with ruins near the village of Deburiyeh on the western edge of Mount Tabor.

DAGGER

See ARMS, ARMOR.

DAGGER MEN

This expression translates the Greek form of the Latin word sicarii, derived from sica, meaning a short, curved dagger. As a proper name “dagger men” refers to the fanatical political Jewish faction existing in the first century C.E. that engaged in organized political killings. When the Jews rioted against Paul at Jerusalem during his last visit there, the military commander Claudius Lysias suspected the apostle of being the Egyptian who had previously stirred up sedition and led the four thousand “dagger men” into the wilderness.—Acts 21:30-38; 23:26, 27.

According to the Jewish historian Josephus, especially during the festivals, the “dagger men” or Sicarii, with daggers concealed under their garments, mingled among the crowds at Jerusalem and stabbed their enemies in broad daylight and then, to avoid suspicion, joined those expressing indignation about the killings. Josephus further indicates that the Sicarii took a leading part in the revolt against Rome. In 66 C.E., a band of Sicarii, under the command of Eleazar ben Jair, seized and massacred the Roman garrison at Masada. This band of fanatical patriots continued their defiance of Rome until 73 C.E., in which year the defenses of Masada were breached. The Romans, however, did not have to make an assault on the fortress itself. In order to avoid being captured, the Sicarii had carried out a systematic suicidal massacre of 960 men, women and children. Only two women and five children, who had hidden in a cave, survived.

DAGON

(Daʹgon).

Probably a fertility god whose worship is thought to have originated in Mesopotamia but was brought westward at an early date. At Ras Shamra in Syria, a temple for Dagon and one for Baal were found in the same vicinity, and in the Ras Shamra texts Baal is often referred to as the ‘son of Dagon.’ The existence of cities called “Beth-dagon” (likely named after the god Dagon) in the territories of Judah and Asher suggests that the worship of this deity was well established in Canaan at the time of Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land. (Josh. 15:41; 19:27) It is believed that the Philistines adopted Dagon worship from the Canaanites.

Authorities are not in agreement as to the derivation of the name “Dagon.” Some associate the name “Dagon” with the Hebrew word dagh (fish), while others favor linking the name with the Hebrew word da·ghanʹ (grain). That the idol may have been half man and half fish is suggested by 1 Samuel 5:4, where it is stated concerning the fallen Dagon: “Only the fish part [literally, the Dagon] had been left upon him,” his head and the palms of his hands having been cut off. The implication is that the remaining part of the image was associated with the meaning of “Dagon” and this word has, therefore, been variously rendered “fish portion” (Le), “fish-stump” (Da), “fishy part” (Yg) and “fish part” (NW).

Dagon at times figures in the Biblical narratives. By bracing himself against the two middle supporting pillars, Samson caused the collapse of a house at Gaza used for Dagon worship, killing the Philistines who had assembled there. (Judg. 16:21-30) At the house of Dagon in Ashdod the Philistines deposited the sacred ark of Jehovah as a war trophy. Twice the image of Dagon fell on its face before the Ark. The second time the idol itself was broken. Perhaps in order not to defile the place where the pieces of their god had lain, the priests and others entering the temple of Dagon at Ashdod were careful not to tread upon the threshold. (1 Sam. 5:2-5) By experiencing the painful effects of piles and the ruining of their land by jerboas, the Philistines came to recognize that the hand of the God of Israel had been hard against them and their god Dagon. (1 Sam. 5:6, 7; 6:5) When King Saul was discovered among the slain at Gilboa, the Philistines cut off his head. After informing the houses of their idols as well as the people back home, they fastened Saul’s skull to the house of Dagon.—1 Sam. 31:8-10; 1 Chron. 10:8-10.

It may be that the Philistines carried idols of their god Dagon into battle.—2 Sam. 5:21.

DAʹLETH

[====].

The fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Later, outside the Hebrew Scriptures, as a number it denoted four. In sound it corresponds generally to our English “d.”

There is considerable similarity between the letters daʹleth [====] and rehsh [====], allowing for possible scribal errors in copying. This may account for various differences in spelling, such as that of the “Rodanim” at 1 Chronicles 1:7 and the “Dodanim” at Genesis 10:4.

In the Hebrew, this fourth letter is used as the initial letter in the first word of each of the eight verses of Psalm 119:25-32.—See ALPHABET.

DALMANUTHA

(Dal·ma·nuʹtha).

An area to which Jesus retired by boat with his disciples after the miraculous feeding of 4,000 men near the Sea of Galilee. (Mark 8:1-10) Though various sites have been suggested for Dalmanutha, the name is not referred to in other Biblical or non-Biblical sources, so its exact location remains unknown. Some scholars feel Dalmanutha may be a scribal alteration, since the parallel narrative at Matthew 15:29-39 has “Magadan” and certain ancient manuscripts of Mark’s account also use “Magadan” or “Magdala” instead of Dalmanutha. However, since the best Greek manuscripts do have Dalmanutha, rather than consider the term to be a textual error, it seems best, as F. F. Bruce (of the University of Manchester) has observed, “to keep the attested reading and await further light.” Possibly Dalmanutha was simply another name for Magadan, or, it may have been a nearby area the name of which, though little used or not widely known, has, nevertheless, been preserved for us in Mark’s Gospel.

DALMATIA

(Dal·maʹtia).

An area in the mountainous region E of the Adriatic Sea in what is today Yugoslavia. After 9 C.E. it was considered the southernmost of two districts comprising the Roman province of Illyricum, though apparently Dalmatia was often used interchangeably with Illyricum as the name of the province. Paul’s companion Titus departed for Dalmatia sometime prior to the apostle’s execution, assumed to be about 65 C.E. (2 Tim. 4:6-10) In the same verse in which Demas is said to have “forsaken” Paul, Titus is mentioned as going there. However, while there are no definite statements as to the purpose of Titus’ mission to Dalmatia, it appears he left with Paul’s approval. Since Paul, when nearing the completion of his third missionary tour about nine years earlier, had said his circuit extended as far N as Illyricum (Rom. 15:19), some authorities reason that Titus was at this time being dispatched to that region to regulate its congregational affairs and engage in missionary activities. If so, he would be acting in a capacity similar to the one he exercised in Crete. (Titus 1:5) In his letter to Titus, Paul had asked him to leave Crete (Titus 3:12) and it seems likely that he was with the apostle until his assignment to Dalmatia.

DALPHON

(Dalʹphon) [perhaps, dripping, dropping].

One of Haman’s ten sons.—Esther 9:7, 10; see HAMAN.

DAMARIS

(Damʹa·ris) [gentle; or perhaps a variation of “Damalis,” meaning “heifer”].

A woman who heard Paul’s defense at the Athenian Areopagus (Mars Hill) and became a believer. (Acts 17:33, 34)