Judges 15:14-20

15:14

Philistines <06430> [the Philistines.]

spirit <07307> [the Spirit.]

ropes <05688> [the cords.]

melted away <04549> [loosed. Heb. were melted.]

15:15

solid jawbone <03895 02961> [new jaw-bone. Heb. moist. slew.]

thousand <0505> [a thousand.]

Some would render the words {aileph ish,} "a chief;" but it is {alluph,} and not {aileph,} which signifies a chief; besides which, the Hebrew idiom would, even in that case, require it to be {ish alluph,} "a man, a chief," and not {alluph ish,} "a chief, a man." Add to which, that every version renders it "a thousand men."

15:16

jawbone ............. jawbone <03895> [with the jaw-bone.]

There is here a fine paronomasia upon the word {chamor,} "an ass," which also signifies "a heap;" {bilchee hachamor, chamor chamorathayim,} "With the jaw-bone of an ass, a heap upon two heaps."

<02565> [heaps upon heaps. Heb. an heap, two heaps.]

15:17

Ramath <07437> [Ramath-lehi. that is, the lifting up of the jaw-bone, or, the casting away of the jaw-bone.]

15:18

very <03966> [he was sore.]

given <05414> [Thou hast given.]

die <04191> [shall.]

fall <05307> [and fall.]

Philistines <06189> [the uncircumcised.]

15:19

Lehi <03895> [the jaw. or, Lehi.]

This reading is certainly preferable: it was in the place called Lehi where a spring was supernaturally opened.

flowed out <03318> [there came.]

strength <07307> [his spirit.]

En Hakkore <05875> [En-hakkore.]

Samson gave this expressive name to the miraculously springing water, to be as a memorial of the goodness of God to him. En-hakkore, the well of him that cried, which kept him in remembrance both of his own distress which caused him to cry, and the favour of Jehovah to him in answer to his cry. Many a spring of comfort God opens to his people, which may fitly be called by the name En-hakkore: and this instance of Samson's relief should encourage us to trust in God, for when he pleases he can open rivers in high places.

Samson at first gave the name of Ramath-lehi (the lifting up of the jaw-bone) which denoted him great and triumphant: but now he gives it another name, En-hakkore, which denotes him wanting and dependent. .# Ge 16:13, 22:14 28:19 30:30 Ex 17:15 Ps 34:6 120:1

15:20

"He seems to have judged South-west Israel during twenty years of their servitude of the Philistines."