Judges 16:23 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Then the Lords of the Philistines, &c.— Then, that is, some time after Samson had been in prison, his hair having grown again to a considerable length, the Philistines prepared to celebrate their annual festival in honour of Dagon, to whom they conceived themselves indebted for this triumph over their great enemy. Dagon, which comes from דג dag, a fish, was the tutelary deity of the Philistines; and the lower part of this idol, it is most probable, was in the form of a fish. See Deuteronomy 4:18 and 1 Samuel 5:4. As fishes are remarkably fruitful, it seems most probable that Dagon was designed as an emblem of the fertility of nature. Δαγον ος εστι Σιτων, Dagon, that is, the corn-giver, says Sanchoniathon in Philobiblius. Those who are inclined to know more of Dagon may consult Selden de Diis Syriis, Calmet's Dissertations, Cumberland in Sanchoniath. and the Pisga Sight of Fuller; who is of opinion, that Dagon, coming from a word signifying bread, was worshipped as the inventor of bread-corn, and was represented in a form entirely human: but the former is the more general opinion.