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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 14:10-20

We have here an account of Samson's wedding feast and the occasion it gave him to fall foul upon the Philistines. I. Samson conformed to the custom of the country in making a festival of his nuptial solemnities, which continued seven days, Jdg. 13:10. Though he was a Nazarite, he did not affect, in a thing of this nature, to be singular, but did as the young men used to do upon such occasions. It is no part of religion to go contrary to the innocent usages of the places where we live: nay, it... read more

John Gill

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

And Samson's wife wept before him ,.... When she came to him to get out of him the explanation of the riddle, thinking that her tears would move him to it: and said, thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not : another artifice she used, well knowing he could not bear to have his affection called in question, which was now very strong, as is usual with newly married persons: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people ; her countrymen, fellow citizens, and neighbour,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:17

And she wept before him the seven days, while the feast lasted ,.... Those that remained of the seven days, from the fourth to this time, as Kimchi seems rightly to interpret it; though some think she began to beseech him with tears, on the first day of the feast, to impart the secret to her for her own satisfaction; and then, after the men had urged her on the fourth day to persuade her husband to it, she continued pressing him more earnestly with tears unto the seventh day. Some, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 14:18

And the men of the city said unto him, on the seventh day, before the sun went down ,.... And so soon, enough to free them from the obligation they otherwise would have been under, to have given him the sheets and changes of raiment agreed unto: what is sweeter than honey ? nothing, at least that was known, sugar not being invented. Julian the emperor F14 Opera, par. 9. epist. 24. , in commendation of figs, shows, from various authors, that nothing is sweeter than they, excepting... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 14:17

And she wept before him - Not through any love to him, for it appears she had none, but to oblige her paramours; and of this he soon had ample proof. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 14:18

If ye had not ploughed with my heifer - If my wife had not been unfaithful to my bed, she would not have been unfaithful to my secret; and, you being her paramours, your interest was more precious to her than that of her husband. She has betrayed me through her attachment to you. Calmet has properly remarked, in quoting the Septuagint, that to plough with one's heifer, or to plough in another man's ground, are delicate turns of expression used both by the Greeks and Latins, as... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 14:18

They try to give the answer in a way to make it appear that they had guessed it. Samson saw at once that she had betrayed him. He lets them know in a speech, which was of the nature of a riddle, that he had discovered the treachery. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 14:17

Judges 14:17. She wept before him, the seven days Or rather, the rest of the seven days; that is, either after the third day, (Judges 14:14,) or all the seventh day, from the time her countrymen came and threatened her till she persuaded Samson to tell her the riddle. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 14:18-19

Judges 14:18-19. If ye had not, &c. If you had not employed my wife to find it out, as men plough up the ground with a heifer, thereby discovering its hidden parts; he calls her heifer, because she was joined with him in the same yoke. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him Though he had constant strength and courage, yet that was exceedingly increased upon special occasions, by the extraordinary influences of God’s Spirit. To Ashkelon Either to the territory, or to the city itself,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 14:1-20

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

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