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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 15:9-17

Here is, I. Samson violently pursued by the Philistine. They went up in a body, a more formidable force than they had together when Samson smote them hip and thigh; and they pitched in Judah, and spread themselves up and down the country, to find out Samson, who they heard had come this way, Jdg. 15:9. When the men of Judah, who had tamely submitted to their yoke, pleaded that they had paid their tribute, and that none of their tribe had given them any offence, they freely own they designed... read more

John Gill

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

And Samson said ,.... In a kind of triumphant song: with the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps ; that is, with such an instrument he had slain heaps of men, who lay dead in heaps upon one another; in the words for an "ass", and for an "heap", is an elegant "paronomosia", not easy to be expressed in our language: with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men : this he said not in a proud and haughty manner, ascribing it to himself, as Josephus suggests F13 Antiqu. l. 5. c.... read more

Albert Barnes

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

Joseph Benson

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

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

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 15:1-20

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

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Judges 15:16

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

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 15:16

Judges 15:16. Samson said, with the jaw-bone of an ass, &c.— Samson, upon this victory, composed a triumphant song, or ode, of which this verse appears to have been the chorus or burden. Houbigant renders it, With the jaw-bone of an ass have I dispersed them; With the jaw-bone of an ass have I slain a thousand men. REFLECTIONS.—Unable any longer to bear such treatment, the Philistines gathered their armies, not to fight with Israel, but to oblige them to give up their enemy Samson.... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 15:16

16. With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men—The inadequacy of the weapon plainly shows this to have been a miraculous feat, "a case of supernatural strength," just as the gift of prophecy is a case of supernatural knowledge [CHALMERS]. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 15:1-20

3. Samson’s vengeance on the Philistines ch. 15Samson’s weaknesses dominate chapter 14, but his strengths shine forth in chapter 15. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 15:14-20

Samson’s victory at Ramath-lehi 15:14-20Note again that the Spirit of God gave Samson his supernatural strength (Judges 15:14). He slew 1,000 of the enemy (or one unit) on this occasion (Judges 15:15). The unlikely instrument Samson used, a dead donkey’s dentures, proved more than adequate for this slaughter (cf. Judges 3:31).The Hebrew words translated "donkey" and "heaps" constitute wordplay. Samson loved riddles and rhymes. Moffatt’s translation rendered the first part of Samson’s poem,... read more

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