Judges 15:20

18-20 So little notice did the men of Judah take of their deliverer, that he was ready to perish for want of a draught of water. Thus are the greatest slights often put upon those who do the greatest services. Samson prayed to God in this distress. Those that forget to attend God their praises, may be compelled to attend him with their prayers. Past experiences of God's power and goodness, are excellent pleas in prayer for further mercy. He pleads his being exposed to God's enemies; our best pleas are taken from God's glory. The Lord sent him seasonable relief. The place of this action was, from the jaw-bone, called Lehi. And in the place thus called, God caused a fountain suddenly and seasonably to open, close by Samson. We should be more thankful for the mercy of water, did we consider how ill we can spare it. Israel submitted to him whom they had betrayed. God was with him; henceforwa...

Verse Judges 15:20. _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_, Judges 13:1. Instead of עשרים שנה _esrim shanah, twenty years_, the Jerusalem Talmud has ארבעים שנה _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_,

EXPOSITION JUDGES 15:9 WENT UP, _i.e._ from their own country in the Shephelah to the hill country of Judah. As Samson had avenged his wrongs on the whole Philistine people, so they now came up to Judah to take vengeance for Samson's injuries. IN LEHI, or, rather, _hal-Lehi_,_ the Lehi_,_ _the place afterwards so called, as related in Judges 15:17 and Judges 15:20 (see Judges 7:25, note). Lehi has been identified by some with _Tell-el-Lekhiyeh_,_ _four miles above Beer-sheba; and by others with _Beit-Likiyeh_,_ in _the Wa

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 Judges 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....

CHAPTER 15 THE CONFLICT WITH THE PHILISTINES: BOUND YET FREE _ 1. The damage done to the Philistines (Judges 15:1)_ 2. Bound by his own brethren (Judges 15:9) 3. The deed with the jawbone (Judges 15:14) 4. His prayer and the answer (Judges 15:18) He discovered next the true character of the Philistines. His wife has been given to another. Nothing came of his alliance with the Philistines but trouble and unpleasantness for himself. Was it of the Lord when he took the 300 foxes (literally, jackals; it would have been hard work to catch 300 foxes, for they go alone, but jackals go in packs) and the fire

JUDGES 15. SAMSON AGAINST THE PHILISTINES. His anger having cooled, Samson went down to appease his betrothed and complete the marriage. When he learned how things stood, he was angrier than ever, and determined to wreak his revenge upon the Philistines. The stories of the burning of their corn and the slaughter of a thousand of them with an ass's jawbone are good examples of Heb. folklore. [For parallels, especially to a Roman ceremony at the _Cerealia,_ to the story of the foxes, see ICC and CB, also Frazer, _Spirits of the Corn and of the Wild,_ i., pp. 296 f. The corn-spirit is sometimes thought to assume the shape of a fox, but this has probably no bearing on this story. A. S. P.] Judges 15:4. Instead of foxes (which do not roam in packs) read jackals. The feud between Samson and the Philistines now became deadly....

TWENTY. See note on Judges 13:24....

_Local traditions_ Provoked by Samson's violence, the Philistines made a raid upon Lehi in Judah for the purpose of capturing their enemy. The name of the place was suggestive, and tradition attached to it the story of S."s feat with the -fresh jawbone (_lěḥî_) of an ass." Popular etymology explained Ramath-lehi, -the height of Lehi" (from _rûm_), as the place where S. -threw away" (_râmâh_) the jawbone; a hollow basin in the hill side, which held the water of the -Partridge Spring" (- _ên haḳḳôrç_"), became the spring which God granted when S. -called" (_ḳârâ"_) for help in his exhaustion. It is noteworthy that the exploit of Shammah, one of David's heroes, also took place at Lehi, 2 Samuel 23:11 (reading _unto Lehi_for _into a troop_); cf. also the story of Shamgar, Jud

_Samson Slays a Thousand Philistines Judges 15:14-20_ 14 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. 15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith. 16 And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men. 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. 18 And he was _sore_ athirst, and called on the Lord, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the u

SAMSON SLAUGHTERS THE PHILISTINES Samson, being denied his wife, burns the corn of the Philistines. He is delivered up to them by the men of Judah, but bursts his bonds, and slaughters many of the Philistines. 1, 2. Samson is denied his wife....