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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 16:30

Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 16:30

And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with [all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his life.

30. Let me die ] lit. ‘let my soul die.’ In the O.T. the soul is not the immortal, but the mortal, element in man: it is that which breathes, the principle of life. When a person dies the soul goes out (Gen 35:18, cf. Jer 15:9) and exists no more.

the dead which he slew ]

‘Samson hath quit himself

Like Samson.’ Milton, S. Agonistes, 1709 f.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 30. So the dead which he slew] We are informed that the house was full of men and women, with about three thousand of both sexes on the top; now as the whole house was pulled down, consequently the principal part of all these were slain; and among them we find there were the lords of the Philistines. The death of these, with so many of the inferior chiefs of the people, was such a crush to the Philistine ascendancy, that they troubled Israel no more for several years, and did not even attempt to hinder Samson’s relatives from taking away and burying his dead body.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Let me die with the Philistines, i.e. I am contented to die, so I can but therewith contribute any thing to the vindication of Gods glory, here trampled upon, and to the deliverance of Gods people. This is no example nor encouragement to those that wickedly murder themselves; for Samson did not desire nor procure his own death voluntarily, but only by mere force and necessity, because he did desire, and by his office was obliged to seek, the destruction of these enemies and blasphemers of God, and oppressors of his people; which in these circumstances he could not effect without his own death: and his case was not much unlike theirs, that in the heat of battle run upon the very mouth of the cannon, or other evident and certain danger of death, to execute a design upon the enemy; or theirs, who go in a fire-ship to destroy the enemys best ships, though they are sure to perish in the enterprise. Moreover, Samson did this by Divine instinct and approbation, as Gods answer to his prayer manifests, and that he might be a type of Christ, who by voluntarily undergoing death destroyed the enemies of God, and of his people.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

And Samson said, let me die with the Philistines,…. He sought their death, and was content to lose his own life to be avenged on them; in neither of which did he act a criminal part as a judge of Israel; and from a public spirit he might desire the death of their enemies, and seek to effect it by all means possible; and was the more justifiable at this time, as they were not only insulting him, the representative of his nation, but were affronting the most high God with their idolatries, being now in the temple of their idol, and sacrificing to him. As for his own death, he did not simply desire that, only as he could not be avenged on his enemies without it, he was willing to submit to it; nor did he lay hands on himself, and cannot be charged with being guilty of suicide, and did no other than what a man of valour and public spirit will do; who for the good of his country will not only expose his life to danger in common, but for the sake of that will engage in a desperate enterprise, when he knows most certainly that he must perish in it. Besides, Samson said this, and did what he did under the direction and influence of the Spirit of God; and herein was a type of Christ, who freely laid down his life for his people, that he might destroy his and their enemies:

and he bowed himself with all his might, having fresh strength, and a large measure of it given him at this instant, which he had faith in, and therefore made the attempt, and for which he is reckoned among the heroes for faith in Heb 11:32

and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein; who were all killed, and Samson himself; an emblem this of the destruction of Satan, and his principalities and powers, by the death of Christ:

so the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life; for besides the lords, and they that were in the house, there were 3000 men and women on the roof, which fell in, and lost their lives also, so that it is very likely there were at least 6000 or 7000 slain; Philo Byblius says 40,000, which is not probable; whereas in his life we only read of 1000 slain by him with the jawbone, besides thirty men at Ashkelon, and the slaughter made when he smote hip and thigh, the number of which is not known. As this house pulled down by Samson is generally thought to be the temple of Dagon, a traveller a in those parts tells us, that there is now extant the temple of Dagon in half demolished, and the pillars of it are yet to be seen; but he doubtless mistakes an edifice of a later construction for it: and another traveller b of our own country says, on the northeast corner and summit of the hill (on which the city is built) are the ruins of huge arches sunk low in the earth, and other foundations of a stately building; the Jews, adds he, do fable this place to have been the theatre of Samson pulled down on the heads of the Philistines; but he takes it to be the ruins of a later building;

[See comments on 1Sa 5:2].

a Baumgarten. Perogrinatio, l. 2. c. 3. p. 27. Vid. Adrichom. Theatrum Terrae S. p. 134. b Sandy’s Travels, l. 3. p. 116.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

30. More than they which he slew in his life All that he slew in his life, as far as we know, were the thirty men of Ashkelon, (Jdg 14:19,) the thousand at Lehi, (Jdg 15:15,) and the unnamed number of the great slaughter mentioned Jdg 15:8. He probably slew more than these, but all together would not amount to five or six thousand the number that perished by the fall of this temple. If three thousand were on the roof, there were doubtless as many more below.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jdg 16:30 a

‘And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And he bowed himself with all his might, and the house fell on the lords, and on all the people who were in it.’

It was an act of war and revenge. He gave his life to destroy the Philistine power. For by dragging the pillars off their bases, with part of the roof, already unstable because of the hundreds of people on it, collapsing on those below, the weight of the people would bring down further parts of the roof, especially as many desperately tried to scramble for safety before falling to their deaths, crushing also those hopelessly seeking safety below.

Jdg 16:30 b

‘So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.’

The writer does not exaggerate by claiming too much, for he did not have the statistics. He merely stated the obvious that a large number died, certainly more than those slain by Samson in his lifetime. And many others were badly injured. It may or may not have included all the Tyrants, and their heirs. In such disasters some do escape, seemingly almost miraculously. But it was certainly devastating for the future of their military power and they would certainly take a long time to recover from the disaster. It would ease the pressure on Israel for years to come.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Jdg 16:30. So the dead which he slew at his death, &c. And those whom he slew at his death were more than those whom he had slain in his life. Houb. It is plain, that this event must have greatly reduced the Philistines, as they made no sort of opposition to the burying of Samson who had wrought such destruction among them.

REFLECTIONS.In this ignominious employment, unhappy Samson had time and opportunity given him for reflection; bitter reflection! where all was dark without, and all as dark within. Yet how preferable his present situation! Far better grind in Gaza, than sleep in the bosom of Delilah. Repentance seems now to have been vouchsafed to him; his hair began to grow, and, as a token that God had not utterly left him, his strength returned with it, God still designing him for great exploits, and in his death to wipe away the foul stains of his past ungracious conduct.

1. The Philistines assemble to celebrate the praises of their god Dagon, half man half fish, to whose favour they ascribe their victory over the mighty Samson. With songs of praise the lofty roofs resound, and echo back their idol’s victory. To make their joy complete, Samson is led forth; insult is added to his sufferings, and he degraded to be the sport of fools. Note; (1.) If even a Philistine could ascribe his victories only to his dunghill god, how much more are we bound to give our God the glory due to his name, for all he does to us, in us, and for us! (2.) They, who by their ill conduct have brought dishonour upon God, justly deserve to bring contempt upon themselves. (3.) They, who have sported in sin to their own deceiving, will find themselves in the end exposed to everlasting shame.

2. Little thought the lords of the Philistines what ruin hung over their heads. In mirth and wine the joyful day was spent; and besides the chief nobility, a vast concourse of men and women crowded the temple within and without, no less than three thousand being on the roof. Unhappy Samson stood the spectacle of their delight, fallen from his high estate, trampled upon by every foot, and led along blind by a little lad, the guide and guard of this once renowned hero. Meditating the fatal blow, and having informed himself of the supporters of the roof, he desires the lad to lead him, that he may lean against them; there pausing for a while on this great deed, he lifts his heart to God in prayer for power to avenge, as a public person, his own and Israel’s wrongs; and for his people’s sake cheerfully devotes himself to death. With arms extended then he grasps the massy pillars, and, feeling an answer to his prayer, in the renewed strength bestowed on him, he bows himself forward; the pillars rock, the building totters, the roof, encumbered with the weight of the spectators, rushes down, and death in every tremendous shape appears. Crushed under the load, or dashed to pieces in the fall, thousands expire; their music now is changed to dying groans; and shrieks of agonizing pain, instead of songs of triumph, fill the air. Thus dies the mighty Samson, glorious in his fall, and more terrible to the Philistines in his death than even during his life. Note; (1.) They who sport and mock at God’s servants, fill fast the measure of their iniquities. (2.) When we return to God in penitent prayer, God will return to us in mercy, and renew our strength. (3.) To die for our country is great, but to die for God is far greater. (4.) Samson’s death is a type of Christ’s; his arms were thus extended on the cross; laying down a life which none could else take from him; saving his people by shedding his own blood, and casting down thereby the throne of Satan, ruining his temple in the hearts of men, and destroying the power of sin, death, and hell, their mortal enemies.

3. His father and friends, during their consternation, went up and took his dead body from the ruins, (the Philistines not daring to oppose them,) and buried it in his father’s sepulchre. Twenty years his government lasted; and had the people but followed his example, they had no more felt the yoke of Philistia. Note; It is our own fault if we live and die the servants of sin, because we neglect to use the means of grace that God vouchsafes us.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Jdg 16:30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with [all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his life.

Ver. 30. Let me die with the Philistines. ] Heb., Let my soul die as Num 23:10 with the Philistines, – yet not as the Philistines, but the death of the righteous, who hath hope in his death, – to Pro 14:32 destroy these Philistines, God’s enemies, out of a zeal of God’s glory. He devoted himself to death, not out of despair, or for vainglory, as some heathens did – Codrus the king of Athens, Decius the Roman Consul, &c. – but by an extraordinary instinct of God’s Spirit, and for a public good: as that Christian soldier did, who at the siege of Buda, to prevent the taking of the town, threw himself down from the wall, together with the dog, as he called him, – the Turk who had first got to the top of it, and set up the Turkish colours there; whereby the town was saved. Samson knew that he should die with the Philistines, Simili quidem poena, sed dissimili culpa, et diverso fine ac fato. Multum interest et qualia quis, et quisque patiatur, saith Augustine. These all died alike, but not for a like cause, or with like comfort.

And the house fell upon the lords, &c. ] Lords and the common people perished together. So they did at Fidenae in the days of Tiberius, where the amphitheatre fell at a sight of sword playing, and destroyed thirty thousand people, a So at the fall of Blackfriars, many Papists were slain at a Mass: Drury the priest had his sermon and his brains knocked out of his head together. Let those that sport themselves with oaths as the Philistines did with Samson, beware; it will pull the house about their ears. Zec 5:4

So the dead. ] A type of Christ herein. Heb 2:14 Death also is to a saint the accomplishment of mortification. Rom 6:7

a Sueton.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

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

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

me: Heb. my soul

die: Mat 16:25, Act 20:24, Act 21:13, Phi 2:17, Phi 2:30, Heb 12:1-4

and the house: Job 20:5, Job 31:3, Psa 62:3, Ecc 9:12, Mat 24:38, Mat 24:39, 1Th 5:2

So the dead: Jdg 14:19, Jdg 15:8, Jdg 15:15, Gen 3:15, Phi 2:8, Col 2:15, Heb 2:14, Heb 2:15

Reciprocal: Deu 33:22 – General Jdg 14:6 – rent him Job 1:19 – it fell Psa 107:12 – he brought

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jdg 16:30. Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines That is, I am content to die, so I can but contribute to the vindication of Gods glory, and the deliverance of Gods people. This is no encouragement to those who wickedly murder themselves: for Samson did not desire or procure his own death voluntarily, but by mere necessity; he was by his office obliged to seek the destruction of these enemies and blasphemers of God, and oppressors of his people; which in these circumstances he could not effect without his own death. Moreover, Samson did this by divine direction, as Gods answer to his prayer manifests, and that he might be a type of Christ, who, by voluntarily undergoing death, destroyed the enemies of God and of his people. They died just when they were insulting over an Israelite, persecuting him whom God had smitten. Nothing fills up the measure of the iniquity of any person or people faster than mocking or misusing the servants of God; yea, though it is by their own folly that they are brought low. Those know not what they do, nor whom they affront, that make sport with the Lords servants.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

16:30 And Samson said, {o} Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with [all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his life.

(o) He does not speak out of despair, but humbling himself for neglecting his office and the offence thereby given.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes