Judges 16

Judges 16:1

Gaza] See the Annotations on Amos I. Harlot] Sampsons sinne; yet upon repentance pardoned; and he registred among those Worthies, Heb. XI. 32.

Took the doores] His strength came up to a miracle.

Judges 16:3

Before Hebron] Not so farre as Hebron. Of Hebron, see the Observations on Gen. XXIII. 2.

Judges 16:4

Sorek] The river or torrent of this name divides Dan, and Simeon.

Delilah] The chief Passages of this part of the History are these; That Delilah had a very great summe payed in hand for betraying of Sampson, ver. 5, 18. whose strength yet lay not in his haire, in the having of it; or in the growing of it again; the haire being but a ceremonial signe of it; But in Gods presence with him: And so his weaknesse, not in the losing of his haire; which here he lost unwittingly, and unwillingly; But in the Lords departing from him, for his sinnes, ver. 20. The shaver might easily have cut his throat, being asleep: But Gods Providence was in and over all. And blinde Sampson coming at last to see his sinnes, and repent; And being brought into the magnificent house and Idol-temple, containing about three thousand persons spectators upon the roof of it, verily a wondrous building is moved by an extraordinary instinct of Gods Spirit, in his last act, not to murder himself, but to undervalue his own life, so as he might therewithal, as a Judge, and publike person execute Gods mighty vengeance upon his own, and Gods peoples enemies and oppressors, ver. 30. wherein many make him a Type of Christs victorious conquest over our spiritual enemies, at and by his death: Or at least do take an occasion, to use an Allusion from the one to the other.

Judges 16:23

Dagon] Dagon] seemes to have his name from Dag, signifying a Fish in Hebrew: And was portraied in the likenesse of a Fish from the middle downward, and of a man from the middle upward, 1 Sam. V. 4. A sea-Idol, worshipped by them of Gaza, and the Philistines that dwelt on the sea-coast; as the Heathens did their Neptune or Triton. And the Idolaters do here ascribe it to this Idol their god, that he delivered Sampson into their hand; and therefore offer a great sacrifice to him. In his most stately Temple they fastened the head of King Saul, 1 Chron. X. 10. And at Ashdod, by Dagon in the house of Dagon (for he had many Temples) they placed the Arke of God, 1 Sam. V. 2. Of this again you may see more in the Observations upon that text, 1 Sam. V. 2.