Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 16:9
Now [there were] men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson. And he broke the withes, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
Verse 9. Men lying in wait] They probably did not appear, as Samson immediately broke his bonds when this bad woman said, The Philistines be upon thee.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
With her in the chamber; with her, i.e. in the same house, in a chamber, i.e. in a secret chamber within her call. Nor is it strange that they did not fall upon him in his sleep; partly because they feared to awake a sleeping lion; and partly because they expect an opportunity for doing their work more certainly, and with less danger.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. there were men lying in wait,abiding . . . in the chamberThe Hebrew, literallyrendered, is, “in the inner,” or “most secret part ofthe house.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now there were men lying in wait,…. Very likely some of the servants of the lords of the Philistines, who were placed privately on purpose, that when an opportunity offered, they might rush out, and fall upon Samson; Josephus y calls them soldiers:
abiding with her in the chamber; in a private part of it, or otherwise they could not be said to lie in wait; in it may mean near it; perhaps it was in the next apartment to hers, where they were set:
and she said unto him, the Philistines be upon thee, Samson; are just ready to fall upon thee, and seize thee; this she said to arouse him, and try whether he could break the withs or not, before she called in the men that lay in wait, and whether he had told her the truth or not:
and he brake the withs as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire; or “smells it” z; as soon as it comes near it; a thread of tow or linen catches the fire presently, it being so weak that it cannot stand before the least force of it; so easily did the withs give way, and were broken, when Samson did but just stir himself, and move his arms:
so his strength was not known; by Delilah, nor by the Philistines; that is, where it lay, so as that it might be weakened; for otherwise it was known by the easy breaking of the withs.
y Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 11. z “cum olfecerit”, Drusius, so Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(9) Men lying in wait.Literally, and the spy sat in the room for her, i.e., to help her. It is doubtful whether there was more than one spy, who could be easily concealed. It is implied that she bound Samson while he slept, as in Jdg. 16:19.
When it toucheth the fire.Literally, when it smelleth the fire. (See Note on Jdg. 15:14.) So in Job. 14:9 : through the scent of water it will bud. Of course the writer leaves us to infer that the spy or spies did not appear, seeing that the plan had failed.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Men lying in wait Hebrew, the lier in wait. She had a spy lying in ambush in an adjoining apartment, ready to take care of the fettered giant when it became evident that he was helpless. It is not likely that she went so far as to betray her real purposes by having this spy rush out upon Samson when she uttered her alarm cry.
The Philistines be upon thee, Samson This she uttered to awake him in fright, and see what he would do.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ Now she had liers-in-wait waiting in her inner chamber. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson.” And he broke the withes as a string of tow is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.’
It is clear that Delilah played it as a game. The Philistines dared not enter until they were sure the method would work, and thus Samson never knew of their presence, but rather Delilah cried out that the Philistines were there, to see his reaction and the result. This first time he may well have thought she meant it so he broke the withes but found no one there. And she no doubt laughed as though it were a game. But underneath her heart was beating rapidly and she was afraid. And she knew that he had not told her his secret, and that she did not know in what his strength lay.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 16:9 Now [there were] men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
Ver. 9. Now there were men lying in wait. ] But durst not for their ears show themselves, till the experiment should prove true, and they be sure to overcome him.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
brake = snapped.
as = according as.
tow. Old English. Coarse flax or hemp for spinning or twining. Occurs only here and Isa 1:31. Very inflammable.
toucheth = smelleth (before it toucheth).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
toucheth: Heb. smelleth, Psa 58:9
Reciprocal: Jdg 15:14 – the cords Jdg 16:20 – I will go
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 16:9. There were men abiding with her in the chamber In some closet, probably, or adjoining room; for it cannot be well imagined, that they could be in the very same chamber without being discovered by Samson. It appears the Philistines were rather desirous of taking him alive than killing him. Probably they thought to employ him in some laborious works for the public, wherein his great strength might be of use to them, if they could but take him alive. Otherwise the liers in wait might have taken the opportunity of killing him while he was asleep, if their orders had not been to take him alive.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
16:9 Now [there were] {d} men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when {e} it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
(d) Certain Philistines in a secret chamber.
(e) When fire comes near it.