Uncovering Truth Behind the Fish God Myth and Lent Traditions
Fish, in Hebrew, is simply דג (dag), a straightforward word. The Bible uses this word across many passages to speak about real fish in God’s creation—creatures swimming in the seas, rivers, and lakes He made on the fifth day, as described in Genesis 1:20-21. There’s no mystery or idol worship tied to this word. Fish were food, symbols of God’s provision, and part of His design. The psalmist even praises God for the vast diversity of life in the waters (Psalm 104:25-26).
Now, Dagon is a different matter entirely. His name, דגון (Dagon), while sounding similar to dag, is linked to the root דגן (dagan), meaning “grain.” Dagon was a Philistine god of fertility and agriculture, not fish. His worship centered around grain and harvest, reflecting the Philistines’ dependence on crops. This is confirmed by ancient Near Eastern texts and archaeological finds, which depict Dagon as a grain deity and father of Baal, the storm god.
The Bible shows Dagon as a false god, powerless before Yahweh. The story in 1 Samuel 5 where the Ark of the Covenant humiliates Dagon by causing his statue to fall and break its head and hands is a dramatic testament to this truth. This passage reveals how Israel’s God was victorious over Philistine idols, showing the impotence of pagan gods.
The image of Dagon as a half-fish, half-man figure is not biblical but comes from later mythologies and artistic imagination, mixing Babylonian and Greek sea god motifs. This portrayal has no basis in the original Philistine religion or the Bible.
Understanding this distinction is crucial. Dag means fish, a part of God’s creation; Dagon was a false grain god. The confusion between the two has led to myths and misunderstandings that the Bible itself does not support.
The Philistines were part of a mysterious group historians call the Sea Peoples, who arrived on the eastern Mediterranean coast around the 12th century BCE. They settled mainly in five city-states along the southern coast of Canaan—Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron. These people brought with them their own gods, customs, and languages, distinctly different from the native Canaanites and Israelites.
Among their chief gods was Dagon (דגון). Archaeological discoveries, like statues and inscriptions found in Ashdod and other Philistine sites, reveal Dagon as a central figure in their religious life. But these artifacts don’t show him as a fish or fish-man. Instead, he is often depicted as a seated figure, sometimes holding grain or symbols of fertility, emphasizing his role as a god of agriculture and abundance.
The confusion about Dagon being a fish god comes from a combination of factors: ancient misunderstandings, translations, and especially medieval artistic imagination. In the 19th and 20th centuries, some scholars and artists imagined Dagon as a half-fish, half-man deity, probably borrowing from Babylonian myths about sea gods like Oannes. Oannes was said to be a fish-like being who came from the sea to teach humanity. This myth, combined with the similarity of the name Dagon to the Hebrew word for fish (dag), birthed the popular but mistaken idea that Dagon was a fish god.
Biblical texts, never describe Dagon as a sea creature or fish. The Philistines’ relationship with the sea was practical. They were seafarers and traders. But their god of fertility remained linked to grain and land fertility, not marine life. The stories in Judges and 1 Samuel show their gods as idols with limited power, often humbled by Israel’s God.
The Philistines were rivals of Israel, (they still are), so biblical writers portrayed their gods negatively to emphasize Yahweh’s supremacy. The destruction of Dagon’s statue in 1 Samuel 5 is a vivid symbol of this. The broken head and hands were deliberate imagery, symbolizing the idol’s inability to “think” or “work,” while the Ark’s presence confirmed the true God’s authority.
From a historical standpoint, the Philistines’ gods reflect a combining of old pagan customs with true worship of Aegean, Canaanite, and Mesopotamian religious ideas. Dagon’s role as a grain god aligns with broader ancient Near Eastern fertility cults. But nowhere in reliable historical or biblical sources is Dagon a fish god or connected to fish worship.
Understanding these archaeological and historical facts helps us cut through centuries of confusion and superstition. It reveals how ancient peoples worshipped false gods tied to natural cycles like planting and harvest, but never a fish deity named Dagon. It also reminds us how myths can grow over time, mixing elements from different cultures and eras, sometimes leading to false worship or misunderstanding.
The Christian practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays, especially during Lent, didn’t spring from the Bible but developed over centuries in the Catholic Church. This tradition is rooted in the desire to honor Yeshua HaMeshiach’s sacrifice, the day of His crucifixion, which they say occurred on on a Friday, (which they got that wrong too!). The Church declared Fridays as “penitential days”, encouraging fasting and abstinence as spiritual disciplines. They destroyed all the REAL HIS-story, and made up their own. They brought in all the pagan “gods” and changed the TRUE Shabbat to the “day of the Sun”, (Sunday). That was what they worshipped. It was brought in by Constantine who claimed to have converted, but actually had not.
The shift from the biblical Shabbat (שַׁבָּת, Shabbat) on the seventh day to Sunday worship did not come from Scripture but from human tradition imposed on the Church. The early Christians did gather on the first day of the week to commemorate Yeshua’s resurrection (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2), but nowhere does the Bible command replacing the Shabbat with Sunday as a holy day of rest and worship.
Constantine’s role in formalizing Sunday worship is well documented historically. In 321 AD, Emperor Constantine, who claimed to be a Christian but maintained pagan ties, enacted a civil law declaring Sunday a day of rest “in honor of the venerable day of the Sun” (dies Solis). This law fused pagan sun worship with Christian practice, a clear example of pagan customs infiltrating the Church.
The Bible warns us against adopting pagan customs or blending idolatry with true worship. Jeremiah 10:2-4 commands, “Do not learn the ways of the nations… for their customs are worthless.” And in Colossians 2:16-17, Paul warns believers not to let anyone judge them by “a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day” because these are “a shadow of things to come.”
True worship remains centered on honoring Yahweh according to His Word, not human traditions—even those enforced by powerful rulers. This historical truth calls believers to discernment and faithfulness.
The Old Testament sets many examples of fasting and sacrifice, but it doesn’t command abstaining from meat on specific weekdays. Instead, fasting was often linked to specific occasions or individual repentance (Joel 2:12-13, Isaiah 58:5). The Church’s regulations on Friday abstinence began in the early centuries, evolving through ecclesiastical rulings.
Fish, in this context, was allowed because it was considered different from “meat,” which referred primarily to warm-blooded animals raised on land. The Latin Church classified fish as a humble food, not a celebratory or rich dish. This distinction is not based on biblical command but on cultural and theological reasoning. Interestingly, the Church extended this classification to semi-aquatic animals like beavers and capybaras1, which were considered “fish” for fasting purposes because of their aquatic habits. This reveals how cultural interpretation shaped religious observance.
However, many of these customs originated in pagan festivals and fertility rites predating Christianity. Lent itself has origins linked to ancient Roman and pagan spring festivals, marking cycles of death and rebirth. The Church, in absorbing these cultural practices, rebranded them as Christian penitence, but their roots were often pagan.
The Bible warns us against mixing pagan practices with the worship of God. In 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, Paul exhorts believers not to be yoked with unbelievers or participate in idolatry:
“What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said, ‘I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’ Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.”
Similarly, Jeremiah 10:2-4 condemns adopting the customs of the nations and making idols of wood and silver, man’s handiwork:
“Learn not the way of the nations… for their customs are vanity… their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.”
The Catholic Church’s insistence on Lenten fasting, Friday abstinence, and fish-eating laws forced believers into observances that were not commanded by Scripture. This imposition blurred the line between biblical worship and man-made traditions, often confusing and burdening the faithful.
Over time, these traditions became so ingrained that many assumed they were biblical commands. Yet, when examined, they reflect a blending of Christian faith with pagan ritual, leading to syncretism.
Scientifically, fish are marvels of creation, displaying intricate design from their respiratory systems to sensory organs like the lateral line, which detects movement and vibration in water. These biological wonders point to God’s creative wisdom, as Paul says in Romans 1:20:
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.”
So, while fish as creatures glorify God’s handiwork, eating fish as a mandated religious act tied to pagan-based fasting practices does not honor Him as Scripture commands.
Understanding these facts helps believers today distinguish between biblical faith and man-made traditions. It calls for repentance from syncretism and a return to worshiping God in spirit and truth, as Jesus taught in John 4:23-24.
Fish are remarkable creatures, and their design testifies to the wisdom of the Creator. The Hebrew word דג (dag) refers simply to “fish,” but what’s behind that simple word is a world of complexity and beauty. From their gills, which extract oxygen efficiently from water, to their scales that protect and streamline them through currents, fish are marvels of biological engineering.
The Bible invites us to see creation as a revelation of God’s invisible attributes. In Romans 1:20, Paul writes that God’s eternal power and divine nature have been “clearly seen” since creation began, “being understood from what has been made.” Fish, as part of this creation, display these invisible qualities vividly.
One example is the lateral line system many fish have—a sensory organ running along their sides that detects vibrations and pressure changes in the water. This allows them to navigate murky waters, avoid predators, and hunt prey with precision. Such a system reflects intentional design, not random chance.
Another marvel is fish respiration. Their gills are incredibly efficient at pulling oxygen from water, a much more challenging environment for respiration than air. This points to God’s thoughtful provision for creatures adapted perfectly to their habitats.
Fish also reproduce and thrive in vast diversity, from tiny minnows to massive whale sharks, showing God’s creativity and care in all His works. The Bible celebrates the abundance of life in the sea, like in Psalm 104:25-26, where the psalmist praises God for “this great and wide sea, in which are things creeping innumerable, living creatures both small and great.”
Scientifically, fish challenge human understanding of design and adaptation. The complexity of their anatomy and physiology points away from random evolution and toward an intelligent Creator. This supports what Scripture declares—the hand of God is evident in every living thing.
While fish in themselves glorify God, worshiping fish or attaching spiritual significance to them outside God’s Word leads to idolatry. The false worship of Dagon as a fish or fertility god stands in contrast to the true worship of Yahweh, who created all these wonders.
Understanding the science behind fish strengthens faith, showing how God’s truth and natural revelation align perfectly. It helps believers reject false gods and man-made traditions, rooting worship firmly in the Creator.
While the Bible clearly condemns the worship of Dagon as a false god, this figure and the themes associated with him ripple beyond just Israel and the ancient Near East. In Islamic tradition, though the name “Dagon” is not explicitly mentioned in the Quran, the condemnation of idolatry and false gods strongly aligns with the biblical critique of Philistine deities and pagan worship.
Other ancient cultures also show echoes of fish or sea deities, but often these are tied to fertility, the mysteries of the sea, or protection of fishermen and sailors. For example, Babylonian myths include Oannes, a fish-like being who taught humanity, and Mesopotamian gods like Ea (Enki), associated with water and wisdom.
The common thread across these cultures is the tendency to elevate parts of creation—fish, water, grain—into objects of worship, often in the name of fertility and prosperity. The Bible warns against this in Deuteronomy 12:29-32, urging Israel not to adopt the detestable practices of the nations around them:
“Take care that you do not offer your burnt offerings to the LORD your God in the way I have forbidden you, and do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.”
The false worship of Dagon in the Philistine cities was part of this wider pattern of idolatry condemned by God. Islam’s strong emphasis on monotheism continues this rejection of all such false deities.
Understanding these connections enriches our grasp of the biblical message’s universal scope. It shows that the struggle against idolatry—whether of grain gods, fish gods, or any created thing—is a common theme in the Abrahamic faiths.
The Bible consistently warns God’s people about the danger of mixing His truth with pagan customs, a practice called syncretism. This mixing leads to spiritual confusion, false worship, and turning away from the one true God.
In Exodus 20:3-5, God commands, “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol…” This command is clear and repeated throughout Scripture. The people of Israel were constantly reminded to avoid the practices of the nations around them.
When the Israelites or later the Church begin blending pagan festivals, idols, or customs into worship, they stray from God’s heart. The Catholic Church’s adoption and enforcement of pagan-based Lent observances, including the Friday fish-eating tradition, show how easily man-made traditions can overshadow God’s Word.
Paul addresses this in Colossians 2:8:
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
This is a clear warning against letting human traditions replace the Gospel’s pure message.
Jesus Himself emphasized worshiping God “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24), not through empty ritual or man-made rules. Worship is a matter of the heart, aligned with God’s Word, not cultural customs or imposed laws.
The confusion between דג (dag)—fish, God’s good creation—and Dagon (דגון)—a false fertility god—reflects a larger spiritual battle: worshiping creation instead of the Creator. The Catholic Church’s Lent traditions, steeped in pagan practice and imposed upon believers, are a reminder of how easily faith can become entangled with error.
But there is hope. Believers today can discern and reject blending different faiths or practices (syncretism), returning to Scripture as the sole authority for faith and practice. We are called to honor God fully, worship Him alone, and stand firm against traditions that compromise truth.
The Apostle John encourages us:
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…” (
1 John 4:1)
This means we need to carefully examining what we accept as truth, including traditions, to ensure they honor Yahweh and reflect His Word.
The beauty of God’s creation, like fish, wonderfully made and sustaining life, reminds us of His power and love. We can fully appreciate and enjoy these gifts without worshiping them, especially when we thank the TRUE GOD, Yahweh (יהוה) for our meals.
1 Capybaras are large, rodent-like animals native to South America. They look a bit like giant guinea pigs and spend a lot of time in or near water—they swim well and live around rivers and wetlands. Because of their semi-aquatic lifestyle, the Catholic Church centuries ago decided that capybaras could be considered “fish” when it came to fasting rules, especially during Lent.
Why? Well, the Church’s fasting rules forbid eating meat from warm-blooded land animals on certain days, but fish was allowed. Since capybaras spend so much time in water, they were treated like fish for these rules, so people could eat them even during fasting days. It’s an example of how cultural and practical decisions shaped Church traditions, even if it wasn’t based on Scripture.
And THAT is…
