Judges 15:11
Judges 15:11 in Multiple Translations
In response, three thousand men of Judah went to the cave at the rock of Etam, and they asked Samson, “Do you not realize that the Philistines rule over us? What have you done to us?” “I have done to them what they did to me,” he replied.
Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what then is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
Then three thousand of the men of Judah went down to the crack of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, Is it not clear to you that the Philistines are our rulers? What is this you have done to us? And he said to them, I only did to them as they did to me.
Three thousand men of Judah went to the cave at the rock of Etam and asked Samson, “Don't you understand that the Philistines rule over us? What do you think you're doing to us?” “I only did what they did to me,” he replied.
Then three thousande men of Iudah went to the top of the rocke Etam, and sayde to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistims are rulers ouer vs? Wherefore then hast thou done thus vnto vs? And he answered them, As they did vnto me, so haue I done vnto them.
And three thousand men of Judah go down unto the cleft of the rock Etam, and say to Samson, 'Hast thou now known that the Philistines are rulers over us? and what [is] this thou hast done to us?' And he saith to them, 'As they did to me, so I did to them.'
Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cave in Etam’s rock, and said to Samson, “Don’t you know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” He said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.”
Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done to us? And he said to them, As they did to me, so have I done to them.
Wherefore three thousand men of Juda, went down to the cave of the rock Etam, and said to Samson: Knowest thou not that the Philistines rule over us? Why wouldst thou do thus? And he said to them: As they did to me, so have I done to them.
Someone there knew where Samson was hiding. So 3,000 men from Judah went down to get Samson at the cave in the rock where he was hiding. They said to Samson, “Do you not realize that the people of Philistia are ruling over us? Do you not realize what they will do to us?” Samson replied, “The only thing I did was that I got revenge on them for what they did to me.”
Berean Amplified Bible — Judges 15:11
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Judges 15:11 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — Judges 15:11
Study Notes — Judges 15:11
- Context
- Cross References
- Judges 15:11 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Judges 15:11
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 15:11
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Judges 15:11
- Trapp's Commentary on Judges 15:11
- Ellicott's Commentary on Judges 15:11
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Judges 15:11
- Cambridge Bible on Judges 15:11
- Barnes' Notes on Judges 15:11
- Whedon's Commentary on Judges 15:11
- Sermons on Judges 15:11
Context — Samson’s Revenge
11In response, three thousand men of Judah went to the cave at the rock of Etam, and they asked Samson, “Do you not realize that the Philistines rule over us? What have you done to us?” “I have done to them what they did to me,” he replied.
12But they said to him, “We have come down to arrest you and hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson replied, “Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves.” 13“No,” they answered, “we will not kill you, but we will tie you up securely and hand you over to them.” So they bound him with two new ropes and led him up from the rock.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judges 13:1 | Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD, so He delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years. |
| 2 | Judges 14:4 | (Now his father and mother did not know this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.) |
| 3 | Deuteronomy 28:47–48 | Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart in all your abundance, you will serve your enemies the LORD will send against you in famine, thirst, nakedness, and destitution. He will place an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you. |
| 4 | Psalms 106:40–42 | So the anger of the LORD burned against His people, and He abhorred His own inheritance. He delivered them into the hand of the nations, and those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies oppressed them, and subdued them under their hand. |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 28:13 | The LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you will only move upward and never downward, if you hear and carefully follow the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am giving you today. |
Judges 15:11 Summary
In this verse, the men of Judah are worried that Samson's actions will get them into trouble with the Philistines, who are ruling over them. Samson responds by saying he's only done to the Philistines what they've done to him, which shows a desire for revenge. This desire for revenge is a common theme in the Bible, as seen in Leviticus 24:20, where the principle of 'an eye for an eye' is established. However, as Christians, we are called to forgive and love our enemies, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:44, and to prioritize righteousness over self-preservation, as seen in Isaiah 32:17.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the men of Judah ask Samson if he realized the Philistines ruled over them?
The men of Judah asked Samson this question because they were concerned about the consequences of his actions, as they were already under Philistine rule, as seen in Judges 15:9-10, and they wanted to avoid further conflict, similar to the concerns expressed in Exodus 14:11-12 when the Israelites were trapped between the Egyptians and the Red Sea.
What did Samson mean by saying 'I have done to them what they did to me'?
Samson's response indicates that he was seeking revenge for the wrongs done to him by the Philistines, as mentioned in Judges 14:19-20, where he killed thirty Philistines to pay for his wedding, and this cycle of retaliation is also seen in other parts of the Bible, such as in Matthew 5:38-42, where Jesus teaches about turning the other cheek.
Why did the men of Judah want to arrest Samson and hand him over to the Philistines?
The men of Judah wanted to arrest Samson to protect themselves from the Philistines' wrath, as they had come to arrest Samson and pay him back for what he had done to them, as stated in Judges 15:10, and this fear of retaliation is a common theme in the Bible, such as in 1 Samuel 27:1, where David fears King Saul's retaliation.
How does this verse relate to the broader theme of Judges?
This verse fits into the broader theme of Judges, which explores the cycle of sin, judgment, and redemption in the lives of the Israelites, as seen in Judges 2:10-19, where the Israelites forget God and turn to idols, and God raises up judges like Samson to deliver them, as mentioned in Judges 3:9-11, where Othniel is raised up to deliver the Israelites from the Mesopotamians.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I have sought revenge or retaliation in my own life, and how can I apply the principle of 'turning the other cheek' from Matthew 5:38-42 to those situations?
- How do I respond when I feel like I'm being treated unfairly or wrongly, and what can I learn from Samson's response to the men of Judah in this verse?
- In what ways am I, like the men of Judah, more concerned with avoiding conflict than with doing what is right, and how can I prioritize righteousness over self-preservation, as seen in Isaiah 32:17?
- What does this verse reveal about the character of Samson, and what can I learn from his strengths and weaknesses, such as his bravery in Judges 14:5-6 and his recklessness in Judges 16:1-3?
Gill's Exposition on Judges 15:11
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 15:11
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Judges 15:11
Trapp's Commentary on Judges 15:11
Ellicott's Commentary on Judges 15:11
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Judges 15:11
Cambridge Bible on Judges 15:11
Barnes' Notes on Judges 15:11
Whedon's Commentary on Judges 15:11
Sermons on Judges 15:11
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
The Enemy of Revival - Part 1 (Cd Quality) by Leonard Ravenhill | In this sermon, the preacher starts by quoting a scripture about the children of Israel doing evil in the sight of the Lord and being delivered into the hands of the Philistines fo |
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The Character of Samson by L.E. Maxwell | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Samson from the Bible and highlights the power of the Holy Spirit. He emphasizes that Samson, despite his great strength, was ov |
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Women of Deliverance (Birmingham Conference) by Gary Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Manoa's wife from the book of Judges. She was a woman in need, feeling unproductive and longing for something. The angel of the |
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Hidden in the Cleft of the Rock by Erlo Stegen | In this sermon, the preacher begins by introducing the story of Manoa and his wife, emphasizing the significance of their encounter with God. He then transitions to discussing the |
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(Men God Made) Samson by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the story of Samson from the book of Judges. He emphasizes the theme of restoration and the grace of God. The preacher highlights how Samson |
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Samson - Physically Strong, Morally Weak by William MacDonald | In this sermon, the speaker shares a story about a river that went dry and a man who tried to cover up a dead body in the riverbed. However, the body was eventually discovered and |
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Samson #1 - His Home by Andrew Foster | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of taking God's Word seriously and living it out. He encourages listeners to read and study the Bible, seeking God's guidance |







