Dagon

Dagon was the primary god worshiped by the Philistines. The Bible records that Dagon had temples in Gaza (Judges 16:23) and Ashdod (1Sa.5.2-7). After the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant, they placed it in the temple of Dagon at Ashdod. However, the statue of Dagon was found fallen on its face before the Ark the next day. The Philistines set Dagon back up, but the following morning Dagon had fallen again, with its head and hands broken off (1Sa.5.3-4). The Philistines saw this as their god submitting to the God of Israel. Later, Samson was brought into the temple of Dagon in Gaza, where the Philistines praised Dagon for delivering Samson into their hands. However, Samson prayed for strength and pushed apart the pillars of the temple, collapsing it and killing himself and the Philistines inside (Judges 16:23-30). Dagon was likely the Semitic grain and fertility deity Dagan worshiped in Mesopotamia and the Levant.