Judges 16:16-20 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 16:4-17

The burnt child dreads the fire; yet Samson, that has more than the strength of a man, in this comes short of the wisdom of a child; for, though he had been more than once brought into the highest degree of mischief and danger by the love of women and lusting after them, yet he would not take warning, but is here again taken in the same snare, and this third time pays for all. Solomon seems to refer especially to this story of Samson when, in his caution against uncleanness, he gives this... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 16:18-21

We have here the fatal consequences of Samson's folly in betraying his own strength; he soon paid dearly for it. A whore is a deep ditch; he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. In that pit Samson sinks. Observe, 1. What care Delilah took to make sure of the money for herself. She now perceived, by the manner of his speaking, that he had told her all his heart, and the lords of the Philistines that hired her to do this base thing are sent for; but they must be sure to bring the... 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 Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:18

And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart ,.... Which she perceived by his countenance, and the serious manner in which he expressed himself; and Abarbinel conjectures that he might swear to her that what he said was truth; and who observes from their Rabbins, as does also Kimchi, that she concluded he had told her the truth, by his making mention of the name of God, saying he was a Nazarite unto God, whose name she knew he would not take in vain; and with the account he gave... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:19

And she made him sleep upon her knees ,.... Giving him, as some think, a sleepy potion; or however encouraged him to take a nap upon her knees, and by her fondness lulled him to sleep: and she called for a man; a barber ; in former times to shave was the work of a servant F6 Vid. Pignorium de servis, p. 89, 90, 91. & Popma de servis, p. 57, 58. and sometimes of a woman; she gave orders for one to be sent for; for Jarchi calls him a messenger of the lords of the Philistines: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:20

And she said, the Philistines be upon thee, Samson ,.... In like manner as she had before, that she might have full proof that the case was really such, that his strength was gone from him: and he awoke out of his sleep ; upon the cry she made: and said; within himself, purposing and determining in his own mind: I will go out as at other times before ; as he had done at the three former times, and did not meet with any Philistines to fall upon him, and so concluded it would be the... 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

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 16:4-17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 16:18-21

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

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 16:20

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

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