Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 15:20
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
20. The Dtc. editor’s formula, usually at the close of a judge’s history, comes curiously here before the end; perhaps because the editor felt that the end was not a suitable place for a statement of this kind. The words now standing in Jdg 16:31 b are merely a briefer repetition of the present verse, and may have been added by some later hand. The alternative is to suppose that the Dtc. editor closed the story of Samson here, and left out ch. 16 as contributing nothing to his purpose; ch. 16 was afterwards restored to its place, with the concluding formula (so Budde, Moore, Nowack). See Introduction 2 C.
twenty years ] out of the forty, Jdg 13:1. In the Rabbinic schools it was proposed to correct the reading here to forty, Talm. Jer. Sota Jdg 1:8.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 20. He judged Israel-twenty years.] In the margin it is said, He seems to have judged southwest Israel during twenty years of their servitude of the Philistines, Jdg 13:1. Instead of esrim shanah, twenty years, the Jerusalem Talmud has arbaim shanah, forty years; but this reading is not acknowledged by any MS. or version. According to Calmet, the twenty years of the judicature of Samson began the eighteenth year of the subjection of Israel to the Philistines; and these twenty years are included in the judicature of the high priest Eli.
THE burning of the Philistines’ corn by the means of foxes and firebrands is a very remarkable circumstance; and there is a story told by Ovid, in the 4th book of his Fasti, that bears a striking similitude to this; and is supposed by some learned men to allude to Samson and his foxes. The poet is at a loss to account for this custom, but brings in an old man of Carseoli, with what must have appeared to himself a very unsatisfactory solution. The passage begins as follows: –
Tertia post Hyadas cum luxerit orta, remotas,
Carcere partitos Circus habebit equos
Cur igitur missae vinctis ardentia taedis
Terga ferant vulpes, causa docenda mihi?
Vid. OVID, Fastor. lib. iv., ver. 679.
The substance of the whole account, which is too long to be transcribed, is this: It was a custom in Rome, celebrated in the month of April to let loose a number of foxes in the circus, with lighted flambeaux on their backs; and the Roman people took pleasure in seeing these animals run about till roasted to death by the flames with which they were enveloped. The poet wishes to know what the origin of this custom was, and is thus informed by an old man of the city of Carseoli: “A frolicksome young lad, about ten years of age, found, near a thicket, a fox that had stolen away many fowls from the neighbouring roosts. Having enveloped his body with hay and straw, he set it on fire, and let the fox loose. The animal, in order to avoid the flames, took to the standing corn which was then ready for the sickle; and the wind, driving the flames with double violence, the crops were everywhere consumed. Though this transaction is long since gone by, the commemoration of it still remains; for, by a law of this city, every fox that is taken is burnt to death. Thus the nation awards to the foxes the punishment of being burnt alive, for the destruction of the ripe corn formerly occasioned by one of these animals.”
Both Serrarius and Bochart reject this origin of the custom given by Ovid; and insist that the custom took its rise from the burning of the Philistines’ corn by Samson’s foxes. The origin ascribed to the custom by the Carseolian they consider as too frivolous and unimportant to be commemorated by a national festival. The time of the observation does not accord with the time of harvest about Rome and in Italy, but it perfectly accords with the time of harvest in Palestine, which was at least as early as April. Nor does the circumstance of the fox wrapped in hay and let loose, the hay being set on fire, bear any proper resemblance to the foxes let loose in the circus with burning brands on their backs.
These learned men therefore conclude that it is much more natural to suppose that the Romans derived the custom from Judea, where probably the burning of the Philistines’ corn might, for some time, have been annually commemorated.
The whole account is certainly very singular, and has not a very satisfactory solution in the old man’s tale, as related by the Roman poet.
All public institutions have had their origin in facts; and if, through the lapse of time or loss of records, the original facts be lost, we may legitimately look for them in cases where there is so near a resemblance as in that above.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. He pleaded their cause, and avenged them against the Philistines.
In the days of the Philistines, i.e. whilst the Philistines had the power and dominion, from which he was not fully to deliver, but only to begin to deliver them, as it was foretold, Jdg 13:5. From this place it is manifest, that in the computation of the times of the judges, the years of servitude or oppression are not to be separated from the years of the judges, and added to them, but are comprehended within them; which proposition is of great importance for clearing this difficult part of Scripture chronology, and for justifying that account of times given 1Ki 6:1.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years. While they had the power over the Israelites, who were not entirely delivered out of their hands by Samson, he only began to deliver them, but did not completely do it; though he got many advantages over them, and wrought many salvations and deliverances, yet was not the author of perfect salvation, see Jud 13:5 however, he was a check upon the Philistines, and protected the Israelites from heavier oppressions, which otherwise they would have come under; and no doubt administered justice and judgment among them, and was an instrument of their reformation, and of preserving them from idolatry; for in such things the work of a judge chiefly lay: some from hence observe, that this shows the years of servitude and bondage are included in the years of the judges.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(20) And he judged Israel.Probably, as Jephthah had done, with the sort of vague prerogatives of a military hero. Why the verse is found here, as though to close the narrative (comp. Jdg. 12:7, &c.), and is again repeated in Jdg. 16:31, we cannot say. The next chapter belongs mainly to Samsons fall and humiliation. These twenty years probably fell within the contemporary judgeship of Eli.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. Judged Israel twenty years The same statement is repeated at the close of Samson’s history, (Jdg 16:31,) but seems to have been introduced here to indicate the time when he first became fully recognized as judge in Israel. His previous exploits had not gained him great influence or recognition as judge outside of the tribe of Dan, as Judah’s action (Jdg 15:12) shows. But we may believe when the three thousand men of Judah saw his slaughter of the thousand Philistines, they, too, acknowledged him as judge. He never succeeded, however, in delivering Israel, for his mission was only to begin to deliver them, (Jdg 13:5😉 so that the term of his office was wholly in the days of the Philistines. The days of the Philistines’ power extended on through the judgeship of Eli, and though at all times they may not have ruled and oppressed Israel, they were a constant source of trouble and fear. Complete deliverance was wrought by Samuel, the great Nazarite, to whom Samson was a sort of John Baptist. 1Sa 7:13.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.’
This may indicate that he was seen as a deliverer of his people rather than that he actually exercised authority, for his final imprisonment is included in it (Jdg 16:31), although he may well have exercised local authority over this period. We actually know little about his life apart from two short bursts (Judges 14-15 and Jdg 16:4-22) and this may be intended to indicate that from now on he ruled respectably and wisely, and certainly with authority. He had given Israel back some of its pride. The Philistines probably decided to leave him alone. He was not good news for them. He judged for ‘half a generation’, cut short in his prime. There is a further hint in that of what was to come.
Had Samson’s life ended here he might well have been judged differently. He is often described as a loveable rogue and a trickster, but while he behaved as men do at a wedding most of the remainder of what he did was with deadly serious intent. It is noteworthy that it was only ever against Philistines (they did not see them as tricks from a loveable rogue), and it proved very effective. Whether he drank wine or not to break his vow is a matter of pure conjecture. There is no evidence for it. There is also no evidence that he actually touched the dead carcass of the lion, and the killing of the enemy would be seen as a justifiable and not as defiling. So as far as we can know his vow appeared intact until this last incident of touching the jaw bone. And even then there was always a way back if he was willing to take it.
Commentators take up many different opinions on Samson. Some see him as a wild, uncontrolled, loveable rogue who achieved little. Others recognise in him a man who was fulfilling his destiny, revealing a total devotion to Yahweh and achieving what would stand Israel in good stead, until in his latter days he faltered. In our view the latter would appear to be nearer the truth, while acknowledging some of the former. But the fact is that the writer simply gives us the bare bones. We are left to read into the gaps.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Though we have no more recorded of Samson, yet his reign as a Judge in Israel, formed this period of twenty years.
REFLECTIONS
DEAREST Jesus! may I, in these views of Samson, which represent him as delivered up by his countrymen into the hands of his enemies, have my soul instantly directed to the contemplation of thee, and of thy voluntary surrender; when, in the accomplishment of redemption, thou gavest thy back to the smiter, and thy cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. And may my soul so view thee, in this unequalled mark of grace and condescension, as to have my whole heart interested in all that concerns thee. But oh! precious Jesus, while I behold thy matchless power, displayed in bursting asunder the bands of death, do thou manifest the same omnipotency, in breaking the bands of sin and death in me. Lord! burst the bands of Satan, the strong man armed, in my heart; loosen his hold upon my poor fallen nature, and bring me out of the spiritual prison, where he hath long kept my soul captive. And at length, when thou shalt break through, and come in the clouds to judgment, oh! raise my body, loosened from the bands of corruption, to glorify the triumph of my God and Saviour; that having in this life known the power of his resurrection by grace, I may in that life be among the risen to glory, through the alone merits and salvation of Jesus.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jdg 15:20 And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
Ver. 20. And he judged Israel. ] Haply after this victory he was publicly accepted and acknowledged as judge of Israel by this people, who before had dealt so unworthily with him:
“ Sic cum fortuna statque caditque fides. ”
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
twenty. See note on Jdg 13:24.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Jdg 13:1, Jdg 13:5, Jdg 16:31,”He seems to have judged South-west Israel during twenty years of their servitude of the Philistines.
Reciprocal: Gen 49:16 – General Gen 49:17 – shall be
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 15:20. He judged Israel That is, he pleaded their cause, and avenged them against the Philistines. In the days of the Philistines That is, while the Philistines had the power and dominion, from which he was not able fully to deliver, but only to begin to deliver them. From this place it is manifest that, in the computation of the times of the judges, the years of servitude or oppression are not to be separated from the years of the judges, but are comprehended within them; which proposition is of great importance for clearing this difficult part of Scripture chronology.