Judges 16:1-18 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:8

Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her ,.... To the chamber where she was with Samson, she having acquainted them with what he had told her: seven green withs, which had not been dried ; just such as he had described and directed to: and she bound him with them ; taking an opportunity, very likely, when he was asleep, and drunk too, according to Josephus F24 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 11. : the Philistines did not attempt to bind him, supposing that he would not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:9

Now there were men lying in wait ,.... Very likely some of the servants of the lords of the Philistines, who were placed privately on purpose, that when an opportunity offered, they might rush out, and fall upon Samson; Josephus F25 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 11. calls them soldiers: abiding with her in the chamber ; in a private part of it, or otherwise they could not be said to lie in wait; in it may mean near it; perhaps it was in the next apartment to hers, where they were set: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:10

And Delilah said unto Samson ,.... Not on the same day, but some time after, as Kimchi observes, when an opportunity offered, and he was in like circumstances as before; for had she immediately attacked him, it might have created some suspicion in him of a design against him: behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies ; deceived her with lies, by telling her the other day that if he was bound with green withs, he should become as weak as other men; which she, out of curiosity as she... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:11

And he said unto her ,.... Abarbinel presents Samson replying to her, that he had told her the truth at first, only forgot one circumstance, that the "cords", for so he takes the word for "withs" to signify, should be "new", such as were never used, as follows: if they bind me fast with new ropes, that never were occupied ; the word signifies thick ropes, which, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, were trebled, or made of three cords twisted together, and those such as were just made,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:12

Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith ,.... Tried this experiment with him, according to his directions, being very desirous of getting the sum of money offered her: and said unto him, the Philistines be upon thee, Samson : using the same words, and with the same view as she had done before, Judges 16:9 . (and there were liers in wait abiding the chamber) ; as before, ready upon occasion to rush in upon him, as soon as any notice was given them: and he brake... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:13

And Delilah said unto Samson ,.... At another time, when she thought it most proper to upbraid him with his deception of her: hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies ; both the times that she had solicited him to impart the secret of his strength to her: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound ; tell me the real truth, and deceive me no more: and he said unto her, if thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web ; it seems that Samson's hair was parted into seven... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:14

And she fastened it with the pin ,.... That is, after she had interwoven the locks of his hair into the warp, she fastened the beam on which it was with the pin, that it might not roll back; or else her machine or loom to the ground, that it might stand more firmly; or the web into which the hair was woven, with the hair itself; which of them is right, it is difficult to say: but if the addition of the Septuagint version can be admitted as genuine, which supplies some things which seem to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:15

And she said unto him, how canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me ?.... She took an opportunity, when he was caressing her, to upbraid him with dissembled love, and a false heart: thou hast mocked me these three times; she had urged him to tell her where his strength lay, and by what it might be weakened, first pretending it might be done by binding him with green withs, and then with new ropes, and a third time by weaving his locks into the web: and hast not told me... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:16

And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him ,.... Lay at him day after day to communicate the secret to him, gave him no rest, but was incessant in her applications to him: so that his soul was vexed unto death : could hardly bear to live, but wished to die, being in the utmost perplexity what to do between two different passions, love and fear; on the one hand chained by his lust to this harlot, that was continually teasing him, and whom he had not an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:17

That he told her all his heart ,.... All that was in his heart concerning this affair, all that he knew relating to it; he had told her something before, or at least what came nearer to the truth of the matter, when he directed her to the weaving of his locks into the web; but now he told her all, which is as follows: and said unto her, there hath not come a razor upon mine head ; his head had never been shaved since he was born; which was the order of the angel that foretold his birth,... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:17

Group of Brands