Judges 16

Judges 16:3

3. — kill that is before Hebron.] Meaning, “that is in the way leading from Gaza to Hebron:” Hebron was distant twenty miles from Gaza. Bp. Patrick, Dr. Wells.

Judges 16:4

4. — in the valley of Sorek.] Or, as in the margin, “by the brook of Sorek:” it was a brook which passed through the tribe of Dan. Eusebius says, there was in his time a town called Caphar Sorek, or the town of Sorek, near Zorah, where Samson was born. Calmet.

— Delilah.] It is not mentioned whether she was an Israelitish woman, or a daughter of the Philistines; nor whether Samson was married to her, or kept company with her, as an harlot: the story which follows proves that she had not the affection of a wife towards him, and that she was a mercenary woman, who would do any thing to obtain money. Bp. Patrick.

St. Chrysostom and others are of opinion that he was married to her; but, had this been the case, it is probable some mention would have been made of his marriage ceremonies, in this as in his former wife’s case. It appears from her whole behaviour that she was a most

Judges 16:6

6. — Tell me,—wherein thy great strength lieth.] Was ever such a request made to a reasonable man? Who would not have spurned such a suitor out of doors? Yet he, that killed the thousand Philistines for coming to bind him, endured this harlot of the Philistines enticing him to his ruin; and when upon the trial of a false answer, he saw such manifest treachery, yet wilfully betrayed his life by her to his enemies: all sins and passions have power to infatuate a man, but lust meet of all. Bp. Hall.

Judges 16:7

7. — If they bind me &c.] He probably suspected something from her last words, and was now too wise to trust her with so important a secret; and therefore either intended to tell her a direct falsehood, or else jested with her, deeming it impossible that she could take so improbable a thing for truth. Bp. Patrick.

Judges 16:10

10. — now tell me, I pray thee.] She probably did not say this immediately after the former attempt, but waited a favourable opportunity, when Samson had ceased to suspect her.

Judges 16:13

13. — If thou weavest the—locks of my head] Samson, being a Nassrite, never cut his hair, but curled it up in locks, or plaited and braided it, after the manner of a chain. He seems to direct Delilah to wrap these (seven) locks about a weaver’s beam, (as the Chaldee understands it,) or to weave them one within another, so that they should be but one lock. Bp. Patrick. As a hoodwinked man sees some glimmering of light, but not

Before CHRIST about 1190. sentileth. wherewith work hath not been done. Delilah’s falsehood to Samson. He is made blind, and imprisoned. Before CHRIST about 1120.

pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.

Judges 16:16

16. — his soul was vexed unto death:] He was so racked by two contrary passions struggling within him, love of Delilah, and regard for his own life and strength, that he became weary of life, and careless what became of him: God now forsook him because he abandoned himself to sensual pleasure; and his love of the harlot prevailed over his care of himself. Bp. Patrick.

Judges 16:21

21. — and he did grind in the prison house.] Before the invention of mills turned by wind and water, men made use of hand-mills to grind their corn. This being laborious work, was assigned to malefactors and slaves; and probably in this prison where Samson was confined, a public mill was placed, to be worked by those who were imprisoned. From this and other circumstances we collect, that the Philistines’ purpose was, not to put Samson to death, but to punish him in a manner more severe and intolerable than death itself. Le Clerc.

Judges 16:22

22. — the hair of his head began to grow] In his present miserable condition, he probably passed his time

and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

Before CHRIST about 1120.

Judges 16:23

23. — Dagon] The name of this image signifies “a fish:” and its figure is represented to have been that of a man from the navel upwards, and that of a fish downwards. Pyle.

He pulleth down the house upon the Philistines, and dieth. Before CHRIST about 1120. them. son out of the prison house; and he made † them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

Judges 16:27

27. — there were upon the roof &c.] Every one knows that the roof of the houses and temples in those countries was flat, so that men might stand or walk there. Bp. Patrick. The Eastern method of building may assist us in accounting for the particular structure of the temple or house of Dagon, and the great number of persons that were buried under it, by pulling down the two principal pillars. The palaces and courts of justice, in those countries, are frequently built with a court or inclosure, surrounded entirely, or in part, with some plain or cloistered buildings: in these, on their times of festival and publick rejoicing, the wrestlers, &c. perform in the area, while the roof of the cloisters round about is crowded with spectators. In such open structures as these, in the midst of their guards and counsellors, are the bashaws and other great officers assembled to distribute justice, and transact publick business. Here likewise they have their public entertainments, as the lords of the Philistines had in the house of Dagon. On the supposition, therefore, that in the house of Dagon there was a cloistered structure of this kind, the pulling down of the front or centre pillars only, which supported it, would be attended with the catastrophe which befell the Philistines. Dr. Shaw. It is remarkable that the exploits of Samson against the Philistines were performed singly, and without any co-operation from his countrymen to vindicate their liberties: whether it was, that the arm of the Lord might be more visibly revealed in him, or that his countrymen were too much depressed by the severity of their servitude, to be animated by his example. They seem also to have feared him almost as much as they did the Philistines: else why should 3000 men of Judah have gone to persuade him to surrender himself to the Philistines; when, with such a leader, they might naturally expect to be invincible. Or why, when he destroyed a thousand Philistines with so simple a weapon, did they not join in the pursuit of the rest? So true was the prediction of the angel to his mother, that he should only begin to deliver Israel.—The case of Samson affords an instructive and awful example, that extraordinary gifts of the Spirit are not always accompanied with corresponding graces, or fruits of the Spirit. Dr. Hales. Chap. XVII. Here begins the second part of this book, which gives an account of several memorable transactions, in or about the time of the judges; the history of whom the writer was unwilling to interrupt, and accordingly reserved these events to be related apart by themselves, in the five following chapters. In the present chapter, he relates the manner in which idolatry first crept into the tribe of Ephraim. Bp. Patrick. After the tenth verse of the second chapter is the proper place and order of these chapters: for, though they be laid at the end of the book, yet the events mentioned in them occurred in the beginning of their wickedness, after the death of Joshua and the elders. Dr. Lightfoot. Ver. 2. — about which thou cursedst.] Meaning, that she adjured all her family to discover the money, with a curse upon them if they knew where it was, and concealed it.