Focused Passage

Judges 15:14-17

Samson's Retaliation, Judah's Surrender, and the LORD's Deliverance at Lehi

From a broken marriage visit and retaliatory crop burning, through Philistine revenge and Judah's surrender of Samson, to Spirit-empowered victory with a jawbone and the LORD's mercy in providing water to His exhausted servant.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

14When Samson arrived in Lehi, the Philistines came out shouting against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him. The ropes on his arms became like burnt flax, and the bonds broke loose from his hands.

15He found the fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and struck down a thousand men.

16Then Samson said: “With the jawbone of a donkey I have piled them into heaps. With the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men.”

17And when Samson had finished speaking, he cast the jawbone from his hand; and he named that place Ramath-lehi.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Cross-references

2 Corinthians 10:4Classic cross-references Psalms 51:11Classic cross-references Judges 14:19Classic cross-references Psalms 118:11Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 11:6Classic cross-references

Original words

Whenהוּא־H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singular[Samson] arrivedבָ֣אH935Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularinעַד־H5704PrepositionLehiלֶ֔חִיH3896Noun - proper - feminine singularthe Philistinesוּפִלְשִׁתִּ֖יםH6430Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine pluralcame out shoutingהֵרִ֣יעוּH7321Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common pluralagainst himלִקְרָאת֑וֹH7122Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularAnd the Spiritר֣וּחַH7307Noun - common singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularcame mightilyוַתִּצְלַ֨חH6743Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularupon himעָלָ֜יוH5921Preposition | third person masculine singularThe ropesהָעֲבֹתִ֜יםH5688Article | Noun - common plural-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeonעַל־H5921Prepositionhis armsזְרוֹעוֹתָ֗יוH2220Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularbecameוַתִּהְיֶ֨ינָהH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plurallike burntבָּעֲר֣וּH1197Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural. . .בָאֵ֔שׁH784Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singularflaxכַּפִּשְׁתִּים֙H6593Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine plural-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeand the bondsאֱסוּרָ֖יוH612Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularbroke looseוַיִּמַּ֥סּוּH4549Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralfromמֵעַ֥לH5921Preposition-mhis handsיָדָֽיו׃H3027Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

Joshua 23:10Classic cross-references Leviticus 26:8Classic cross-references Judges 3:31Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 17:49Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 1:27Classic cross-references

Original words

He foundוַיִּמְצָ֥אH4672Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe freshטְרִיָּ֑הH2961Adjective - feminine singularjawboneלְחִֽי־H3895Noun - feminine singular constructof a donkeyחֲמ֖וֹרH2543Noun - masculine singularreached outוַיִּשְׁלַ֤חH7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularhis handיָדוֹ֙H3027Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularand took itוַיִּקָּחֶ֔הָH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singularand struck downוַיַּךְ־H5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-בָּ֖הּPreposition | third person feminine singulara thousandאֶ֥לֶףH505Number - masculine singular constructmenאִֽישׁ׃H376Noun - masculine singular

Verse 16

Original words

Then Samsonשִׁמְשׁ֔וֹןH8123Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularWith the jawboneבִּלְחִ֣יH3895Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof a donkeyהַחֲמ֔וֹרH2543Article | Noun - masculine singularI have piled themחֲמ֖וֹרH2565Noun - masculine singularinto heapsחֲמֹרָתָ֑יִםH2565Noun - mdWith the jawboneבִּלְחִ֣יH3895Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof a donkeyהַחֲמ֔וֹרH2543Article | Noun - masculine singularI have slainהִכֵּ֖יתִיH5221Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singulara thousandאֶ֥לֶףH505Number - masculine singular constructmenאִֽישׁ׃H376Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

Or I have made them into donkeys

Verse 17

Cross-references

Judges 15:9Classic cross-references

Original words

Andוַֽיְהִי֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularwhen [Samson] had finishedכְּכַלֹּת֣וֹH3615Preposition-k | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularspeakingלְדַבֵּ֔רH1696Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructhe castוַיַּשְׁלֵ֥ךְH7993Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe jawboneהַלְּחִ֖יH3895Article | Noun - feminine singularfrom his handמִיָּד֑וֹH3027Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularand he namedוַיִּקְרָ֛אH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthatהַה֖וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singularplaceלַמָּק֥וֹםH4725Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularvvvרָ֥מַתH7437Ramath-lehiלֶֽחִי׃H7437Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

Ramath-lehi means the hill of the jawbone.

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