_THEN WENT SAMSON TO GAZA, AND SAW THERE AN HARLOT, AND WENT IN UNTO HER._ Gaza х_ `AZAATAAH_ (H5804), the strong] - now Guzzah; the capital of the largest of the five Philistine principal cities, about 15 miles southwest of Ashkelon, and, like that town, was captured by the tribe of Judah, but re-... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND IT WAS TOLD THE GAZITES, SAYING, SAMSON IS COME HITHER. AND THEY COMPASSED HIM IN, AND LAID WAIT FOR HIM ALL NIGHT IN THE GATE OF THE CITY, AND WERE QUIET ALL THE NIGHT, SAYING, IN THE MORNING, WHEN IT IS DAY, WE SHALL KILL HIM._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SAMSON LAY TILL MIDNIGHT, AND AROSE AT MIDNIGHT, AND TOOK THE DOORS OF THE GATE OF THE CITY, AND THE TWO POSTS, AND WENT AWAY WITH THEM, BAR AND ALL, AND PUT THEM UPON HIS SHOULDERS, AND CARRIED THEM UP TO THE TOP OF AN HILL THAT IS BEFORE HEBRON._ Samson ... arose at midnight, and took the do... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTERWARD, THAT HE LOVED A WOMAN IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK, WHOSE NAME WAS DELILAH._ He loved a woman in the valley of Sorek. The situation of this place is not known, although Jerome ('Onomast.') mentions a village called Capharsorech, the village of Sorech, north of Eleutheropol... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES CAME UP UNTO HER, AND SAID UNTO HER, ENTICE HIM, AND SEE WHEREIN HIS GREAT STRENGTH LIETH, AND BY WHAT MEANS WE MAY PREVAIL AGAINST HIM, THAT WE MAY BIND HIM TO AFFLICT HIM: AND WE WILL GIVE THEE EVERY ONE OF US ELEVEN HUNDRED PIECES OF SILVER._ The lords of the Ph... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND DELILAH SAID TO SAMSON, TELL ME, I PRAY THEE, WHEREIN THY GREAT STRENGTH LIETH, AND WHEREWITH THOU MIGHTEST BE BOUND TO AFFLICT THEE._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SAMSON SAID UNTO HER, IF THEY BIND ME WITH SEVEN GREEN WITHS THAT WERE NEVER DRIED, THEN SHALL I BE WEAK, AND BE AS ANOTHER MAN._ Bind me with seven green withs. Vine tendrils, pliant twigs, or twists made of crude vegetable stalks, are used in many Eastern countries for ropes at the present d... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN THE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES BROUGHT UP TO HER SEVEN GREEN WITHS WHICH HAD NOT BEEN DRIED, AND SHE BOUND HIM WITH THEM._ She bound him with them - probably in a sportive manner, to try whether he was jesting or in earnest.... [ Continue Reading ]
_NOW THERE WERE MEN LYING IN WAIT, ABIDING WITH HER IN THE CHAMBER. AND SHE SAID UNTO HIM, THE PHILISTINES BE UPON THEE, SAMSON. AND HE BRAKE THE WITHS, AS A THREAD OF TOW IS BROKEN WHEN IT TOUCHETH THE FIRE. SO HIS STRENGTH WAS NOT KNOWN._ There were men ... abiding ... in the chamber, х_ WªHAA'OR... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND DELILAH SAID UNTO SAMSON, BEHOLD, THOU HAST MOCKED ME, AND TOLD ME LIES: NOW TELL ME, I PRAY THEE, WHEREWITH THOU MIGHTEST BE BOUND._ And Delilah said. To avoid exciting suspicion, she must have allowed some time to elapse before making this renewed attempt.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE SAID UNTO HER, IF THEY BIND ME FAST WITH NEW ROPES THAT NEVER WERE OCCUPIED, THEN SHALL I BE WEAK, AND BE AS ANOTHER MAN._ If they bind me fast with new ropes, х_ BA`ªBOTIYM_ (H5688), with cords]. It is not said of what material they were formed; but, from their being dried, it is probable... [ Continue Reading ]
_DELILAH THEREFORE TOOK NEW ROPES, AND BOUND HIM THEREWITH, AND SAID UNTO HIM, THE PHILISTINES BE UPON THEE, SAMSON. AND THERE WERE LIERS IN WAIT ABIDING IN THE CHAMBER. AND HE BRAKE THEM FROM OFF HIS ARMS LIKE A THREAD._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND DELILAH SAID UNTO SAMSON, HITHERTO THOU HAST MOCKED ME, AND TOLD ME LIES: TELL ME WHEREWITH THOU MIGHTEST BE BOUND. AND HE SAID UNTO HER, IF THOU WEAVEST THE SEVEN LOCKS OF MY HEAD WITH THE WEB._ If thou weavest the seven locks of my head - braids or tresses, into which, like many in the East... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SHE FASTENED IT WITH THE 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._ Went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web - i:e., the whole weaving apparatus.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SHE SAID UNTO HIM, HOW CANST THOU SAY, I LOVE THEE, WHEN THINE HEART IS NOT WITH ME? THOU HAST MOCKED ME THESE THREE TIMES, AND HAST NOT TOLD ME WHEREIN THY GREAT STRENGTH LIETH._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN SHE PRESSED HIM DAILY WITH HER WORDS, AND URGED HIM, SO THAT HIS SOUL WAS VEXED UNTO DEATH;_ Pressed him daily with her words. Though disappointed and mortified, this vile woman resolved to persevere; and conscious how completely be was enslaved by his passion for her, sh... [ Continue Reading ]
_THAT HE TOLD HER ALL HIS HEART, AND SAID UNTO HER, THERE HATH NOT COME A RASOR UPON MINE HEAD; FOR I HAVE BEEN A NAZARITE UNTO GOD FROM MY MOTHER'S WOMB: IF I BE SHAVEN, THEN MY STRENGTH WILL GO FROM ME, AND I SHALL BECOME WEAK, AND BE LIKE ANY OTHER MAN._ If I be shaven, then my strength will go... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND WHEN DELILAH SAW THAT HE HAD TOLD HER ALL HIS HEART, SHE SENT AND CALLED FOR THE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES, SAYING, COME UP THIS ONCE, FOR HE HATH SHEWED ME ALL HIS HEART. THEN THE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES CAME UP UNTO HER, AND BROUGHT MONEY IN THEIR HAND._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SHE MADE HIM SLEEP UPON HER KNEES; AND SHE CALLED FOR A MAN, 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._ Called for a man, and she caused him to shave off. It is uncertain, however, whether the ancient Hebrews cut... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SHE SAID, THE PHILISTINES BE UPON THEE, SAMSON. AND HE AWOKE OUT OF HIS SLEEP, AND SAID, I WILL GO OUT AS AT OTHER TIMES BEFORE, AND SHAKE MYSELF. AND HE WIST NOT THAT THE LORD WAS DEPARTED FROM HIM._ HE WIST NOT THAT THE LORD WAS DEPARTED FROM HIM. What a humiliating and painful spectacle! Dep... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT THE PHILISTINES TOOK HIM, AND PUT OUT HIS EYES, AND BROUGHT HIM DOWN TO GAZA, AND BOUND HIM WITH FETTERS OF BRASS; AND HE DID GRIND IN THE PRISON HOUSE._ The Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, х_ WAYªNAQRUW_ (H5365), they dug out]. To this cruel privation prisoners of rank and consequ... [ Continue Reading ]
_HOWBEIT THE HAIR OF HIS HEAD BEGAN TO GROW AGAIN AFTER HE WAS SHAVEN._ Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again. It is probable that he had now reflected on his folly, and, becoming a sincere penitent, renewed his Nazarite vow. 'His hair grew together with his repentance, and his strength... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN THE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES GATHERED THEM TOGETHER FOR TO OFFER A GREAT SACRIFICE UNTO DAGON THEIR GOD, AND TO REJOICE: FOR THEY SAID, OUR GOD HATH DELIVERED SAMSON OUR ENEMY INTO OUR HAND._ THE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES GATHERED... TO OFFER A GREAT SACRIFICE UNTO DAGON. It was a common practi... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND WHEN THE PEOPLE SAW HIM, THEY PRAISED THEIR GOD: FOR THEY SAID, OUR GOD HATH DELIVERED INTO OUR HANDS OUR ENEMY, AND THE DESTROYER OF OUR COUNTRY, WHICH SLEW MANY OF US._ No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_NOW THE HOUSE WAS FULL OF MEN AND WOMEN; AND ALL THE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES WERE THERE; AND THERE WERE UPON THE ROOF ABOUT THREE THOUSAND MEN AND WOMEN, THAT BEHELD WHILE SAMSON MADE SPORT._ There were upon the roof about three thousand men and women. This building seems to have been similar to... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SAMSON CALLED UNTO THE LORD, AND SAID, O LORD GOD, REMEMBER ME, I PRAY THEE, AND STRENGTHEN ME, I PRAY THEE, ONLY THIS ONCE, O GOD, THAT I MAY BE AT ONCE AVENGED OF THE PHILISTINES FOR MY TWO EYES._ Samson called unto the Lord. His penitent and prayerful spirit seems clearly to indicate that t... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SAMSON TOOK HOLD OF THE TWO MIDDLE PILLARS UPON WHICH THE HOUSE STOOD, AND ON WHICH IT WAS BORNE UP, OF THE ONE WITH HIS RIGHT HAND, AND OF THE OTHER WITH HIS LEFT._ No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN HIS BRETHREN AND ALL THE HOUSE OF HIS FATHER CAME DOWN, AND TOOK HIM, AND BROUGHT HIM UP, AND BURIED HIM BETWEEN ZORAH AND ESHTAOL IN THE BURYING PLACE OF MANOAH HIS FATHER. AND HE JUDGED ISRAEL TWENTY YEARS._ Then his brethren ... brought him up,, and buried him. This awful catastrophe seems... [ Continue Reading ]