Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 15:17
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-lehi.
17. was called ] The text here and in Jdg 15:19 is to be preferred to the marg.
Ramath-lehi ] i.e. the height of Lehi, cf. Ramath-mizpeh Jos 13:26, Ramoth-gilead etc. Popular etymology, however, gave it the sense, casting away of the jawbone.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Ramath-lehi – Either the height or hill of Lehi, or, of the jaw-bone; or, as in the margin, the crestlag away of the jaw-bone, with allusion to Samson casting it out of his hand, when he had finished his war-song.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. Ramath-lehi.] The lifting up or casting away of the jaw-bone. Lehi was the name of the place before, Ramath was now added to it here; he lifted up the jaw-bone against his enemies, and slew them.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And by contraction, Lehi, Jdg 15:14, it being usual so to contract proper names; as Salem is put for Jerusalem, Psa 76:2; Sheba for Beer-sheba, Jos 19:2; and many other.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9-17. Then the Philistines wentupto the high land of Judah.
and spread themselves inLehinow El-Lekieh, abounding with limestone cliffs; the sidesof which are perforated with caves. The object of the Philistines inthis expedition was to apprehend Samson, in revenge for the greatslaughter he had committed on their people. With a view of freeinghis own countrymen from all danger from the infuriated Philistines,he allowed himself to be bound and surrendered a fettered prisonerinto their power. Exulting with joy at the near prospect of riddancefrom so formidable an enemy, they went to meet him. But he exertedhis superhuman strength, and finding a new (or moist) jawbone of anass, he laid hold of it, and with no other weapon, slew a thousandmen at a place which he called Ramath-lehithat is, “the hillof the jawbone.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking,…. Of delivering out the above song, which very probably consisted of much more than what is here expressed:
that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand; which he held in his hand had wrought by him through the means of it, and so served to animate him to praise and thankfulness; but having no further use for it, he threw it away:
and called the place Ramathlehi; that is, the casting away the jawbone, so Kimchi; but Ben Gersom thinks it was an high place where it was thrown, and so signifies the elevation or lifting up of the “jawbone”, as the Septuagint version renders it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(17) Ramath-lehi.The marginal rendering, the lifting up of the jawbone is found in the LXX. and Vulg., and derives Ramath from the verb rm, to be high. The more natural explanation is, the hill of Lehi. The other marginal rendering, the casting away of the jawbone, derives Ramath from the verb ramah, he cast. This would require the form Remath.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Called that place Ramath-lehi The name means hill or height of the jawbone, and seems to have originated with this triumph of Samson. In this case the name Lehi is used proleptically in Jdg 15:9.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And so it was that, when he had finished speaking, he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and that place was called Ramath-lehi.’
Ramath-lehi means ‘Jawbone Hill’, but also ‘Tossed-away-jawbone’, a play on two Hebrew words. The Israelites had a vivid sense of humour. The seizing of the jawbone as a weapon may well have been instinctive, but he was a dedicated Nazirite and should have been very conscious of the need to avoid contact with such things. He had ignored the fact that to touch a dead thing was against his vow. Possibly at this stage he recalled the fact and so flung it from him. Or perhaps his careless toss of it indicated his lack of concern.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 15:17 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.
Ver. 17. And called that place Ramathlehi. ] We must likewise set up marks and monuments of God’s signal mercies, to preserve the memory of them, which else will soon be moth eaten. Abraham did so by his Jehovahjireh, Moses by his Jehovahnissi, Samuel by his Ebenezer, Jehoshaphat by his Berachah, the Jews in Esther by their Purim, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Bamath-lehi = the uplifting of the jawbone.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Ramathlehi
The hill of the jawbone.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Ramathlehi: that is, the lifting up of the jaw-bone, or, the casting away of the jaw-bone, Jdg 15:17
Reciprocal: Jdg 15:9 – Lehi
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 15:17-18. He called that place Ramath-lehi That is, The lifting up, or, casting away of the jaw-bone. He gave it this name in order to perpetuate the memory of this action. And he was sore athirst A natural effect of the great labour he had used. 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! Thus are the greatest slights often put upon those that do the greatest services! Shall I die Wilt thou not finish what thou hast begun? Wilt thou undo what thou hast done?