Judges 15
Overview
15:1 Samson is denied his wife;
15:3 He burns the Philistines' corn with foxes and firebrands;
15:6 His wife and her father are burnt by the Philistines;
15:7 Samson smites them hip and thigh;
15:9 He is bound by the men of Judah, and delivered to the Philistines;
15:14 He kills them with a jawbone;
15:18 God makes the fountain En-hakkore for him in Lehi. Verse 1 a kid Genesis 38:17; Luke 15:29 I will go Genesis 6:4, 29:21 Reciprocal Deuteronomy 22:13 - General; Judges 19:3 - went Verse 2 I verily Judges 14:16, 14:20; Acts 26:9 I gave Judges 14:20; Genesis 38:14 take herHeb. let her be thineReciprocal Deuteronomy 22:13 - General Verse 3 Now shalletc. or, Now shall I be blameless from the Philistinesthoughetc. Judges 14:15 Reciprocal Genesis 34:13 - deceitfully Verse 4 caught threeDr. Kennicott and others contend, that for shualim, "foxes," we should read shoalim, "handfuls," or sheaves of corn. But:
1. The word lachad, rendered caught, never signifies simply to get or take but always to catch, seize, or take by assault or stratagem.
2. Though the proposed alteration is sanctioned by seven manuscripts, yet all the versions are on the other side.
3. Admitting this alteration, it will be difficult to prove that the word shoal means either a sheaf or a handful of corn in the ear, and straw. It occurs but thrice in Scriptures - 1 Kings 20:10. Isaiah 40:12. Ezekiel 13:9: where it evidently means as much as can be contained in the hollow of the hand; but when handfuls of grain in the shock, or sheaves are intended, very different words are used. See note on Ruth 2:15, 2:16, etc.
4. It is not hinted that Samson collected them alone, or in one day; he might have employed many hands and several days in the work.
5. The word shual properly denotes the jackal, which travellers describe as an animal in size between the wolf and fox, gregarious, as many as 200 having been seen together, and the most numerous of any in eastern countries; so that Samson might have caught many of them together in nets. Psalm 63:10; Song of Songs 2:15; Lamentations 5:18 firebrandsor, torchesReciprocal Exodus 22:6 - so that the stacks of corn; 2 Samuel 14:30 - go and set Verse 5 he let them go Exodus 22:6; 2 Samuel 14:30
Verse 6 and burnt Judges 12:1, 14:15; Proverbs 22:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:6 Reciprocal Esther 4:14 - but thou Verse 7 Though Judges 14:4, 14:19; Romans 12:19 Reciprocal Esther 7:10 - Then was the king's; Zechariah 6:8 - quieted Verse 8 Isaiah 25:10, 63:3, 63:6 Reciprocal Deuteronomy 33:22 - General; Judges 14:6 - rent him; 16:24 - which slew many of us; 16:30 - So the dead; 1 Samuel 23:25 - into a rock; 2 Chronicles 11:6 - Etam; Job 16:14 - runneth; Psalm 108:13 - tread Verse 9 Lehi Judges 15:17, 15:19
Verse 11 wentHeb. went downthe rock EtamProbably near the town Etam, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:32.Philistines Judges 13:1, 14:4; Deuteronomy 28:13, 28:47, 28:48; Psalm 106:41 Reciprocal Deuteronomy 28:43 - General; 1 Kings 20:4 - I am thine; Proverbs 24:29 - I will do; Revelation 8:10 - the fountains Verse 12 to bind thee Matthew 27:2; Acts 7:25 fall Judges 8:21; 1 Kings 2:25, 2:34 Reciprocal Deuteronomy 28:43 - General Verse 13 Reciprocal Acts 21:33 - be Verse 14 the Philistines Judges 5:30, 16:24; Exodus 14:3, 14:5; 1 Samuel 4:5; Job 20:5; Micah 7:8 the Spirit Judges 3:10, 14:6, 14:19; Zechariah 4:6 the cords Judges 16:9, 16:12; 1 Samuel 17:35; Psalm 18:34, 118:11; Philippians 4:3 loosedHeb. were meltedReciprocal Exodus 32:17 - There is a noise; Judges 6:34 - the Spirit; 2 Samuel 23:10 - the Lord; Psalm 51:11 - take; Isaiah 1:31 - as tow; 2 Corinthians 10:4 - mighty; Habakkuk 3:1 - out of Verse 15 new jawboneHeb. moistslew Judges 3:31, 4:21, 7:16; Leviticus 26:8; Joshua 23:10; 1 Samuel 14:6, 14:14, 17:49, 17:50; 1 Corinthians 1:27, 1:28 a thousandSome would render the words aileph ish, "a chief;" but it is alluph, and not aileph, which signifies a chief; besides which, the Hebrew idiom would, even in that case, require it to be ish alluph, "a man, a chief," and not alluph ish, "a chief, a man." Add to which, that every version renders it "a thousand men.Reciprocal Deuteronomy 33:22 - General; Judges 14:6 - rent him; 16:30 - So the dead; 1 Samuel 17:40 - staff; 1 Corinthians 1:25 - the foolishness Verse 16 with the jawboneThere is here a fine paronomasia upon the word chamor, "an ass," which also signifies "a heap;" bilchee hachamor, chamor chamorathayim, "With the jaw-bone of an ass, a heap upon two heaps."heaps upon heapsHeb. an heap, two heaps, Judges 15:16 Reciprocal 16:24 - which slew many of us; 1 Samuel 17:40 - staff; 1 Corinthians 1:25 - the foolishness Verse 17 Ramathlehithat is, the lifting up of the jaw-bone, or, the casting away of the jaw-bone, Judges 15:17 Reciprocal 15:9 - Lehi Verse 18 he was sore Judges 8:4; Psalm 22:14, 22:15; John 19:28; 2 Corinthians 4:8, 4:9 Thou hast given Psalm 3:7, 3:8, 18:31-40 shall Genesis 32:31; 2 Corinthians 12:7, 12:8 and fall Genesis 12:12, 12:13, 20:11; 1 Samuel 27:1; 2 Corinthians 1:8, 1:9; Habakkuk 3:1 the uncircumcised 1 Samuel 17:26, 17:36; 2 Samuel 1:20 Reciprocal Genesis 45:7 - to preserve you a posterity; Judges 14:3 - uncircumcised; 16:2 - kill him; 1 Samuel 14:6 - uncircumcised; 2 Samuel 23:10 - the Lord; 1 Kings 17:6 - the ravens; 1 Chronicles 10:4 - uncircumcised; Psalm 107:5 - General; Proverbs 25:25 - cold; Isaiah 41:17 - I the Lord; Jeremiah 48:18 - and sit; Hosea 2:3 - and slay Verse 19 the jawor, Lehi, This reading is certainly preferable: it was in the place called Lehi where a spring was supernaturally opened.there came Isaiah 44:3 his spirit Genesis 45:27; 1 Samuel 30:12; Isaiah 40:26 EnhakkoreSamson gave this expressive name to the miraculously springing water, to be as a memorial of the goodness of God to him. En-hakkore, the well of him that cried, which kept him in remembrance both of his own distress which caused him to cry, and the favour of Jehovah to him in answer to his cry. Many a spring of comfort God opens to his people, which may fitly be called by the name En-hakkore, and this instance of Samson's relief should encourage us to trust in God, for when he pleases he can open rivers in high places. 41:17, 41:18
Samson at first gave the name of Ramath-lehi (the lifting up of the jaw-bone) which denoted him great and triumphant, but now he gives it another name, En-hakkore, which denotes him wanting and dependent. Genesis 16:13, 22:14, 28:19, 30:30; Exodus 17:15; Psalm 34:6, 120:1 Reciprocal Judges 15:9 - Lehi; 1 Kings 17:6 - the ravens; Psalm 107:5 - General; Proverbs 25:25 - cold Verse 20 Judges 13:1, 13:5, 16:31 "He seems to have judged South-west Israel during twenty years of their servitude of the Philistines.Reciprocal Genesis 49:16 - General; 49:17 - shall be