1 Then went H3212 Samson H8123 to Gaza, H5804 and saw H7200 there an harlot, H802 H2181 and went in H935 unto her.
2 And it was told the Gazites, H5841 saying, H559 Samson H8123 is come H935 hither. And they compassed him in, H5437 and laid wait H693 for him all night H3915 in the gate H8179 of the city, H5892 and were quiet H2790 all the night, H3915 saying, H559 In the morning, H1242 when it is day, H216 we shall kill H2026 him.
3 And Samson H8123 lay H7901 till midnight, H2677 H3915 and arose H6965 at midnight, H2677 H3915 and took H270 the doors H1817 of the gate H8179 of the city, H5892 and the two H8147 posts, H4201 and went away H5265 with them, bar H1280 and all, and put H7760 them upon his shoulders, H3802 and carried them up H5927 to the top H7218 of an hill H2022 that is before H6440 Hebron. H2275
4 And it came to pass afterward, H310 that he loved H157 a woman H802 in the valley H5158 of Sorek, H7796 whose name H8034 was Delilah. H1807
5 And the lords H5633 of the Philistines H6430 came up H5927 unto her, and said H559 unto her, Entice H6601 him, and see H7200 wherein his great H1419 strength H3581 lieth, and by what means we may prevail H3201 against him, that we may bind H631 him to afflict H6031 him: and we will give H5414 thee every one H376 of us eleven hundred H505 H3967 pieces of silver. H3701
6 And Delilah H1807 said H559 to Samson, H8123 Tell H5046 me, I pray thee, wherein thy great H1419 strength H3581 lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound H631 to afflict H6031 thee.
7 And Samson H8123 said H559 unto her, If they bind H631 me with seven H7651 green H3892 withs H3499 that were never dried, H2717 then shall I be weak, H2470 and be as another H259 man. H120
8 Then the lords H5633 of the Philistines H6430 brought up H5927 to her seven H7651 green H3892 withs H3499 which had not been dried, H2717 and she bound H631 him with them.
9 Now there were men lying in wait, H693 abiding H3427 with her in the chamber. H2315 And she said H559 unto him, The Philistines H6430 be upon thee, Samson. H8123 And he brake H5423 the withs, H3499 as a thread H6616 of tow H5296 is broken H5423 when it toucheth H7306 the fire. H784 So his strength H3581 was not known. H3045
10 And Delilah H1807 said H559 unto Samson, H8123 Behold, thou hast mocked H2048 me, and told H1696 me lies: H3577 now tell H5046 me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. H631
11 And he said H559 unto her, If they bind H631 me fast H631 with new H2319 ropes H5688 that never were occupied, H4399 H6213 then shall I be weak, H2470 and be as another H259 man. H120
12 Delilah H1807 therefore took H3947 new H2319 ropes, H5688 and bound H631 him therewith, and said H559 unto him, The Philistines H6430 be upon thee, Samson. H8123 And there were liers in wait H693 abiding H3427 in the chamber. H2315 And he brake H5423 them from off his arms H2220 like a thread. H2339
13 And Delilah H1807 said H559 unto Samson, H8123 Hitherto H2008 thou hast mocked H2048 me, and told H1696 me lies: H3577 tell H5046 me wherewith thou mightest be bound. H631 And he said H559 unto her, If thou weavest H707 the seven H7651 locks H4253 of my head H7218 with the web. H4545
14 And she fastened H8628 it with the pin, H3489 and said H559 unto him, The Philistines H6430 be upon thee, Samson. H8123 And he awaked H3364 out of his sleep, H8142 and went away H5265 with the pin H3489 of the beam, H708 and with the web. H4545
15 And she said H559 unto him, How H349 canst thou say, H559 I love H157 thee, when thine heart H3820 is not with me? thou hast mocked H2048 me these three H7969 times, H6471 and hast not told H5046 me wherein thy great H1419 strength H3581 lieth.
16 And it came to pass, when she pressed H6693 him daily H3117 with her words, H1697 and urged H509 him, so that his soul H5315 was vexed H7114 unto death; H4191
17 That he told H5046 her all his heart, H3820 and said H559 unto her, There hath not come H5927 a razor H4177 upon mine head; H7218 for I have been a Nazarite H5139 unto God H430 from my mother's H517 womb: H990 if I be shaven, H1548 then my strength H3581 will go H5493 from me, and I shall become weak, H2470 and be like any other man. H120
18 And when Delilah H1807 saw H7200 that he had told H5046 her all his heart, H3820 she sent H7971 and called H7121 for the lords H5633 of the Philistines, H6430 saying, H559 Come up H5927 this once, H6471 for he hath shewed H5046 me all his heart. H3820 Then the lords H5633 of the Philistines H6430 came up H5927 unto her, and brought H5927 money H3701 in their hand. H3027
19 And she made him sleep H3462 upon her knees; H1290 and she called H7121 for a man, H376 and she caused him to shave off H1548 the seven H7651 locks H4253 of his head; H7218 and she began H2490 to afflict H6031 him, and his strength H3581 went H5493 from him.
20 And she said, H559 The Philistines H6430 be upon thee, Samson. H8123 And he awoke H3364 out of his sleep, H8142 and said, H559 I will go out H3318 as at other times before, H6471 and shake H5287 myself. And he wist H3045 not that the LORD H3068 was departed H5493 from him.
21 But the Philistines H6430 took H270 him, and put out H5365 his eyes, H5869 and brought him down H3381 to Gaza, H5804 and bound H631 him with fetters of brass; H5178 and he did grind H2912 in the prison H631 house. H1004
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 16
Commentary on Judges 16 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 16
Samson's name (we have observed before) signifies a little sun (solparvus); we have seen this sun rising very bright, and his morning ray strong and clear; and, nothing appearing to the contrary, we take it for granted that the middle of the day was proportionably illustrious, while he judged Israel twenty years; but the melancholy story of this chapter gives us such an account of his evening as did not commend his day. This little sun set under a cloud, and yet, just in the setting, darted forth one such strong and glorious beam as made him even then a type of Christ, conquering by death. Here is,
Jdg 16:1-3
Here is,
Jdg 16:4-17
The burnt child dreads the fire; yet Samson, that has more than the strength of a man, in this comes short of the wisdom of a child; for, though he had been more than once brought into the highest degree of mischief and danger by the love of women and lusting after them, yet he would not take warning, but is here again taken in the same snare, and this third time pays for all. Solomon seems to refer especially to this story of Samson when, in his caution against uncleanness, he gives this account of a whorish woman (Prov. 7:26), that she hath cast down many wounded, yea, many strong men have been slain by her; and (Prov. 6:26) that the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. This bad woman, that brought Samson to ruin, is here named Delilah, an infamous name, and fitly used to express the person, or thing, that by flattery or falsehood brings mischief and destruction on those to whom kindness is pretended. See here,
Jdg 16:18-21
We have here the fatal consequences of Samson's folly in betraying his own strength; he soon paid dearly for it. A whore is a deep ditch; he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. In that pit Samson sinks. Observe,
Jdg 16:22-31
Though the last stage of Samson's life was inglorious, and one could wish there were a veil drawn over it, yet this account here given of his death may be allowed to lessen, though it does not quite roll away, the reproach of it; for there was honour in his death. No doubt he greatly repented of his sin, the dishonour he had by it done to God and his forfeiture of the honour God had put upon him; for that God was reconciled to him appears,
Lastly, The story of Samson concludes,