Ramath-lehi - Either the “height or hill of Lehi,” or, “of the jaw-bone;” or, as in the margin, “the crestlag away of the jaw-bone,” with allusion to Samson casting it out of his hand, when he had finished his war-song. read more
Judges 15:14. The Philistines shouted against him Because they had now, as they supposed, their enemy in their hands. The cords became as flax, &c. As easily broken by him. His bands loosed from off his hands Hebrew, were melted; that is, were dissolved as things which are melted in the fire. “This,” says Henry, “typified the resurrection of Christ, by the power of the Spirit of holiness. In this he loosed the bands of death, it being impossible he should be holden of them. And... read more
Judges 15:15. He found a new jaw-bone of an ass New, and therefore more tough and strong; and slew a thousand men therewith Some, to account partly for this wonderful achievement, have observed that these Philistines were, probably, unarmed, and that they were struck with a great panic, thinking that the three thousand men of Judah would aid Samson. But doubtless it is chiefly to be ascribed to the power and providence of God, who thus fulfilled his promise to his people, that one of them... read more
Judges 15:16. Heaps upon heaps, &c. Hebrew, a heap, two heaps. As much as to say, I have not only slain enow to make one heap, but two or more. I have slain a thousand men What could be too hard for him to do, on whom the Spirit of the Lord came mightily? This seems like a short hymn or song of triumph, which Samson uttered after he had routed the Philistines. It is strange that the men of Judah did not now, at least, come to his assistance. But he was to be a type of him who ... read more
Judges 15:17-18. He called that place Ramath-lehi That is, The lifting up, or, casting away of the jaw-bone. He gave it this name in order to perpetuate the memory of this action. And he was sore athirst A natural effect of the great labour he had used. And perhaps there was the hand of God therein, to chastise him for not making mention of God in his song, and to keep him from being proud of his strength. One would have thought that the men of Judah would have met him with bread and... read more
Samson’s exploits (14:1-16:31)So dominant were the Philistines in Israel, that the Israelites had decided to live with them peacefully rather than try to rise up in armed rebellion. Samson had other ideas. He thought that his marriage to a Philistine woman would give him the opportunity to do some harm to the enemy (14:1-4).In spite of Samson’s desire to help Israel, he had little respect for either his Nazirite vow or the Israelite law. He handled a dead lion, married a Philistine woman and... read more
against = at meeting him, or to meet him. the Spirit. Hebrew. ruach . No art. here. the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 . read more
jawbone of an ass. One of the seven "weak things" in Judges. See note on Judges 3:21 . read more
With. Note the alternation of four lines. Another pointing of the second line given in Septuagint is, chamor chamartlm = "destroying I destroyed them", which by Figure of speech Polyptoton ( App-6 ) = I utterly destroyed them. There is also the Figure of speech Antanaclasis in the words chamor, "ass", and "destroyed". read more
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Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 15:16
There is a play upon the word, three times repeated, which means both “an ass” and also “a heap.” The spirit of riddle-making Judges 14:12, Judges 14:18 is apparent in this song of triumph (compare Judges 5:1; Exodus 15:1; 1 Samuel 18:6-7). read more