Judges 16:15-22 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:22

Howbeit, the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. It began to grow immediately no doubt, as it naturally would do; but it is highly probable it grew in an extraordinary manner, and in a short time became as when it was shaved F14 כאשר גלח "ut rasus fuerat", Tigurine version, Vatablus; "ut quum abraderetur", Junius & Tremellius. , as it may be rendered, and upon which his strength was renewed; not that his strength naturally lay in his hair, and so naturally... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 16:16

His soul was vexed unto death - What a consummate fool was this strong man! Might he not have seen, from what already took place, that Delilah intended his ruin? After trifling with her, and lying thrice, he at last commits to her his fatal secret, and thus becomes a traitor to himself and to his God. Well may we adopt the sensible observation of Calmet on this passage: La foiblesse du caeur de Samson, dans torte cette histoire, est encore plus etonnante que la force de son corps ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 16:17

If I be shaven , then my strength will go from me - The miraculous strength of Samson must not be supposed to reside either in his hair or in his muscles, but in that relation in which he stood to God as a Nazarite, such a person being bound by a solemn vow to walk in a strict conformity to the laws of his Maker. It was a part of the Nazarite's vow to permit no razor to pass on his head; and his long hair was the mark of his Nazirate, and of his vow to God. When Samson... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 16:19

She began to affect him - She had probably tied his hands slyly, while he was asleep, and after having cut off his hair, she began to insult him before she called the Philistines, to try whether he were really reduced to a state of weakness. Finding he could not disengage himself, she called the Philistines, and he, being alarmed, rose up, thinking he could exert himself as before, and shake himself, i.e., disengage himself from his bonds and his enemies: but he wist not that the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 16:21

Put out his eyes - Thus was the lust of the eye, in looking after and gazing on strange women, punished. As the Philistines did not know that his strength might not return, they put out his eyes, that he might never be able to plan any enterprise against them. He did grind in the prison-house - Before the invention of wind and water-mills, the grain was at first bruised between two stones, afterwards ground in hand-mills. This is practiced in China and in different parts... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 16:22

The hair of his head began to grow again - And may we not suppose that, sensible of his sin and folly, he renewed his Nazir vow to the Lord, in consequence of which his supernatural strength was again restored? read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 16:20

The possession of his extraordinary strength is ascribed (e. g. Judges 13:25) to the presence of the Spirit of the Lord. Now the Lord, or the Spirit of the Lord, had departed from him, and so his strength had gone too. The practical lesson against the presumption of self-dependence, and the all-importance of a hearty dependence upon God’s Holy Spirit, must not be overlooked. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 16:21

Put out his eyes - Thus effectually, as they thought, preventing any future mischief on his part, while they prolonged their own triumph and revenge. (Compare Numbers 16:14; 2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 39:7.)They applied to the two feet fetters of brass 2 Samuel 3:34; Jeremiah 52:11, and made him “grind” - the special task of slaves and captives Exodus 11:5; Isaiah 47:2; Lamentations 5:13. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 16:15-16

Judges 16:15-16. Thy heart is not with me Not open to me. His soul was vexed unto death Being tormented by two contrary passions, desire to gratify her, and fear of betraying himself. So that he had no pleasure of his life. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 16:17

Judges 16:17. There hath not come a razor upon my head Though we have no account of it before, yet it seems from this, that it had been revealed by God to Samson, either by a dream or in some other manner, that his supernatural strength should continue as long as he continued in a Nazarite state, and did not suffer a razor to come upon his head to take off his hair. If I be shaven Not that his hair was in itself the cause of his strength, but because it was the chief condition of that... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:22

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 16:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 16:17

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 16:19

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 16:21

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 16:22

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 16:20

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 16:21

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 16:15-16

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 16:17

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