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Judges Chapter Sixteen

 

Judges 16 Outlines

Samson and Delilah (v.1~22)

Samson Dies with the Philistines (v.23~31)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 16

In this chapter we have an account of Samson's too great familiarity with two harlots; by the one he was brought into great danger and narrowly escaped Judges 16:1 and by the other he was betrayed into the hands of the Philistines having got the secret out of him wherein his great strength lay Judges 16:4 who having him in their hands put out his eyes imprisoned him and in their idol temple made sport of him Judges 16:21 where praying for renewed strength from the Lord he pulled down the temple and destroyed multitudes with the loss of his own life Judges 16:26.

 

Judges 16:1  Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there and went in to her.

   YLT  1And Samson goeth to Gaza and seeth there a woman a harlot and goeth in unto her;

Then went Samson to Gaza .... One of the five principalities of the Philistines which was ten miles from Ashkelon as SandysF17Travels l. 3. p. 118. says; who also describesF18Travels l. 3. p. 116. it as standing upon an hill environed with valleys and these again well nigh enclosed with hills most of them planted with all sorts of delicate fruits; and according to BuntingF19Ut supra. (Travels l. 3. p. 118.) forty two miles from Ramathlehi the place where we last hear of him; see Gill on Amos 1:6 Zephaniah 2:4 what he went hither for is not easy to say; it showed great boldness and courage after he had made such a slaughter of the Philistines to venture himself in one of their strongest cities where he must expect to be exposed to danger; though it is highly probable this was a long time after his last encounter with them:

and saw there an harlot and went in unto her; the Targum renders it an innkeeper one that kept a victualling house; so Kimchi Ben Gersom and Ben Melech interpret it; into whose house he went for entertainment and lodging and very probably in the dusk of the evening; and the woman that kept this house might herself be an harlot or however Samson saw one in her house with whom he was captivated and went in unto her or had criminal conversation with her; it seems as if he did not turn in thither with any such wicked design but on sight of the person was ensnared to commit lewdness with her; and as Lyra says there were many hostesses in some places and so here who too easily prostituted themselves to their guests.

 

Judges 16:2  2 When the Gazites were told “Samson has come here!” they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city. They were quiet all night saying “In the morning when it is daylight we will kill him.”

   YLT  2[it is told] to the Gazathites saying `Samson hath come in hither;' and they go round and lay wait for him all the night at the gate of the city and keep themselves silent all the night saying `Till the light of the morning -- then we have slain him.'

And it was told the Gazites .... The inhabitants of Gaza the principal ones of it the magistrates of the city either by some persons that saw him come in who knew him or by the harlot into whose company he fell to whom he made himself known:

saying Samson is come hither; the man so famous for his strength and such an enemy to the Philistines; his name was well known for his great exploits and rung throughout Palestine and was a terror to the whole country:

and they compassed him in; not that they surrounded the house where he was which perhaps they might not certainly know but they secured all the avenues and gates of the city made them fast and placed guards there that he might not escape their hands:

and laid wait for him all night in the gate; particularly at that gate where if he went out for his country he must pass:

and were quiet all the night; did not attempt to disturb Samson or seize on him if they knew where he was; knowing his great strength and what a tumult might be raised in the city they said nothing of it to anybody that passed what they were placed there for lest it should come to his ears; they made as if they were deaf and dumb as some interpret it and heard and knew nothing:

saying in the morning when it is day we shall kill him; when they should better know him and make sure their blow at him and do it suddenly unawares to him as he came to the gate to pass through it.

 

Judges 16:3  3 And Samson lay low till midnight; then he arose at midnight took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two gateposts pulled them up bar and all put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.

   YLT  3And Samson lieth down till the middle of the night and riseth in the middle of the night and layeth hold on the doors of the gate of the city and on the two side posts and removeth them with the bar and putteth on his shoulders and taketh them up unto the top of the hill which [is] on the front of Hebron.

And Samson lay till midnight and arose at midnight .... Either not being able to lie any longer through the conviction of his conscience for his lewdness or being warned by a dream or having an impulse upon his spirit which suggested to him that wait was laid for him and the danger he was in; and coming to the gate of the city which he found shut and fast barred and bolted and the watch perhaps asleep not expecting his coming until daylight:

and took the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts and went away with them bar and all; did not stand to break open the doors of the gate but took the two side posts up on which the folding doors of the gate were hung out of the ground in which they were fastened with the bar which went across the doors for the security of them:

and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron; if this hill was near Hebron as the words thus read seem to intimate he must carry the gates twenty miles upon his shoulders for so far was Hebron from Gaza; so Josephus says it was over Hebron; but according to AdrichomiusF20"Theatrum Terrae Sanet". p. 133. it was near Gaza looking towards Hebron; and so Sandys saysF21Ut supra (Travels l. 3.) p. 117. in the valley on the east side of the city are many straggling buildings beyond which there is a hill more eminent than the rest on the north side of the way that leads to Babylon said to be that to which Samson carried the gates of the city. It is very probable as some think that it was between Gaza and Hebron in sight of both cities which may be meant by the phrase "before" or "on the face of"; being so high might be seen as far as Hebron as well as at Gaza. This was an emblem of Christ's resurrection of whom Samson was a type who being encompassed in a sepulchre and sealed and watched by soldiers broke through the bars of death and the grave and carried off the doors in triumph; and in a short time ascended to heaven whereby he declared himself to be the Son of God with power. It was usual for doors and bars of gates to be carried in triumph and laid up in templesF23"----sacris in postibus arma: ----et portarum ingentia claustra." Virgil. Aeneid. 7. ver. 185. ; and the Jews say these doors were not less than sixty cubits and suppose Samson's shoulders to be as broadF24T. Bab. Sotah fol. 10. 1. .

 

Judges 16:4  4 Afterward it happened that he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah.

   YLT  4And it cometh to pass afterwards that he loveth a woman in the valley of Sorek and her name [is] Delilah

And it came to pass afterwards that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek .... Which according to AdrichomiusF25Ut supra (Theatrum Terra Sanct.) p. 24. was but half a mile from the brook Eshcol from whence the spies brought a bunch of grapes as a specimen of the fruit of the land of Canaan; and this valley of Sorek seems to have been famous for the best wine and hither Samson retired for refreshment and pleasure; but according to JeromF26De loc. Heb. fol. 94. L. it was on the north of Eleutheropolis where he says was shown a village in his time called Capharsorech near the village Zorah from whence Samson was; and BuntingF1Travels p. 116 117. makes it to be twelve miles from Hebron and twelve from Jerusalem; where he met with a woman he loved; whether she was an Israelite or one of the daughters of the Philistines they now being the rulers of Israel is not said; most likely the latter as say Ben Gersom and Abarbinel since the lords of the Philistines were so intimate with her and were entertained in her house and she showed more respect to them than to Samson. The Jews say she became a proselyte but if she did there is very little evidence of her being a sincere one: some have thought that the courtship to her was a lawful conjugal love; that falling in love with her he courted and married her; but this is not very likely since no mention is made of his marriage to her nor did he take her home but dwelt in her house: it rather seems to be an impure and unlawful love he had to her and that she was an harlot as JosephusF2Ut supra (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8.) sect. 11. ; and all her conduct and behaviour confirm the same:

whose name was Delilah; the Jews sayF3T. Bab. Sotah fol. 9. 2. she was so called because she weakened the heart and spirit of Samson and weakened his strength and weakened his works; and therefore if this had not been her name they say it was one very proper for her.

 

Judges 16:5  5 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her “Entice him and find out where his great strength lies and by what means we may overpower him that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.”

   YLT  5and the princes of the Philistines come up unto her and say to her `Entice him and see wherein his great power [is] and wherein we are able for him -- and we have bound him to afflict him and we -- we give to thee each one eleven hundred silverlings.'

And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her .... Having heard that Samson kept company with her she being a noted strumpet like Lais among the Grecians. These were in number five as appears from Judges 3:3 and had under them five principalities into which Palestine was divided; and these if not united in their government which possibly might be the case at this time yet were united against their common enemy Samson; and being great personages it is thought by some they came not themselves to this harlot's house but sent a deputation of five persons in their names though the text is very express here and after: they are said to come up to her because their country lay on the shore of the sea and lower than Judea:

and said unto her entice him; persuade him with soothing and flattering words; take an opportunity when in an amorous mood to improve her interest in his affections:

and see wherein his great strength lieth; for it might not appear by the size of his body or from his natural constitution and in the common actions of life but only at certain times and as it should seem when he pleased; and he might have been heard to say that it was a secret he kept to himself and no man knew it; or they might suspect something of magic in the case that he carried something about with him which if it could be gotten from him would deprive him of his strength:

and by what means we may prevail against him that we may bind him to afflict him; to humble him bring him low and reduce him to the common condition of men; they did not propose to kill him which they might think she would not agree to and so reject their proposal at once but at most to distress him and to chastise him with mockings and scourgings bonds and imprisonment for the mischief he had indeed done them and prevent him from doing more:

and we will give thee everyone of us eleven hundred pieces of silver or shekels; it may seem strange that they should promise each 1100: some think their principalities offered each 1000 shekels and the princes themselves one hundred; but Abarbinel supposes that this was on some account or another in those times an usual sum or computation since the same is mentioned in the following chapter; though it may be observed that these five several sums put together make a round number 5500 pieces of silver; which taking them to be shekels according to WaserusF4De Antiquis Numis l. 2. c. 5. : they amounted to 1375 rix dollars and of Helvetian money 3666 pounds and a little more and of our money near seven hundred pounds sterling; a considerable bribe and very tempting to a person of such a character and which she readily embraced as appears by what follows.

 

Judges 16:6  6 So Delilah said to Samson “Please tell me where your great strength lies and with what you may be bound to afflict you.”

   YLT  6And Delilah saith unto Samson `Declare I pray thee to me wherein thy great power [is] and wherewith thou art bound to afflict thee.'

And Delilah said to Samson .... At a proper opportunity when in his hands and caresses as Josephus relatesF5Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 9.) and introduced it in an artful manner admiring his strange exploits and wondering how he could perform them:

tell me I pray thee wherein thy great strength lieth; which she proposed seemingly out of mere curiosity and as it would be a proof of his affection to her to impart the secret to her:

and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee; not that she suggested to him that she was desirous to have him afflicted or to try the experiment herself in order to afflict him but to know by what means if he was bound it would be afflicting to him so that he could not relieve himself; she knew he might be bound if he would admit of it as he had been but she wanted to know how he might be bound so as to be held and could not loose himself.

 

Judges 16:7  7 And Samson said to her “If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings not yet dried then I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

   YLT  7And Samson saith unto her `If they bind me with seven green withs which have not been dried then I have been weak and have been as one of the human race.'

And Samson said unto her .... In answer to her pressing solicitations:

if they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried; the word is sometimes used for nerves and cords or ropes; but neither of these can be here meant since these if moistened or made wet are the less fit to bind with and the drier the better; but rods or branches of trees just cut off such as faggots are bound up with or green osiers which are easily bent and twisted and may bind with; JosephusF21Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 9.) calls them vine branches:

then shall I be weak and be as another man; which cannot well be excused from a lie; for Samson knew full well that being bound would not weaken his strength; but as he had fallen into one sin it is no wonder he was drawn into another: unless this can be understood as it is by some as jesting with her; however it shows that he was "compos mentis" as JosephusF23Ibid. observes and was upon his guard with respect to the secret of his strength.

 

Judges 16:8  8 So the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings not yet dried and she bound him with them.

   YLT  8And the princes of the Philistines bring up to her seven green withs which have not been dried and she bindeth him with them.

Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her .... To the chamber where she was with Samson she having acquainted them with what he had told her:

seven green withs which had not been dried; just such as he had described and directed to:

and she bound him with them; taking an opportunity very likely when he was asleep and drunk too according to JosephusF24Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 11. : the Philistines did not attempt to bind him supposing that he would not admit them to do it if aware of them; and they might fear if asleep he might awake before they could do it and fall upon them and destroy them; but as for Delilah if she had been found at it she could have excused it as a piece of curiosity being willing to try whether he told her truth or not.

 

Judges 16:9  9 Now men were lying in wait staying with her in the room. And she said to him “The Philistines are upon you Samson!” But he broke the bowstrings as a strand of yarn breaks when it touches fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.

  YLT  9And the ambush is abiding with her in an inner chamber and she saith unto him `Philistines [are] upon thee Samson;' and he breaketh the withs as a thread of tow is broken in its smelling fire and his power hath not been known.

Now there were men lying in wait .... Very likely some of the servants of the lords of the Philistines who were placed privately on purpose that when an opportunity offered they might rush out and fall upon Samson; JosephusF25Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 11. calls them soldiers:

abiding with her in the chamber; in a private part of it or otherwise they could not be said to lie in wait; in it may mean near it; perhaps it was in the next apartment to hers where they were set:

and she said unto him the Philistines be upon thee Samson; are just ready to fall upon thee and seize thee; this she said to arouse him and try whether he could break the withs or not before she called in the men that lay in wait and whether he had told her the truth or not:

and he brake the withs as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire; or "smells it"F26בהריחו "cum olfecerit" Drusius so Piscator. ; as soon as it comes near it; a thread of tow or linen catches the fire presently it being so weak that it cannot stand before the least force of it; so easily did the withs give way and were broken when Samson did but just stir himself and move his arms:

so his strength was not known; by Delilah nor by the Philistines; that is where it lay so as that it might be weakened; for otherwise it was known by the easy breaking of the withs.

 

Judges 16:10  10 Then Delilah said to Samson “Look you have mocked me and told me lies. Now please tell me what you may be bound with.”

   YLT  10And Delilah saith unto Samson `Lo thou hast played upon me and speakest unto me lies; now declare I pray thee to me wherewith thou art bound.'

And Delilah said unto Samson .... Not on the same day but some time after as Kimchi observes when an opportunity offered and he was in like circumstances as before; for had she immediately attacked him it might have created some suspicion in him of a design against him:

behold thou hast mocked me and told me lies; deceived her with lies by telling her the other day that if he was bound with green withs he should become as weak as other men; which she out of curiosity as she might pretend had tried and had found to be false; and which she might add was an argument of want of true love to her to mock her in such a manner:

now tell me I pray thee wherewith thou mightest be bound; so as to be held.

 

Judges 16:11  11 So he said to her “If they bind me securely with new ropes that have never been used then I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

   YLT  11And he saith unto her `If they certainly bind me with thick bands new ones by which work hath not been done then I have been weak and have been as one of the human race.'

And he said unto her .... Abarbinel presents Samson replying to her that he had told her the truth at first only forgot one circumstance that the "cords" for so he takes the word for "withs" to signify should be "new" such as were never used as follows:

if they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied; the word signifies thick ropes which according to Kimchi and Ben Melech were trebled or made of three cords twisted together and those such as were just made and had never been put to any use and so strong and firm:

then shall I be weak and be as another man; see Judges 16:7.

 

Judges 16:12  12 Therefore Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him “The Philistines are upon you Samson!” And men were lying in wait staying in the room. But he broke them off his arms like a thread.

   YLT  12And Delilah taketh thick bands new ones and bindeth him with them and saith unto him `Philistines [are] upon thee Samson;' and the ambush is abiding in an inner chamber and he breaketh them from off his arms as a thread.

Delilah therefore took new ropes and bound him therewith .... Tried this experiment with him according to his directions being very desirous of getting the sum of money offered her:

and said unto him the Philistines be upon thee Samson: using the same words and with the same view as she had done before Judges 16:9.

(and there were liers in wait abiding the chamber); as before ready upon occasion to rush in upon him as soon as any notice was given them:

and he brake them from off his arms like a thread; as easily as a thread of linen can be snapped asunder.

 

Judges 16:13  13 Delilah said to Samson “Until now you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me what you may be bound with.”

And he said to her “If you weave the seven locks of my head into the web of the loom”—

   YLT  13And Delilah saith unto Samson `Hitherto thou hast played upon me and dost speak unto me lies; declare to me wherewith thou art bound.' And he saith unto her `If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.'

And Delilah said unto Samson .... At another time when she thought it most proper to upbraid him with his deception of her:

hitherto thou hast mocked me and told me lies; both the times that she had solicited him to impart the secret of his strength to her:

tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound; tell me the real truth and deceive me no more:

and he said unto her if thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web; it seems that Samson's hair was parted into seven locks which no doubt hung down very long; and now he tells her that if these were interwoven with the warp which was upon the beam in a loom near by; perhaps in the same room where Delilah used to weave as was the custom of those times and in various nationsF1"Arguto conjux" &c. Virgil. Georgie. l. 1. v. 294. So Penelope in Homer Minerva & Arachne in Ovid. Metamorph. l. 6. fab. 1. v. 55 &c. Vid. Pignorium de servis p. 418. Braunium de Vest. Sacerd. Hebr. l. 1. c. 17. sect. 33. ; his strength would be weakened; for BrauniusF2"De Vest". Sacerd. Hebr. l. 1. c. 16. sect. 8. is mistaken in supposing this to be the beam about which the web was rolled as he is also in the pin next mentioned which he takes to be the "spatha" or lathe with which the threads are knocked together.

 

Judges 16:14  14 So she wove it tightly with the batten of the loom and said to him “The Philistines are upon you Samson!” But he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the batten and the web from the loom.

   YLT  14And she fixeth [it] with the pin and saith unto him `Philistines [are] upon thee Samson;' and he awaketh out of his sleep and journeyeth with the pin of the weaving machine and with the web.

And she fastened it with the pin .... That is after she had interwoven the locks of his hair into the warp she fastened the beam on which it was with the pin that it might not roll back; or else her machine or loom to the ground that it might stand more firmly; or the web into which the hair was woven with the hair itself; which of them is right it is difficult to say: but if the addition of the Septuagint version can be admitted as genuine which supplies some things which seem to be wanting and which best agrees with what follows the whole will be plain and easy and which after the preceding verse runs thus;"and fastenest "them" with a pin to the wall then shall I be weak as another man; and it came to pass when he slept and Delilah took seven locks of his head and wove "them" in the web and fastened them with a pin to the wall;'and then it follows as here:

and said unto him the Philistines be upon thee Samson; as she had twice before:

and he awaked out of his sleep; in which he was during her weaving his locks into the web; and this makes it probable that he was in the same circumstances when she bound him both with withs and ropes though it is not expressed:

and went away with the pin of the beam and with the web; carried off not the pin of the beam only but the beam itself and the warp on it and the whole web into which his hair was woven. The Septuagint version is he took the pin of the web out of the wall; and the Vulgate Latin the pin with the hairs and web.

 

Judges 16:15  15 Then she said to him “How can you say ‘I love you ’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times and have not told me where your great strength lies.

   YLT  15And she saith unto him `How dost thou say I have loved thee and thy heart is not with me? these three times thou hast played upon me and hast not declared to me wherein thy great power [is].'

And she said unto him how canst thou say I love thee when thine heart is not with me?.... She took an opportunity when he was caressing her to upbraid him with dissembled love and a false heart: thou hast mocked me these three times; she had urged him to tell her where his strength lay and by what it might be weakened first pretending it might be done by binding him with green withs and then with new ropes and a third time by weaving his locks into the web:

and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth; the thing so frequently and so importunately requested.

 

Judges 16:16  16 And it came to pass when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him so that his soul was vexed to death

   YLT  16And it cometh to pass because she distressed him with her words all the days and doth urge him and his soul is grieved to death

And it came to pass when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him .... Lay at him day after day to communicate the secret to him gave him no rest but was incessant in her applications to him:

so that his soul was vexed unto death: could hardly bear to live but wished to die being in the utmost perplexity what to do between two different passions love and fear; on the one hand chained by his lust to this harlot that was continually teasing him and whom he had not an heart to leave or otherwise that would have cleared him of his difficulties; and on the other hand should he disclose the secret he feared and was in danger of losing his strength in which his glory lay: or"his soul was shortened unto death'F3תקצר "abbreviata est" Montanus Drusius. So Munster. ;it was the means of shortening his days and hastening his death. Abarbinel thinks that Samson was sensible of this that his days were short and the time of his death at hand; which made him the more willing to impart the secret. This may put in mind of the story of Milo a man famous for his great strength said to carry an ox upon his shoulders a furlong without breathing; of whom it is reported that none of his adversaries could deliver themselves out of his hands but his whore could often contending with him; hence it is observed of him that he was strong in body but not of a manly soulF4Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 2. c. 24. ; and there are many other things saidF5Vid. Pausan. Eliac. 2. sive. l. 6. p. 309. of him concerning his great strength which seem to be taken from this history of Samson.

 

Judges 16:17  17 that he told her all his heart and said to her “No razor has ever come upon my head for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven then my strength will leave me and I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

   YLT  17that he declareth to her all his heart and saith to her `A razor hath not gone up on my head for a Nazarite to God I [am] from the womb of my mother; if I have been shaven then hath my power turned aside from me and I have been weak and have been as any of the human race.'

That he told her all his heart .... All that was in his heart concerning this affair all that he knew relating to it; he had told her something before or at least what came nearer to the truth of the matter when he directed her to the weaving of his locks into the web; but now he told her all which is as follows:

and said unto her there hath not come a razor upon mine head; his head had never been shaved since he was born; which was the order of the angel that foretold his birth and it had been carefully observed to that time:

for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb; one condition of which or what was enjoined a Nazarite was that he should not be shaved and which had been religiously observed in Samson; and whereas abstinence from wine and strong drink was another part of the law of Nazariteship or what such persons were obliged unto what Josephus says concerning Samson being drunk in the above cases could not be true; since his Nazariteship would have been made void by it and so have affected his strength: but it must be owned that there were other things Nazarites were obliged to which were dispensed with as has been observed in the case of Samson a perpetual Nazarite; and therefore it is probable that the principal thing he was to regard and upon which his strength was continued was not shaving his head:

if I be shaven then my strength will go from me and I shall become weak and be like any other man; in which he says more than he ever did before namely that his strength should go from him; for though that did not arise from his hair yet the keeping on of that was the condition of his retaining it.

 

Judges 16:18  18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines saying “Come up once more for he has told me all his heart.” So the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand.

   YLT  18And Delilah seeth that he hath declared to her all his heart and she sendeth and calleth for the princes of the Philistines saying `Come up this time for he hath declared to me all his heart;' and the princes of the Philistines have come up unto her and bring up the money in their hand.

And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart .... Which she perceived by his countenance and the serious manner in which he expressed himself; and Abarbinel conjectures that he might swear to her that what he said was truth; and who observes from their Rabbins as does also Kimchi that she concluded he had told her the truth by his making mention of the name of God saying he was a Nazarite unto God whose name she knew he would not take in vain; and with the account he gave agreed the long hair he wore:

she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines saying come up this once; for it seems as they were returned home finding that she could do nothing with him and was not able to get the secret out of him; but now believing she had it sends to them and entreats them to come once more being very desirous of having the money they had offered her:

for he hath showed me all his heart; there is a double reading of this clause; the Keri or marginal reading which our version follows is "hath showed me" as being the words of Delilah to the lords of the Philistines; but the Cetib or textual reading is "he hath showed her" as being the words of the messengers to them:

then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her; that is from their own country; for it can hardly be understood of their coming up into her room or chamber; and especially since it follows:

and brought money in their hand; 1100 shekels of silver apiece the sum they first proposed to give her; and now being pretty well assured of success brought it along with them to pay her for the service done.

 

Judges 16:19  19 Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him [a] and his strength left him.

   YLT  19and she maketh him sleep on her knees and calleth for a man and shaveth the seven locks of his head and beginneth to afflict him and his power turneth aside from off him;

And she made him sleep upon her knees .... Giving him as some think a sleepy potion; or however encouraged him to take a nap upon her knees and by her fondness lulled him to sleep:

and she called for a man; a barber; in former times to shave was the work of a servantF6Vid. Pignorium de servis p. 89 90 91. & Popma de servis p. 57 58. and sometimes of a woman; she gave orders for one to be sent for; for Jarchi calls him a messenger of the lords of the Philistines:

and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; this shows that they were not wove into one another and made but one lock as some interpret what she was before directed to do:

and she began to afflict him; as his hair was shaving off; though he was asleep yet he discovered some uneasiness the effects of it began to appear: though the word "began" here may be redundant as in Numbers 25:1 and then the meaning is that she afflicted him or again afflicted him; for she had afflicted him or at least attempted it three times before and therefore did not begin now; this Hebraism is used in Mark 4:1 and frequently in Jewish writingsF7See Lightfoot. Hor. Heb. in Mark iv. 1. Vid. Sterringae Animadv. Philolog. Sacr. p. 248. :

and his strength went from him; sensibly and gradually; though some understand it of her shaking him in a violent manner to awake him and shrieking and crying out terribly to frighten him with her old cry of the Philistines being on him and of her binding him though not expressed; whereby she perceived his strength was gone and he could not loose himself.

 

Judges 16:20  20 And she said “The Philistines are upon you Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep and said “I will go out as before at other times and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.

   YLT  20and she saith `Philistines [are] upon thee Samson;' and he awaketh out of his sleep and saith `I go out as time by time and shake myself;' and he hath not known that Jehovah hath turned aside from off him.

And she said the Philistines be upon thee Samson .... In like manner as she had before that she might have full proof that the case was really such that his strength was gone from him:

and he awoke out of his sleep; upon the cry she made: and said; within himself purposing and determining in his own mind:

I will go out as at other times before; as he had done at the three former times and did not meet with any Philistines to fall upon him and so concluded it would be the case now and he if he did should be able to defend himself against them:

and shake myself; that he might be thoroughly awake and be on his guard and defence:

and he wist not that the Lord was departed from him; might have forgot what he had told Delilah of and knew not what had been done to him that his hair was shaved off; or if he did was not sensible that the Lord had removed from him; but might hope that he would renew his strength when he should stand in need of it; but he soon found his mistake; he was quickly taken by the Philistines and ill used and in a little time lost his life. And from hence it is thought sprung the story of Nisus king of the Megarenses who is supposed to reign about this time; of whom it is reportedF8Pausaniae Attica sive l. 1. p. 33. Ovid Metamorph. l. 8. Fab. 1. that the hair of his head was of a purple colour and was told by the oracle that so long as that was kept on he should be safe but if it was shaved off he should die; and so it was that when the Cretians besieged him his daughter falling in love with Minos the king of the Cretians cut off her father's hair and so both he and his country were delivered into the hands of the enemy.

 

Judges 16:21  21 Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters and he became a grinder in the prison.

   YLT  21And the Philistines seize him and pick out his eyes and bring him down to Gaza and bind him with two brazen fetters; and he is grinding in the prison-house.

But the Philistines took him .... Being assured by Delilah that his strength was gone from him of which perhaps she had made trial by binding him and found he could not free himself from the bonds till she loosed them; or otherwise they would have been afraid to have ventured to lay hold upon him:

and put out his eyes; that should his strength return to him be might not be able to see where and whom to strike and so be incapable of doing much mischief any more; the word signifies they "dug" or "bored them"F9ינקרו "effoderant" Pagninus Montanus Tigurine version Junius & Tremelius Piscator out; they plucked or cut out his eye balls so that it was impossible his sight should ever be recovered; according to the Arabic version they blinded him by putting fire to his eyes; the Jews observe that this was done in just retaliation measure for measure; Samson they sayF11Misn. Sotah. c. sect. 8. went after his eyes; that is by taking one harlot after another; therefore the Philistines put out his eyes:

and brought him down to Gaza: which lay on the sea coast and therefore they are said to bring him down to it; here he had been before of his own will now against it; for in one instance he had acted to his own shame by going in to an harlot; and in another to the shame and disgrace of the city and the inhabitants of it by carrying off their city gates; through which they now brought him in triumph in order to repair the dishonour done them: though perhaps the true reason of carrying him thither was that he might be at the greater distance from the Israelites should they think of rescuing him out of their hands; and especially because it was a very strong fortified city it had its name from strength; hence MelaF12De Situ Orbis l. 1. c. 11. calls it "Munita admodum Gaza" and says that when Cambyses made war in Egypt he carried his wealth and money to this place:

and bound him with fetters of brass; the Targum calls them chains of brass and the word being of the dual number it is probable there were two of them with which he was bound the greater security:

and he did grind in the prison house; the motion of mills by water or wind was as yet not invented but it was usual as it is still in the eastern countries to grind with hand mills at which one or more worked; or with mills moved around by beasts or slaves and was a work prisoners were employed in Exodus 11:5 and Samson being a strong man they might expect much service from him this way. The TalmudistsF13T. Bab. Sotah fol. 10. 1. understand this in a criminal sense as they do Job 31:10 but this is justly rejected by Kimchi.

 

Judges 16:22  22 However the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven.

   YLT  22And the hair of his head beginneth to shoot up when he hath been shaven

Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. It began to grow immediately no doubt as it naturally would do; but it is highly probable it grew in an extraordinary manner and in a short time became as when it was shavedF14כאשר גלח "ut rasus fuerat" Tigurine version Vatablus; "ut quum abraderetur" Junius & Tremellius. as it may be rendered and upon which his strength was renewed; not that his strength naturally lay in his hair and so naturally increased as that grew; but he being made sensible of his sin and repenting of it renewed his Nazariteship of which letting his hair grow was a token; and it pleased God who accepted of his repentance as genuine of his own good will and pleasure to renew his strength; particularly upon his prayer to him after related.

 

Judges 16:23  23 Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice. And they said: “Our god has delivered into our hands Samson our enemy!”

   YLT  23and 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.'

Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together .... The five lords with their friends not directly upon Samson's being taken and committed to prison but some time after; perhaps some months:

for to get a great sacrifice to Dagon their god; in later times their god was called MarnasF15Hicron. in Isa. xvii. fol. 39. K. which signifies the lord of men but now Dagon; who also had a temple at Ashdod another of the five principalities of the Philistines 1 Samuel 5:2 and seems to have been at this time their common and chief deity: according to Jarchi in the place referred to it was in the form of a fish for "dag" in Hebrew signifies a fish; and Kimchi on the same place says that from its navel upwards it was in the form of a man and from thence downwards in the form of a fishF16So David de Pomis Lexic. fol. 18. 3. & Milton in his Paradise Lost l. 1. v. 462 463. "Dagon his name; sea monster! upward man And downward fish." ; and Diodorus SiculusF17Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 92. & Ovid Metamorph. l. 4. Fab. 1. v. 44 &c. relates that Derceto a goddess of Ashkelon another of the five principalities of Palestine its face was human and the other part of its body resembled a fish; and the same Lucian says of the Syrian goddess; and CiceroF18De Natura Deorum l. 3. testifies that the Syrians worshipped a fish and PorphyryF19De Abstinentia l. 2. sect. 6. says they will not eat any; and Gaza being a maritime city a sea port this might be their sea god in this form: but Ben Gersom in the above place says it was in the form of a man; and SanchoniathoF20Apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 1. p. 36 37. making mention of Dagan a brother of Saturn Philo Byblius who translated his history into Greek interprets it by Siton which signifies corn deriving it from Dagan which so signifies; as if this deity presided over corn as Ceres in other nations and Jupiter Frumentarius or Aratrius; yea he says he invented corn and the plough; however this be the Philistine princes met together to sacrifice to him not a common offering but a great sacrifice. It is very probable that this was a public festival of the Philistines as JosephusF21Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 12. says an anniversary one; and perhaps was held in a more grand manner on the present occasion since it is added:

and to rejoice: for they said our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hands; for though Samson's harlot had done it and they had paid her for it yet they attribute it to their god such was their blindness and stupidity; and yet this may shame us believers in the true God who are so backward to ascribe to him the great things he does for us when such Heathens were so forward to give glory to their false deities without any foundation for it.

 

Judges 16:24  24 When the people saw him they praised their god; for they said: “Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy The destroyer of our land And the one who multiplied our dead.”

   YLT  24And the people see him and praise their god for they said `Our god hath given in our hand our enemy and he who is laying waste our land and who multiplied our wounded.'

And when the people saw him .... In the condition he was blinded and fettered of whom and of his great exploits they had heard so much: they praised their god; as Belshazzar did his Daniel 5:4 in hymns and songs composed for them the substance of which was as follows:

for they said our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy and the destroyer of our country; as he had been by tying firebrands to the tails of three hundred foxes and letting them go into their cornfields vineyards and oliveyards:

which slew many of us; thirty men at Ashkelon more at Timnath and 1000 with the jawbone of an ass at Lehi.

 

Judges 16:25  25 So it happened when their hearts were merry that they said “Call for Samson that he may perform for us.” So they called for Samson from the prison and he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars.

   YLT  25And it cometh to pass when their heart [is] glad that they say `Call for Samson and he doth play before us;' and they call for Samson out of the prison-house and he playeth before them and they cause him to stand between the pillars.

And it came to pass when their hearts were merry .... With wine for which Gaza is famous in many writersF23Vid. Rivinum de Majumis &c. c. 6. sect. 13. ; with eating and drinking dancing and music; for it was usual for the Heathens to feast in their temples and especially no doubt they would on such an occasion as this:

and they said call for Samson that he may make us sport; by which it seems that what is before said "when the people saw him" Judges 16:24 is said by anticipation; for as yet he was not in the temple but in the prison; and therefore a motion was made by some of the great personages that he might be fetched from thence and they might have some diversion with him:

and they called for Samson out of the prison house; sent some messengers to fetch him from thence:

and he made them sport; not actively but passively; it cannot well be thought that a man of so great a spirit as Samson was and in such circumstances as he now was would ever either by words or gestures do anything on purpose to divert his enemies and make them laugh; but he was the object of their sport and scorn and he bore it patiently their cruel mockings buffetings and spittings; in which he was a type of Christ. It was a diversion to them to see him in his rattling chains groping and blundering along from post to pillar one perhaps giving him a box of the ear or a slap of the face another plucking him by his nose or beard and another spitting in his face and others taunting at him and reproaching him:

and they set him between the pillars; that he might be the better seen and in which there was the direction of Providence to bring about what follows.

 

Judges 16:26  26 Then Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand “Let me feel the pillars which support the temple so that I can lean on them.”

   YLT  26And Samson saith unto the young man who is keeping hold on his hand `Let me alone and let me feel the pillars on which the house is established and I lean upon them.'

And Samson said to the lad that held him by the hand .... And led him about; as nothing is more common now than for a blind man to be led by a boy:

suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth; he might by information know in what manner the house was built that it was supported by pillars if he had never been in it before when he had his sight; and he might understand by some means or another that he was near these pillars and placed between them though being blind did not know which way to direct his hands towards them to feel them as he proposed to do and therefore desired the lad that led him to guide his hands towards them:

that I may lean upon them; being as he might at least pretend to be weary as Josephus saysF24Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 12.) ; either by grinding at the mill or through being led to and fro in this house that all might see him and cast their flouts and jeers at him

 

Judges 16:27  27 Now the temple was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there—about three thousand men and women on the roof watching while Samson performed.

   YLT  27And the house hath been full of men and of women and thither [are] all the princes of the Philistines and on the roof [are] about three thousand men and women who are looking on the playing of Samson.

Now the house was full of men and women .... Within it who were gathered together from all parts of the city and perhaps from other places on this occasion:

and all the lords of the Philistines were there; their five lords the lords of Gaza Ashdod Ashkelon Gath and Ekron:

and there were upon the roof three thousand men and women; it being a flat roof as the houses in Canaan and Phoenicia and the places adjacent were; see Deuteronomy 22:8 and there might be some openings or windows in several parts of it through which the people might see who were below them and were within the house and what was doing there and particularly could have a sight of Samson through them as follows:

that beheld while Samson made sport; or was made a sport of; while he was buffeted and used in a ludicrous manner.

 

Judges 16:28  28 Then Samson called to the Lord saying “O Lord God remember me I pray! Strengthen me I pray just this once O God that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!”

   YLT  28And Samson calleth unto Jehovah and saith `Lord Jehovah remember me I pray Thee and strengthen me I pray Thee only this time O God; and I am avenged -- vengeance at once -- because of my two eyes on the Philistines.'

And Samson called unto the Lord .... In an ejaculatory manner by mental prayer; though he might possibly express it aloud without being heard and observed by the people amidst their noise and mirth; and if it was heard it might only furnish out more ridicule and contempt; and be it as it may the prayer must have been preserved by the Lord himself and given by inspiration to the writer of this book; since there were none that heard it that lived to relate it to others no not Samson himself:

and said O Lord God remember me I pray thee; the office that I bear as judge of Israel the reproaches cast upon me and which fall upon thy people cause and interest; remember thy lovingkindness formerly expressed to me the gracious promises made unto me and the help and assistance I have had from thee:

and strengthen me I pray thee only this once O God; and it was a prayer of faith as appears by its being heard accepted and answered; and shows that his strength did not come with his hair but was owing to the immediate communication of it from the Lord:

that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes; once for all and no more; take his last and final vengeance on them; or one vengeance for his two eyes or vengeance for one of his two eyes; either senses will bear. This was said not from a private spirit of revenge for personal injuries; but as a civil magistrate a judge of Israel whose office it was to be a revenger to execute wrath; and though he mentions only his own eyes yet he suffered the loss of them and every other indignity and injury as a public person the common enemy of the Philistines and destroyer of their country and protector of Israel; and in this character he now acted.

 

Judges 16:29  29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple and he braced himself against them one on his right and the other on his left.

   YLT  29And Samson turneth aside [to] the two middle pillars on which the house is established and on which it is supported [to] the one with his right hand and one with his left;

And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood and on which it was borne up .... Some have objected that a building so large and so capacious as this was could not be supported by two pillars and those placed in the middle and so near to each other that Samson could lay hold on them; on which it has been observed that the architecture of the ancients is little known to us and they might have curious and ingenious arts of building now lost; and several authors have taken notice of two Roman theatres built by Curio that held abundantly more people than this house did which were supported only by a single pin or hinge as PlinyF25Nat. Hist. l. 36. c. 15. relates; and our Westminster hall which was built by William Rufus and is two hundred and seventy feet long and seventy four broadF26Rapin's History of England vol. 1. p. 188. and has a roof the largest in all Europe is supported without any pillars at all; add to all which that mention being made of the two middle pillars of this house supposes that there were others in other parts of it though these were the main and principal ones on which the weight of the building chiefly lay. Kimchi observes that the word signifies to incline or bend as if Samson made the pillars to bend or bow; but it is a better sense that he laid hold of them:

of the one with his right hand and the other with his left; and thus he stood with his arms stretched out as Jesus on the cross of whom he was a type as often observed.

 

Judges 16:30  30 Then Samson said “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.

   YLT  30and Samson saith `Let me die with the Philistines ' and he inclineth himself powerfully and the house falleth on the princes and on all the people who [are] in it and the dead whom he hath put to death in his death are more than those whom he put to death in his life.

And Samson said let me die with the Philistines .... He sought their death and was content to lose his own life to be avenged on them; in neither of which did he act a criminal part as a judge of Israel; and from a public spirit he might desire the death of their enemies and seek to effect it by all means possible; and was the more justifiable at this time as they were not only insulting him the representative of his nation but were affronting the most high God with their idolatries being now in the temple of their idol and sacrificing to him. As for his own death he did not simply desire that only as he could not be avenged on his enemies without it he was willing to submit to it; nor did he lay hands on himself and cannot be charged with being guilty of suicide and did no other than what a man of valour and public spirit will do; who for the good of his country will not only expose his life to danger in common but for the sake of that will engage in a desperate enterprise when he knows most certainly that he must perish in it. Besides Samson said this and did what he did under the direction and influence of the Spirit of God; and herein was a type of Christ who freely laid down his life for his people that he might destroy his and their enemies:

and he bowed himself with all his might having fresh strength and a large measure of it given him at this instant which he had faith in and therefore made the attempt and for which he is reckoned among the heroes for faith in Hebrews 11:32.

and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people that were therein; who were all killed and Samson himself; an emblem this of the destruction of Satan and his principalities and powers by the death of Christ:

so the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life; for besides the lords and they that were in the house there were 3000 men and women on the roof which fell in and lost their lives also so that it is very likely there were at least 6000 or 7000 slain; Philo Byblius says 40 000 which is not probable; whereas in his life we only read of 1000 slain by him with the jawbone besides thirty men at Ashkelon and the slaughter made when he smote hip and thigh the number of which is not known. As this house pulled down by Samson is generally thought to be the temple of Dagon a travellerF1Baumgarten. Perogrinatio l. 2. c. 3. p. 27. Vid. Adrichom. Theatrum Terrae S. p. 134. in those parts tells us that there is now extant the temple of Dagon in half demolished and the pillars of it are yet to be seen; but he doubtless mistakes an edifice of a later construction for it: and another travellerF2Sandy's Travels l. 3. p. 116. of our own country says on the northeast corner and summit of the hill (on which the city is built) are the ruins of huge arches sunk low in the earth and other foundations of a stately building; the Jews adds he do fable this place to have been the theatre of Samson pulled down on the heads of the Philistines; but he takes it to be the ruins of a later building; See Gill on 1 Samuel 5:2.

 

Judges 16:31  31 And his brothers and all his father’s household came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah. He had judged Israel twenty years.

   YLT  31And his brethren come down and all the house of his father and lift him up and bring him up and bury him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying-place of Manoah his father; and he hath judged Israel twenty years.

Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down .... To Gaza having heard of what had befallen him there. This must be understood of his kindred and near relations those of his father's family; though it is not unlikely that he had brethren in a proper sense since though his mother was barren before his birth yet afterwards might have many children as Hannah had whose case was similar to her's:

and took him and brought him up; took his body out of the ruins of the house and brought him up on a bier or some proper carriage to his own country; and perhaps in great funeral pomp as a judge of Israel; nor need it be wondered at that the Philistines should admit of it it being usual in all ages and among all people to allow even an enemy to bury their dead; besides Samson's friends had done them no injury only Samson himself and the Israelites in general were quiet and peaceable under their government; add to this they were now in distress themselves for their own dead and might be in some fear of the Israelites falling upon them and attempting to deliver themselves out of their hands since their five lords were dead and no doubt many more of their principal men with them; so that they might judge this was not a proper time to refuse such a favour lest it should occasion a quarrel which they were not in a condition to engage in; and had Israel taken this opportunity in all likelihood they might have freed themselves from them:

and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying place of Manoah his father; the former of these seems to have been his native place and the other was near it; and between these the Spirit of the Lord first began to move him and here his father's sepulchre was in which he was laid; see Judges 13:2 and he judged Israel twenty years; by distressing and weakening their enemies; and though he did not complete their deliverance out of their hands yet no doubt their oppressions were fewer and their burdens easier on his account; the time of his judging Israel is observed before Judges 15:20 and here repeated for the confirmation of it and the rather because they were now ended by his death. Ben Gersom observes that this is said to show that the time that Samson dwelt in the land of the Philistines is included in these twenty years; some would infer from hence that he judged Israel forty years twenty in the days of the Philistines as it is expressed in the above place; that is when they had the dominion over Israel and twenty more afterwards; but it does not appear that their dominion over Israel ceased in his time. In the Jerusalem TalmudF3T. Hieros. Sotah fol. 17. 2. it is also said that he judged Israel forty years but for it there is no foundation; nor is the reason given of any force that the Philistines feared him twenty years after his death; the other TalmudF4T. Bab. Sotah fol. 10. 1. says he judged Israel twenty two years; but the word "two" is put into a parenthesis.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. Judges 16:19 Following Masoretic Text Targum and Vulgate; Septuagint reads he began to be weak.