Verse 1

Then = and.

Gaza. About thirty-five miles south of his native place.

an harlot. He could rend a lion, but not his lusts. He could break his bonds, but not his habits. He could conquer the Philistines, but not his passions. Now Ghuzzeh.

Verse 3

took the doors: i.e. unhinged both leaves. Compare Isaiah 45:1.

an hill = the hill.

before = over against.

Verse 5

lords. See note on Joshua 13:3.

afflict = humble.

eleven hundred. One of the two occurrences of this number. Eleven = the number of defective administration (= 12 - 1. See App-10). Compare Judges 17:2, where similar want of rule is seen. This 1,100 ruined them politically; the other (Judges 17:2) ruined them religiously.

Verse 7

green withs = green twigs. Anglo-Saxon, a willow, because of its twining and flexibility.

man. Hebrew. "adam. App-14.

Verse 9

brake = snapped.

as = according as.

tow. Old English. Coarse flax or hemp for spinning or twining. Occurs only here and Isaiah 1:31. Very inflammable.

toucheth = smelleth (before it toucheth).

Verse 10

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.

Verse 13

tell me. Some codices, with one early printed edition, and Septuagint add "I Pray thee".

with the web. Note the Homoeoteleuton. In the primitive text these words were probably followed by "and fasten them with a pin". For the Septuagint adds "I shall be as another man. And it came to pass that when he was asleep that Delilah took the seven locks of his head and wove them with the web, and she fastened them with a pin". Ginsburg suggests that some ancient scribe, in copying the first words, "fasten them with a pin", carried his eye back to these last words, and omitted the whole of this clause, which has been preserved in the Septuagint.

Verse 14

out of his sleep: i.e. the sleep mentioned in the Homoeoteleuton above.

Verse 15

How . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.

Verse 16

soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

vexed. Became impatient, or grieved.

unto death = to make him die.

Verse 17

a Nazarite unto God = separate unto God.

Verse 20

wist not = knew not. See note on Exodus 34:29.

the LORD.

Verse 21

fetters of brass. Hebrew "two brasses". Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for the two fetters made of brass. App-6.

grind. The work of women and slaves. Denotes the condition to which he was reduced. Compare Exodus 11:5. Isaiah 47:2.

Verse 23

offer. Hebrew "slay". See App-43.

to rejoice. Figure of speech Antimereia (of Noun). App-6. Noun "rejoicing", put for verb "to rejoice" = for a rejoicing

Verse 25

make us sport. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "make sport before us".

them sport = sport before them.

Verse 26

Suffer me that = Let me alone that, &c.

Verse 28

Lord GOD = Adonai Jehovah. App-4.

Verse 29

the two middle pillars. Recent excavations at Gaza have laid bare two smooth stone bases close together in the centre, on (not in) which these two pillars stood. On these the main beams rested, and by which the whole house was sustained. Samson had only to pull these pillars out of the perpendicular, to effect his object.

Verse 30

me = my soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

Verse 31

his brethren. Probably his parents were now dead.

up: i.e. from Gaza, Judges 16:21.

between Zorah and Eshtaol. Where the Spirit had first come upon him, Judges 13:25.

judged Israel. But he only began to deliver Israel. See Judges 13:5.