syrians, corruptly called Derceto by the Greeks, which had the upper part like a woman, and the lower part like a fish; as Lucian informs us: Δερκετους δε ειδος εν Φοινικη εθεησαμην, θεημα ξενον; ημισεη μεν γυνη; το δε οκοσον εκ μηρων ες ακρους ποδας, ιχθυος ουρη αποτεινεται. "In Phoenicia I saw the image of Derceto; a strange sight truly! For she had the half of a woman, but from the thighs downward a fish's tail." Diodorus (1. ii.) describing the same idol, as represented at Askelon, says, το μεν προσωπον εχει γυναικος, το δἀλλο σωμα παν ιχθυος. "It had the head of a woman, but all the rest of the body a fish's." Probably Horace alludes to this idol, in De Art. Poet. Mic 1:4; Desinat in piscem, mulier formosa superne." "The upper part a handsome woman, and the lower part a fish." If such was the form of this idol, then everything that was human was broken off from what resembled a fish. the stump: or, the fishy part 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 5:5

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