Judges 16

Judges 16:1

GAza] One of the most famous and greatest cities of the Philistines, lying in that part of the countrey allotted to Simeon and Judah, Judg. 1. 18. towards the Mediterranean sea.

an harlot] Heb. a woman an harlot.

and went in unto her] Some think, onely to lodge in her house, being an inne-keeper, because here is no speech of his loving her: but the phrase is otherwise used in the Scripture. See Genesis 6:4. 16. 2. 2 Samuel 3:7.

quiet] Heb. silent.

Judges 16:3

barie] Heb. with the bare.

top of an hill] Which lay castward from Gaza, from whence one might see Hebron, seated upon an other high hll.

Judges 16:4

in the valley] Or, by the brook.

Sorek] Which is called, The grape-valley, from the aboundance of the best grapes growing there. Some read it, by the brook Sorek, which runneth along by the valley of Esheol, where these grapes grew, Deuteronomy 1:24. And some think that these are both one. See Numbers 13:23. 24.

Judges 16:5

afflict] Or, humble.

eleven hundred pieces of silver] See Genesis 20:16.

Judges 16:7

green withs] Or, new cords, Heb. must.

another] Heb. one.

Judges 16:9

be upon thee] i. e. Are here, ready to surprise thee.

toucheth] Heb. smelleth.

his strength was not known] That is, To the Philistines, neither whence it came; ner how it was retained and preserved.

that never were occupied] Heb. wherewith work hath not been done.

Judges 16:13

If thou weave the seven locks] i. e. If thou divide all the hair of my head into seven parts or locks. So v. 19. 22.

with the web] Namely, woond about a weavers beam.

Judges 16:14

And she] That is, she did as he had said with his locks, and withall did fasten the beam with a pin, that Samson might not pluck it out of its place.

went away] That is, he carried away with him both pin, beam, and web, into which his hair was woven.

Judges 16:16

vexed] Heb. shortned.

Judges 16:17

upon the roof [As being flat, after the manner of those countreys.

Judges 16:19

on which it was borne up] Or, he leaned on them.

Judges 16:20

and shake my self] Namely, to put off drousinesse, that he might go about his imployments.

that the Lord was departed] That is, had withdrawn from him his spirit of strength which he had continued unto him, so long as he continued in obedience, and kept his vow.

Judges 16:21

put out his eyes] Heb. bored out, To wit, that hereby he might be disabled from doing them any more hurt; and yet suffered him still to live, to insult over him, and for the greater glory of their idoll Dagon, v. 23, 24.

Judges 16:22

bean to grow] And with it, his strength, of which it was a signe; Samson in the mean time, reconciling himself unto God by serious repentance, and recovering his former state of a Nazarite, from which he had faln.

was shaven] Or, as when he was shaven, That is, to that length it was of before he was shaven.

Judges 16:23

Dagon their god] That is, Triton, the Idoll of the heathens which lived on the sea coasts, as did the Philistance. He had his name from the Hebrew word Dag, signifying a Fish, because he was portrayed like a fish from his middle downward, 1 Samuel 5:4.

Judges 16:24

which slew many of us] Heb. and who multiplyed out slain.

Judges 16:25

make us sport] That jeering him he may become a fie subject of scorn and laughter.

and he made them sport] Hebrew, before them, That is, he became the subject of their sport, as before; or gave them occasion of laughter, either by unwillingly committing some errours and mistakes, being blinde, or else willingly to blinde them by these shews, that they might not discover his main intention.

Judges 16:26

the house] That is, the temple of Dagon where these idolaters kept their feasts, as the manner was. See Chapter 9. 27.

may lean] Pretending wearinesse, either by his labour in grinding, or his speedy and sudden coming to that place.

Judges 16:28

called unto the Lord] This being a prayer of faith, Hebrews 11:32. God heareth him, and giveth him strength.

at once avenged] To wit, according to my vocation, which is, to execute venzeance upon Gods, and the Churches enemies.

for my two eyes] Not onely, because they have done me wrong in putting them out, but have also thereby disabled me to fight in Gods quarrell, for the deliverance of his people.

Judges 16:30

Let me dye] Heb. my soul, This was not a despairing speech, of one impatient to live any longer; but of a faithfull man, humbling himself to the very death, that he might do God and his people service; and that not in an ordinary way, but by an extraordinary motion of Gods spirit inspiring him, and suggesting unto him this prayer: Neither doth he primarily and simply desire death, but respectively as it was a means to destroy the enemies of God, and his people, wherein he executed the office of a judge and deliverer, as appeareth, vers. 31.

slew at his death] Where in he was a type of our Lord Christ, who by his death and sufferings principally conquered all his and the Churches enemies.

Judges 16:31

Zorah and Eshtaol] See Chap. 13. 2. and 15.

he judged Isiael] See Chap. 15. 20.