1.
But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
a kid: Genesis 38:17, Luke 15:29
I will go: Genesis 6:4, Genesis 29:21
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 22:13 - General Judges 19:3 - went
2.
And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.
I verily: Judges 14:16, Judges 14:20, Acts 26:9
I gave: Judges 14:20, Genesis 38:14
take her: Heb. let her be thine
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 22:13 - General
3.
And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.
Now shall: etc. or, Now shall I be blameless from the Philistines
though: etc. Judges 14:15
Reciprocal: Genesis 34:13 - deceitfully
4.
And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
caught three: Dr. Kennicott and others contend, that for shualim, "foxes," we should read shoalim, "handfuls," or sheaves of corn. But:
1. The word lachad, rendered caught, never signifies simply to get or take but always to catch, seize, or take by assault or stratagem.
2. Though the proposed alteration is sanctioned by seven manuscripts, yet all the versions are on the other side.
3. Admitting this alteration, it will be difficult to prove that the word shoal means either a sheaf or a handful of corn in the ear, and straw. It occurs but thrice in Scriptures (1 Kings 20:10. Isaiah 40:12. Ezekiel 13:9): where it evidently means as much as can be contained in the hollow of the hand; but when handfuls of grain in the shock, or sheaves are intended, very different words are used. See note on Ruth 2:15-16, etc.
4. It is not hinted that Samson collected them alone, or in one day; he might have employed many hands and several days in the work.
5. The word shual properly denotes the jackal, which travellers describe as an animal in size between the wolf and fox, gregarious, as many as 200 having been seen together, and the most numerous of any in eastern countries; so that Samson might have caught many of them together in nets. Psalms 63:10, Song of Solomon 2:15, Lamentations 5:18
firebrands: or, torches
Reciprocal: Exodus 22:6 - so that the stacks of corn 2 Samuel 14:30 - go and set
5.
And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.
he let them go: Exodus 22:6, 2 Samuel 14:30
6.
Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
and burnt: Judges 12:1, Judges 14:15, Proverbs 22:8, 1 Thessalonians 4:6
Reciprocal: Esther 4:14 - but thou
7.
And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
Though: Judges 14:4, Judges 14:19, Romans 12:19
Reciprocal: Esther 7:10 - Then was the king's Zechariah 6:8 - quieted
8.
And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
Isaiah 25:10, Isaiah 63:3, Isaiah 63:6
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 33:22 - General Judges 14:6 - rent him Judges 16:24 - which slew many of us Judges 16:30 - So the dead 1 Samuel 23:25 - into a rock 2 Chronicles 11:6 - Etam Job 16:14 - runneth Psalms 108:13 - tread
9.
Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.
Lehi: Judges 15:17, Judges 15:19
10.
And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
11.
Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
went: Heb. went down
the rock Etam: Probably near the town Etam, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:32.
Philistines: Judges 13:1, Judges 14:4, Deuteronomy 28:13, Deuteronomy 28:47, Deuteronomy 28:48, Psalms 106:41
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 28:43 - General 1 Kings 20:4 - I am thine Proverbs 24:29 - I will do Revelation 8:10 - the fountains
12.
And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
to bind thee: Matthew 27:2, Acts 7:25
fall: Judges 8:21, 1 Kings 2:25, 1 Kings 2:34
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 28:43 - General
13.
And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
Reciprocal: Acts 21:33 - be
14.
And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
the Philistines: Judges 5:30, Judges 16:24, Exodus 14:3, Exodus 14:5, 1 Samuel 4:5, Job 20:5, Micah 7:8
the Spirit: Judges 3:10, Judges 14:6, Judges 14:19, Zechariah 4:6
the cords: Judges 16:9, Judges 16:12, 1 Samuel 17:35, Psalms 18:34, Psalms 118:11, Philippians 4:3
loosed: Heb. were melted
Reciprocal: Exodus 32:17 - There is a noise Judges 6:34 - the Spirit 2 Samuel 23:10 - the Lord Psalms 51:11 - take Isaiah 1:31 - as tow 2 Corinthians 10:4 - mighty Hebrews 11:34 - out of
15.
And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
new jawbone: Heb. moist
slew: Judges 3:31, Judges 4:21, Judges 7:16, Leviticus 26:8, Joshua 23:10, 1 Samuel 14:6, 1 Samuel 14:14, 1 Samuel 17:49, 1 Samuel 17:50, 1 Corinthians 1:27, 1 Corinthians 1:28
a thousand: Some would render the words aileph ish, "a chief;" but it is alluph, and not aileph, which signifies a chief; besides which, the Hebrew idiom would, even in that case, require it to be ish alluph, "a man, a chief," and not alluph ish, "a chief, a man." Add to which, that every version renders it "a thousand men."
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 33:22 - General Judges 14:6 - rent him Judges 16:30 - So the dead 1 Samuel 17:40 - staff 1 Corinthians 1:25 - the foolishness
16.
And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
with the jawbone: There is here a fine paronomasia upon the word chamor, "an ass," which also signifies "a heap;" bilchee hachamor, chamor chamorathayim, "With the jaw-bone of an ass, a heap upon two heaps."
heaps upon heaps: Heb. an heap, two heaps, Judges 15:16
Reciprocal: Judges 16:24 - which slew many of us 1 Samuel 17:40 - staff 1 Corinthians 1:25 - the foolishness
17.
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-lehi.
Ramathlehi: that is, the lifting up of the jaw-bone, or, the casting away of the jaw-bone, Judges 15:17
Reciprocal: Judges 15:9 - Lehi
18.
And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
he was sore: Judges 8:4, Psalms 22:14, Psalms 22:15, John 19:28, 2 Corinthians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 4:9
Thou hast given: Psalms 3:7, Psalms 3:8, Psalms 18:31-40
shall: Genesis 32:31, 2 Corinthians 12:7, 2 Corinthians 12:8
and fall: Genesis 12:12, Genesis 12:13, Genesis 20:11, 1 Samuel 27:1, 2 Corinthians 1:8, 2 Corinthians 1:9, Hebrews 11:32
the uncircumcised: 1 Samuel 17:26, 1 Samuel 17:36, 2 Samuel 1:20
Reciprocal: Genesis 45:7 - to preserve you a posterity Judges 14:3 - uncircumcised Judges 16:2 - kill him 1 Samuel 14:6 - uncircumcised 2 Samuel 23:10 - the Lord 1 Kings 17:6 - the ravens 1 Chronicles 10:4 - uncircumcised Psalms 107:5 - General Proverbs 25:25 - cold Isaiah 41:17 - I the Lord Jeremiah 48:18 - and sit Hosea 2:3 - and slay
19.
But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.
the jaw: or, Lehi, This reading is certainly preferable: it was in the place called Lehi where a spring was supernaturally opened.
there came: Isaiah 44:3
his spirit: Genesis 45:27, 1 Samuel 30:12, Isaiah 40:26
Enhakkore: Samson gave this expressive name to the miraculously springing water, to be as a memorial of the goodness of God to him. En-hakkore, the well of him that cried, which kept him in remembrance both of his own distress which caused him to cry, and the favour of Jehovah to him in answer to his cry. Many a spring of comfort God opens to his people, which may fitly be called by the name En-hakkore, and this instance of Samson's relief should encourage us to trust in God, for when he pleases he can open rivers in high places. Isaiah 41:17, Isaiah 41:18, Samson at first gave the name of Ramath-lehi - the lifting up of the jaw-bone which denoted him great and triumphant, but now he gives it another name, En-hakkore, which denotes him wanting and dependent. Genesis 16:13, Genesis 22:14, Genesis 28:19, Genesis 30:30, Exodus 17:15, Psalms 34:6, Psalms 120:1
Reciprocal: Judges 15:9 - Lehi 1 Kings 17:6 - the ravens Psalms 107:5 - General Proverbs 25:25 - cold
20.
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
Judges 13:1, Judges 13:5, Judges 16:31,"He seems to have judged South-west Israel during twenty years of their servitude of the Philistines.
Reciprocal: Genesis 49:16 - General Genesis 49:17 - shall be