Judges 16:1
GAZA - About 8 hours from Eleutheropolis, and one of the chief strong-holds of the Philistines.... [ Continue Reading ]
GAZA - About 8 hours from Eleutheropolis, and one of the chief strong-holds of the Philistines.... [ Continue Reading ]
Instead of forcing the doors open, he tore the posts up, as it were, by the roots, with the barred doors attached to them. The word rendered “went away with them,” means “to pluck up the tent-pins,” and hence, “to remove.” The present town of Gaza (Ghuzzeh) is an open town, without gates or walls, b... [ Continue Reading ]
A village to the north of Eleutheropolis, called Caphar-Sotek, was still existing in the time of Eusebius, near Zorah.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES - See Judges 3:3 note. HIS GREAT STRENGTH LIETH - Rather, “wherein his strength is great.” ELEVEN HUNDRED PIECES OF SILVER - The greatness of the bribe offered to Delilah, 5,500 shekels of silver, nearly two talents (Exodus 38:24, note), shows the importance attach... [ Continue Reading ]
OCCUPIED - The margin, “wherewith work hath not been done,” is better.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE FASTENED IT WITH THE PIN ... - The meaning of the verses seems to be that the seven long plaits, in which Samson’s hair was arranged, were to be woven as a woof into the threads of a warp which stood prepared on a loom in the chamber, which loom Delilah fastened down with a pin, so as to kee... [ Continue Reading ]
The possession of his extraordinary strength is ascribed (e. g. Judges 13:25) to the presence of the Spirit of the Lord. Now the Lord, or the Spirit of the Lord, had departed from him, and so his strength had gone too. The practical lesson against the presumption of self-dependence, and the all-impo... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT OUT HIS EYES - Thus effectually, as they thought, preventing any future mischief on his part, while they prolonged their own triumph and revenge. (Compare Numbers 16:14; 2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 39:7.) They applied to the two feet fetters of brass 2 Samuel 3:34; Jeremiah 52:11, and made him “grind... [ Continue Reading ]
Dagon was the national idol of the Philistines 1 Chronicles 10:10, so called from Dag, a fish. The description of Dagon, in his temple at Ashdod 1 Samuel 5:4, exactly agrees with the representations of a fish-god on the walls of Khorsabad, on slabs at Kouyunjik, and on sundry antique cylinders and g... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR GOD ... - A portion of the Philistine triumphal song. Compare Judges 5; Exodus 15.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HE MAY MAKE US SPORT - Rather, “that he may play for us,” i. e. dance and make music. At an idolatrous feast, dancing was always accompanied with vocal and instrumental music.... [ Continue Reading ]
More literally, “let me rest, and let me feel the pillars, that I may lean upon them.” He feigned weariness with his dancing and singing, and asked to recover himself by leaning against the pillars. The flat roof, from the top of which, as well as under it, spectators could see what was being done o... [ Continue Reading ]
AT ONCE AVENGED - “i. e. with one final revenge.” These words do not breathe the spirit of the Gospel, but they express a sentiment, natural to the age, knowledge, and character of Samson.... [ Continue Reading ]
“All the house of his father,” in connection with “his brethren,” must mean the whole tribe of Dan, aiding his nearer relations. The Danites, taking advantage of the consternation of the Philistines, and of the death of their lords and chief men, went down in force to Gaza, and recovered the body of... [ Continue Reading ]