Judges 16:30

Jdg 16:30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with [all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his life.

Ver. 30. Let me die with the Philistines.] Heb., Let my soul die {as Num 23:10} with the Philistines, - yet not as the Philistines, but the death of the righteous, who hath hope in his death, - to {Pro 14:32} destroy these Philistines, God’s enemies, out of a zeal of God’s glory. He devoted himself to death, not out of despair, or for vainglory, as some heathens did - Codrus the king of Athens, Decius the Roman Consul, &c. - but by an extraordinary instinct of God’s Spirit, and for a public good: as that Christian soldier did, who at the siege of Buda, to prevent the taking of the town, threw himself down from the wall, together with the dog, as he called him, - the Turk who had first got to the top of it, and set up the Turkish colours there; whereby the town was saved. Samson knew that he should die with the Philistines, Simili quidem poena, sed dissimili culpa, et diverso fine ac fato. Multum interest et qualia quis, et quisque patiatur, saith Augustine. These all died alike, but not for a like cause, or with like comfort.

And the house fell upon the lords, &c.] Lords and the common people perished together. So they did at Fidenae in the days of Tiberius, where the amphitheatre fell at a sight of sword playing, and destroyed thirty thousand people, {a} So at the fall of Blackfriars, many Papists were slain at a Mass: Drury the priest had his sermon and his brains knocked out of his head together. Let those that sport themselves with oaths as the Philistines did with Samson, beware; it will pull the house about their ears. {Zec 5:4}

So the dead.] A type of Christ herein. {Heb 2:14} Death also is to a saint the accomplishment of mortification. {Rom 6:7}

{a} Sueton.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jdg 16:30. Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines — That is, I am content to die, so I can but contribute to the vindication of God’s glory, and the deliverance of God’s people. This is no encouragement to those who wickedly murder themselves: for Samson did not desire or procure his own death voluntarily, but by mere necessity; he was by his office obliged to seek the destruction of these enemies and blasphemers of God, and oppressors of his people; which in these circumstances he could not effect without his own death. Moreover, Samson did this by divine direction, as God’s answer to his prayer manifests, and that he might be a type of Christ, who, by voluntarily undergoing death, destroyed the enemies of God and of his people. They died just when they were insulting over an Israelite, persecuting him whom God had smitten. Nothing fills up the measure of the iniquity of any person or people faster than mocking or misusing the servants of God; yea, though it is by their own folly that they are brought low. Those know not what they do, nor whom they affront, that make sport with the Lord’s servants.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He speaketh not this of despair, but humbling himself for neglecting his office and the offence thereby given.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 30. So the dead which he slew] We are informed that the house was full of men and women, with about three thousand of both sexes on the top; now as the whole house was pulled down, consequently the principal part of all these were slain; and among them we find there were the lords of the Philistines. The death of these, with so many of the inferior chiefs of the people, was such a crush to the Philistine ascendancy, that they troubled Israel no more for several years, and did not even attempt to hinder Samson's relatives from taking away and burying his dead body.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

30. Let me die] lit. ‘let my soul die.’ In the O.T. the soul is not the immortal, but the mortal, element in man: it is that which breathes, the principle of life. When a person dies the soul goes out (Gen_35:18, cf. Jer_15:9) and exists no more.

the dead which he slew]

‘Samson hath quit himself

Like Samson.’—Milton, S. Agonistes, 1709 f.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Samson said, let me die with the Philistines,.... He sought their death, and was content to lose his own life to be avenged on them; in neither of which did he act a criminal part as a judge of Israel; and from a public spirit he might desire the death of their enemies, and seek to effect it by all means possible; and was the more justifiable at this time, as they were not only insulting him, the representative of his nation, but were affronting the most high God with their idolatries, being now in the temple of their idol, and sacrificing to him. As for his own death, he did not simply desire that, only as he could not be avenged on his enemies without it, he was willing to submit to it; nor did he lay hands on himself, and cannot be charged with being guilty of suicide, and did no other than what a man of valour and public spirit will do; who for the good of his country will not only expose his life to danger in common, but for the sake of that will engage in a desperate enterprise, when he knows most certainly that he must perish in it. Besides, Samson said this, and did what he did under the direction and influence of the Spirit of God; and herein was a type of Christ, who freely laid down his life for his people, that he might destroy his and their enemies:

and he bowed himself with all his might, having fresh strength, and a large measure of it given him at this instant, which he had faith in, and therefore made the attempt, and for which he is reckoned among the heroes for faith in Heb 11:32.

and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein; who were all killed, and Samson himself; an emblem this of the destruction of Satan, and his principalities and powers, by the death of Christ:

so the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life; for besides the lords, and they that were in the house, there were 3000 men and women on the roof, which fell in, and lost their lives also, so that it is very likely there were at least 6000 or 7000 slain; Philo Byblius says 40,000, which is not probable; whereas in his life we only read of 1000 slain by him with the jawbone, besides thirty men at Ashkelon, and the slaughter made when he smote hip and thigh, the number of which is not known. As this house pulled down by Samson is generally thought to be the temple of Dagon, a traveller (a) in those parts tells us, that there is now extant the temple of Dagon in half demolished, and the pillars of it are yet to be seen; but he doubtless mistakes an edifice of a later construction for it: and another traveller (b) of our own country says, on the northeast corner and summit of the hill (on which the city is built) are the ruins of huge arches sunk low in the earth, and other foundations of a stately building; the Jews, adds he, do fable this place to have been the theatre of Samson pulled down on the heads of the Philistines; but he takes it to be the ruins of a later building; See Gill on Sa1 5:2.

(a) Baumgarten. Perogrinatio, l. 2. c. 3. p. 27. Vid. Adrichom. Theatrum Terrae S. p. 134. (b) Sandy's Travels, l. 3. p. 116.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Let me die. Literally, let my soul die. Samson did not sin on this occasion, though he was indirectly the cause of his own death. Because he was moved to what he did, by a particular inspiration of God, who also concurred with him by a miracle, in restoring his strength upon the spot, in consequence of his prayer. Samson, by dying in this manner, was a figure of Christ, who by his death overcame all his enemies. (Challoner; Worthington) --- St. Augustine says, "he was not under a human delusion, but divinely inspired....Who will accuse his obedience?" (De C. i. 21., and 26., &c.) And St. Bernard (de præc. 3.) observes that he would have sinned, if he had not received a particular inspiration. But many think that he might have acted as he did, without it, in quality of judge, as he might intend primarily to avenge his people and the glory of God. He was willing to sacrifice his life for this purpose, though he would have preserved it, if it had been in his power. (Cajetan; Lessius, &c) --- The Church honours many virgin martyrs, (Calmet) who have thrown themselves into fire or water, in similar dispositions. St. Ambrose says, "it is to be presumed that their zeal came from God." (De Virg. iii. 7.) He mentions St. Pelagia, and her mother and sisters, and St. Soteris, a relation of his, whose memory is honoured on the 10th of February. St. Apollonia’s feast occurs the day before. "She leapt into the fire, having her breast enkindled with a stronger flame of the holy spirit. (Brev. Rom. [Roman Breviary?]) See the fact of Razas, 2 Machabees xiv. 37. (Haydock) --- So that the revelation of St. Mathildes doubting of his, Solomon’s, Origen’s, and Trajan’s salvation, as if God would thus keep mankind in fear, seems to be a fabrication. (Baronius. A.D. 604.) St. Paul ranks Samson among the saints, Hebrews xi. 32. --- Life. Express mention is made of 1000 slain by Samson, besides the great numbers, which excited the astonishment of the Philistines, chap. xv. 8. But on this occasion he destroyed 3000 at once, and the death of all the princes made the slaughter more terrible, (Calmet) insomuch that the people being without a head, were glad to let Samson’s brethren take away his body without molestation, as they have every reason to fear that the Israelites would now fall upon them. (Salien) --- If 3000 perished on the outside of the temple, (Haydock) Serarius concludes that not less than 20,000 were destroyed in all.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Let me die with the Philistines, i.e. I am contented to die, so I can but therewith contribute any thing to the vindication of God’s glory, here trampled upon, and to the deliverance of God’s people. This is no example nor encouragement to those that wickedly murder themselves; for Samson did not desire nor procure his own death voluntarily, but only by mere force and necessity, because he did desire, and by his office was obliged to seek, the destruction of these enemies and blasphemers of God, and oppressors of his people; which in these circumstances he could not effect without his own death: and his case was not much unlike theirs, that in the heat of battle run upon the very mouth of the cannon, or other evident and certain danger of death, to execute a design upon the enemy; or theirs, who go in a fire-ship to destroy the enemy’s best ships, though they are sure to perish in the enterprise. Moreover, Samson did this by Divine instinct and approbation, as God’s answer to his prayer manifests, and that he might be a type of Christ, who by voluntarily undergoing death destroyed the enemies of God, and of his people.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

30. More than they which he slew in his life — All that he slew in his life, as far as we know, were the thirty men of Ashkelon, (Jdg_14:19,) the thousand at Lehi, (Jdg_15:15,) and the unnamed number of the great slaughter mentioned Jdg_15:8. He probably slew more than these, but all together would not amount to five or six thousand — the number that perished by the fall of this temple. If three thousand were on the roof, there were doubtless as many more below.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let me die, or, my life shall perish with the Philistines. He knew it was certain death to himself, but he did not shrink from it. His last act should be to destroy the oppressors of his country. So the dead which he slew, etc. The words sound like the snatch of some song or proverb in which Samson"s death was described.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Two pillars - Instances are not wanting of more capacious buildings than this, that have been supported only by one pillar. Pliny in the 15th chapter of the 36th Book of his Natural History, mentions two theatres built by C. Curio, in Julius Caesar's time; each of which was supported only by one pillar, tho' many thousands of people sat in it together. Let me die - That is, I am content to die, so I can but contribute to the vindication of God's glory, and the deliverance of God's people. This is no encouragement to those who wickedly murder themselves: for Samson did not desire, or procure his own death voluntarily, but by mere necessity; he was by his office obliged to seek the destruction of these enemies and blasphemers of God, and oppressors of his people; which in these circumstances he could not effect without his own death. Moreover, Samson did this by Divine direction, as God's answer to his prayer manifests, and that he might be a type of Christ, who by voluntarily undergoing death, destroyed the enemies of God, and of his people. They died, just when they were insulting over an Israelite, persecuting him whom God had smitten. Nothing fills up the measure of the iniquity of any person or people faster, than mocking or misusing the servants of God, yea, tho' it is by their own folly, that they are brought low. Those know not what they do, nor whom they affront, that make sport with a good man.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

He stretched out with his strength

When Samson stretched out his arms he pushed down the pillars of the building. AT: "He used his strength to push down the pillars" or "He used his strength to push over the pillars" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

the dead

This refers to people who are dead. AT: "the dead people" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

were more

"were a greater amount"

all the house of his father

Here the word "house" refers to his family. AT: "all of his father's family" (See: Metonymy)

came down

The phrase "came down" is used here because the place that Samson's family traveled form was higher in elevation than Gaza.

Zorah ... Eshtaol

See how you translated the names of these places in Judges 13:2 and Judges 13:25.

in the burial place of Manoah, his father

"where his father, Manoah, is buried"

Manoah

See how you translated this man's name in Judges 13:2. (See: How to Translate Names)

Samson had judged Israel for twenty years

This same sentence is also in Judges 15:20. It is repeated here to remind readers of how long he judged Israel. AT: "Samson had judged Israel for twenty years before he died" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

twenty years

"20 years" (See: Numbers)

translationWords

Samson

die

Philistines

rule

life

brother

house

bury

grave

judge, judges

Israel

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.