Samson

How Nave’s arranged it

• A judge (leader, hero) of IsraelJudges 16:31
• A Danite, son of Manoah; miraculous birth of; a Nazarite from his mother' s womb; the mother forbidden to drink wine or strong drink, or to eat any ceremonially unclean thing during gestationJudges 13:2–7Judges 13:24Judges 13:25
• Desires a Philistine woman for his wife; kills a lionJudges 14:1–7
• His marriage feast and the riddle propoundedJudges 14:8–19
• Kills thirty PhilistinesJudges 14:19
• Wife of, estrangedJudges 14:20Judges 15:1Judges 15:2
• Is avenged for the estrangement of his wifeJudges 15:3–8
• His great strengthJudges 15:7–14Hebrews 11:32
• Kills one-thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkeyJudges 15:13–17
• Miraculously supplied with waterJudges 15:18Judges 15:19
• Cohabits with Delilah, a prostitute; her machinations with the Philistines to overcome himJudges 16:1–20
• Is blinded by the Philistines and confined to hard labor in prison; pulls down the pillars of the temple, meets his death, and kills a multitude of his enemiesJudges 16:21–31Hebrews 11:32

The passages, in Bible order (18)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Judges 13:2–7

   Now there was a man from Zorah named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, whose wife was barren and had no children.

   ›Commentary on Judges 13:2–72 voices

   “After the spirit of the Hebrews had been so subdued by the pressure of a long subjection that no one dared with a manly spirit to rouse them to liberty, Samson, fore-ordained by the Divine oracle, was raised up to them. A great man he was, not one of the multitude, but first among the few, and beyond controversy far excelling all in bodily strength.

   “Dan signifies a judge or judgment, Gen. xxx. And probably it was with an eye to Samson that dying Jacob foretold, Dan shall judge his people, that is, "he shall produce a judge for his people, though one of the sons of the handmaids, as one, as well as any one, of the tribes of Israel," Gen. xlix.

   Everything gathered on Judges 13:2–7→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Judges 13:24

   So the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The boy grew, and the LORD blessed him.

   ›Commentary on Judges 13:242 voices

   “And the woman bare a son, and called name Samson,.... After these appearances were over, Manoah and his wife returned to their habitation, and she soon became pregnant, and at the usual course of time brought forth a son, and she gave him the name of Samson; for what reason it is not easy to determine.

   “And called his name Samson - The original שמשון shimshon, which is from the root שמש shamash, to serve, (whence shemesh, the sun), probably means either a little sun, or a little servant; and this latter is so likely a name to be imposed on an only son, by maternal fondness, that it leaves but little doubt of the propriety of the etymology. And the Lord blessed him - Gave evident proofs that the child was under the peculiar protection of the Most High; causing him to increase daily in stature and extraordinary strength.

   Everything gathered on Judges 13:24→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Judges 13:25

   And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him at Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

   ›Commentary on Judges 13:252 voices

   “And why should i speak of all one by one? Samson, born by the divine promise, had the Spirit accompanying him, for we read: "The Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to be with him in the camp." And so foreshadowing the future mystery, he demanded a wife of the aliens, which, as it is written, his father and mother knew not of, because it was from the Lord.

   “To move - That is, to stir him up to heroical designs; to shew forth its power in the frame of his mind, and in the strength of his body, discovered to his neighbours in extraordinary actions; to encline his heart to great attempts for the help and deliverance of God's people, to give some essays of it to his brethren, and to seek all opportunities for it.

   Everything gathered on Judges 13:25→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Judges 14:1–7

   One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.

   ›Commentary on Judges 14:1–72 voices

   “Now Samson, approved by such signal tokens from above, turned his thoughts as soon as he grew up, to marriage; whether this was that he abhorred those vague and licentious desires in which young men are wont to indulge, or that he was seeking an occasion of releasing the necks of his countrymen from the power of the hard yoke of the Philistines.

   “And Samson went down to Timnath,.... A city which by lot fell to the tribe of Judah, but was afterwards given to the tribe of Dan, and now in the hands of the Philistines, Jos 15:57. Judah is said to go up to it, because the place where he lived lay below it, Gen 38:13, but Samson is said to go down to it, because he lived above it.

   Everything gathered on Judges 14:1–7→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Judges 14:8–19

   When Samson returned later to take her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and in it was a swarm of bees, along with their honey.

   ›Commentary on Judges 14:8–192 voices

   “Samson, in some place obtained for the occasion, as he was a stranger. A large number of paranymphs, or "friends of the bridegroom," furnished, no doubt, by the bride's family, attended his party, ostensibly to honor the nuptials, but really as spies on his proceedings.

   “On his returning by the same road he found an honeycomb in the belly of the lion, and carried it off as a gift to the maiden and her parents; for such gifts befit a bride. And having first tasted the honey, he gave them the comb to eat, but was silent as to whence it came.

   Everything gathered on Judges 14:8–19→

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6. Judges 14:19

   Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. And burning with anger, Samson returned to his father’s house,

   ›Commentary on Judges 14:192 voices

   “Who ever was mightier or more richly endowed from his very cradle with God's Spirit than Samson the Nazarite? Yet was he betrayed by a woman, and by her means failed to retain God's favour... But it happened on a certain day that a nuptial feast was held, and that the young men inspirited by the banquet provoked each other to sport by question and answer, and as they assailed each other with wanton jests, as is the wont on such occasions, the contest of pleasure waxed hot.

   “The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, both to authorize and to enable him to do this. This proves a good occasion of weaning Samson from his new relations. He found how his companions had abused him and how his wife had betrayed him, and therefore his anger was kindled,

   Everything gathered on Judges 14:19→

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7. Judges 14:20

   and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.

   ›Commentary on Judges 14:202 voices

   “Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend--that is, "the friend of the bridegroom," who was the medium of communicating during the festivities between him and his bride.

   “But Samson's wife was given to his companion,....

   Everything gathered on Judges 14:20→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Judges 15:1

   Later on, at the time of the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. “I want to go to my wife in her room,” he said. But her father would not let him enter.

   ›Commentary on Judges 15:12 voices

   “It was the dry season, dry far beyond our experience, and the grain in a most combustible state. Samson visited his wife with a kid--It is usual for a visitor in the East to carry some present; in this case, it might be not only as a token of civility, but of reconciliation. he said--that is, to himself.

   “But the perfidy of the maiden being thus discovered, he abstained from intercourse with her, and returned to his father's house. The damsel, disturbed in mind, and justly dreading that the wrath of this mighty man would be kindled into fury by this wrong, gave her hand to another man, one whom Samson, relying on his fidelity, had brought with him as his bridesman to his marriage. But neither by this expedient of a marriage did she avoid offence.

   Everything gathered on Judges 15:1→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Judges 15:2

   “I was sure that you thoroughly hated her,” said her father, “so I gave her to one of the men who accompanied you. Is not her younger sister more beautiful than she? Please take her instead.”

   ›Commentary on Judges 15:22 voices

   “But the perfidy of the maiden being thus discovered, he abstained from intercourse with her, and returned to his father's house. The damsel, disturbed in mind, and justly dreading that the wrath of this mighty man would be kindled into fury by this wrong, gave her hand to another man, one whom Samson, relying on his fidelity, had brought with him as his bridesman to his marriage. But neither by this expedient of a marriage did she avoid offence.

   “Then follow the words "Samson was angry because a friend married his wife." This friend prefigured all heretics. It is a great mystery, my brothers. Heretics who divide the church have wanted to marry the wife of the Lord and carry her away. By departing …

   Everything gathered on Judges 15:2→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Judges 15:3–8

    Samson said to them, “This time I will be blameless in doing harm to the Philistines.”

    ›Commentary on Judges 15:3–82 voices

    “Now shall I, &c. - Because they have first provoked me by an irreparable injury: but although this may look like an act of private revenge; yet it is plain Samson acted as a judge (for so he was) and as an avenger of the publick injuries of his people.

    “But the perfidy of the maiden being thus discovered, he abstained from intercourse with her, and returned to his father's house. The damsel, disturbed in mind, and justly dreading that the wrath of this mighty man would be kindled into fury by this wrong, gave her hand to another man, one whom Samson, relying on his fidelity, had brought with him as his bridesman to his marriage. But neither by this expedient of a marriage did she avoid offence.

    Everything gathered on Judges 15:3–8→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Judges 15:7–14

    And Samson told them, “Because you have done this, I will not rest until I have taken vengeance upon you.”

    ›Commentary on Judges 15:7–142 voices

    “Samson said . . ., Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you--By that act the husbandmen had been the instruments in avenging his private and personal wrongs. But as a judge, divinely appointed to deliver Israel, his work of retribution was not yet accomplished.

    “And Samson said unto them,....

    Everything gathered on Judges 15:7–14→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Judges 15:13–17

    “No,” they answered, “we will not kill you, but we will tie you up securely and hand you over to them.” So they bound him with two new ropes and led him up from the rock.

    ›Commentary on Judges 15:13–172 voices

    “Then the Philistines went up--to the high land of Judah. and spread themselves in Lehi--now El-Lekieh, abounding with limestone cliffs; the sides of which are perforated with caves. The object of the Philistines in this expedition was to apprehend Samson, in revenge for the great slaughter he had committed on their people.

    “Justly is their misery prolonged who, to oblige their worst enemies, thus abuse their best friend. Never were men so infatuated except those who thus treated our blessed Saviour. Samson making his part good against the Philistines, even when he was delivered into their hands, fast pinioned with two new cords.

    Everything gathered on Judges 15:13–17→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Judges 15:18

    And being very thirsty, Samson cried out to the LORD, “You have accomplished this great deliverance through Your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?”

    ›Commentary on Judges 15:182 voices

    “And perhaps there was the hand of God therein, to chastise him for not making mention of God in his song, and to keep him from being proud of his strength. One would have thought that the men of Judah would have met him with bread and wine: but they so little regarded him, that he is fainting for want of a draught of water!

    “And now he began to burn with thirst, and there was no water, and yet he had great need of it.

    Everything gathered on Judges 15:18→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Judges 15:19

    So God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned, and he was revived. That is why he named it En-hakkore, and it remains in Lehi to this day.

    ›Commentary on Judges 15:192 voices

    “An hollow place that was in the jaw - The right translation is, “the hollow place which is in Lehi.” The word translated “hollow place,” means a “mortar” Pro 27:22, and is here evidently a hollow or basin among the cliffs of Lehi, which, from its shape, was called “the mortar.” A spring, on the way from Socho to Eleutheropolis, was commonly called Samson’s spring in the time of Jerome and writers in the 7th, 12th, and 14th centuries.

    “And now he began to burn with thirst, and there was no water, and yet he had great need of it.

    Everything gathered on Judges 15:19→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Judges 16:1–20

    One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute and went in to spend the night with her.

    ›Commentary on Judges 16:1–202 voices

    “Having, in the course of events closed his war with the Philistines, and shunning the sloth of his countrymen, Samson now betook himself to Gaza, which was in the region of the Philistines, and lodged there.

    “Then went Samson to Gaza,....

    Everything gathered on Judges 16:1–20→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Judges 16:21–31

    Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze shackles and forced to grind grain in the prison.

    ›Commentary on Judges 16:21–312 voices

    “After the judgment of binding follows another judgment, namely the judgment of blinding, which is figured in the book of Judges, where it is said that the Philistines, when they had captured Samson, gouged out his eyes and made him grind at the mill. For …

    “But the one who has taken root as "a fruitful olive tree in the house of God" composes those words against the tyrant which we have heard in the psalm, saying, "Why do you glory in evil, you who are mighty in iniquity," whose "tongue" is "like a sharp razor." It was by means of these two things that [Samson] was led off, after [Delilah] had removed the beauty of his hair and cut off the "seven locks of curls" in which our strength lies.

    Everything gathered on Judges 16:21–31→

    Verse page →Original language →