Judges 15

Chap. XVI. ver. 1.—to Gaza.] This city was made by Joshua part of the tribe of Judah; but, after him, it fell into the hands of the Philistines, being situated towards the southern extremity of the promised land. The advantageous situation of this place was the cause of its becoming subject, in following times, to many revolutions. Stackhouse. —saw there an harlot.] The general corruption and debauchery of manners, spreading through the Israelitish nation, discovered itself but too much in Samson himself. While he appeared among the Philistines as an instrument of special Providence for giving a check to their oppressive power, he suffered himself to become a slave to the inordinate love of women, and that without any distinction between those which were Israelites, or the daughters of idolaters. Pyle. We cannot wonder more at Samson’s strength than his weakness: he that began to cast away his love upon a Philistine wife, went on to misspend his time on a Phi-

Judges 15:3

3. — Now shall I be more blameless] He seems to have turned away in scorn and indignation, without making any reply to his father in law; exclaiming aloud, or revolving in his mind, that he would be revenged of the Philistines for the wrong that had been done him, and that they would have to blame themselves for the mischief he intended them. Bp. Patrick.

Judges 15:4

4. — three hundred foxes.] Some have made a difficulty of this passage, on the ground that so large a number of foxes are not easily caught. It should be considered, however, that this country abounded, if not with foxes, yet with other creatures, very like the fox, called thoes, or jackalls, which go together in large herds; so fairer than she? † take her, I pray thee, instead of her.

Judges 15:8

8. — smote them hip and thigh] It is not easy to determine the sense of this phrase. The Chaldee Paraphras interprets it, that he smote both horsemen and footmen. They, that think this to be forced, take the meaning to be, that he smote them both on their legs and thighs, as they fled away, so as to disable them from any service. Bp. Patrick. By the supernatural strength with which he was endued, he killed some, wounded and disabled others, by bruising and breaking their legs and thighs with the violence of his strokes. Pyle. Or literally, “hip upon thigh,” a proverbial phrase to express an utter rout. Edit. Before CHRIST about 1140. be thine. shall I be blameless from the Philistines, though, &c. Samson killeth a thousand of the Philistines. Before CHRIST about 1140. went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.

Judges 15:9

9.—in Lehi.] This word signifies a jawbone: the place was so called afterwards from the jawbone with which Samson smote the Philistines, ver. 16. Bp. Patrick.

Judges 15:15

15.—slew a thousand men] To such a miraculous degree did God enlarge, and continue his activity, strength, and swiftness; without which no human power could have done the like in the same space of time. Pyle. This victory was not in the weapon, was not in the arm; it was in the Spirit of God, which moved the weapon in the arm. O God, if the means be weak, yet Thou art strong! Bp. Hall.

15. And Samson said, &c.] On this victory Samson composed a short song of praise and triumph, and called the place Ramath-lehi, as much as to say, the lifting up or casting away of the jawbone; but it commonly went by the name of Lehi or the jawbone. Pyle.

Judges 15:19

19.—clave an hollow place that was in the jaw.] Rather, clave a hollow place in the ground or rock, which bore the name of Lehi, the jawbone. Bp. Patrick, Abp. Usher, Dr. Wells, Dr. Wall, Dr. Hales, &c. Those who have travelled through this part of Paletine inform us, that, in the suburbs of Eleutheropolis, took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.