The Meaning of Judges 16:23 Explained

Judges 16:23

KJV: Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

YLT: and the princes of the Philistines have been gathered together to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; and they say, 'Our god hath given into our hand Samson our enemy.'

Darby: Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand."

ASV: And the lords of the Philistines gathered them together to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then the lords  of the Philistines  gathered them together  for to offer  a great  sacrifice  unto Dagon  their god,  and to rejoice:  for they said,  Our god  hath delivered  Samson  our enemy  into our hand. 

What does Judges 16:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 16:15-31 - Dying With The Philistines
It may be that the razor has already severed your union with Christ. If we abide not in living union with Him, we are cast out as branches from the vine, and wither. This is bad enough, but it is still worse when we are not aware of it. See Hosea 7:9. Some of our greatest spiritual experiences may be like sunrise or sunset. "There is no speech nor language; their voice is not heard," but the effect, for good or ill, soon shows itself.
We may be blind and captive, yet for us also the hair that was cut may begin to grow again. The old faith and love, the old consecration and surrender, the old power with God and man may come again. Do not turn away from Him, penitent soul, for God is willing to take you back again into the secret of His power. "He hateth putting away," Malachi 2:16; Isaiah 50:1. Out of your sorrowful heart, send up Samson's prayer! But do not ask to be strengthened only this once. God will do it not for once, but for many times, if only you will trust Him absolutely, 2 Kings 13:19. And do not ask to die; believe that life shall again become bright, strong and victorious [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 16

1  Samson at Gaza escapes, and carries away the gates of the city
4  Delilah corrupted by the Philistines, entices Samson
6  Thrice she is deceived
15  At last she overcomes him
21  The Philistines take him, and put out his eyes
22  His strength renewing, he pulls down the house upon the Philistines and dies

What do the individual words in Judges 16:23 mean?

Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a sacrifice great to Dagon their god and to rejoice and they said has delivered Our god into our hands - Samson our enemy
וְסַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים נֶֽאֱסְפוּ֙‪‬ לִזְבֹּ֧חַ זֶֽבַח־ גָּד֛וֹל לְדָג֥וֹן אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם וּלְשִׂמְחָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ נָתַ֤ן אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ בְּיָדֵ֔נוּ אֵ֖ת שִׁמְשׁ֥וֹן אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ

וְסַרְנֵ֣י  Now  the  lords 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סֶרֶן 
Sense: lord, ruler, tyrant.
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים  of  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
נֶֽאֱסְפוּ֙‪‬  gathered  together 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
לִזְבֹּ֧חַ  to  offer 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
זֶֽבַח־  a  sacrifice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זֶבַח  
Sense: sacrifice.
גָּד֛וֹל  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
לְדָג֥וֹן  to  Dagon 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּגֹון  
Sense: a Philistine deity of fertility; represented with the face and hands of a man and the tail of a fish.
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם  their  god 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וּלְשִׂמְחָ֑ה  and  to  rejoice 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ  and  they  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נָתַ֤ן  has  delivered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙  Our  god 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּיָדֵ֔נוּ  into  our  hands 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שִׁמְשׁ֥וֹן  Samson 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁמְשֹׁון  
Sense: a Danite, son of Manoah, a Nazarite for life, and a judge of Israel for 20 years.
אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ  our  enemy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.