PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — Judges
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 137,835 words · 348 reading sections
Judges 15:2
Judges 15:2 Ver. 2. And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her,.... Not only thought so, but said so, and had said it over and over again; for the words are, "saying I said" {t}, affirmed it confidently and constantly, that "in hating thou hast hated her" {u}, with an implacable hatred, th…
240 wordsSECTION 242Judges 15:3
Judges 15:3 Ver. 3. And Samson said concerning them,.... His wife's father, and other relations, and the citizens of Timnath; this, which is what follows, he said either within himself respecting them, or he said it to them openly and publicly before them all: now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, thoug…
186 wordsSECTION 243Judges 15:4
Judges 15:4 Ver. 4. And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes,.... Nor should this be thought at all incredible, since Canaan and Palestine abounded with foxes; hence several places therein had their names of Shual, which signifies a fox, Jos 15:28. A traveller {w} in those parts says that foxes swarm there, and …
429 wordsSECTION 244Judges 15:5
Judges 15:5 Ver. 5. And when he had set the brands on fire,.... Disposed as before related; and foxes being naturally fearful of, and frightened with fire, and especially so near them as at their tails, would run into the first place they could for shelter: he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines; wh…
748 wordsSECTION 245Judges 15:6
Judges 15:6 Ver. 6. Then the Philistines said, who hath done this?.... They asked and inquired one of another, who they thought could be the author of such mischief: and they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite; this they said either by conjecture, which might be the case of some; and others more confiden…
255 wordsSECTION 246Judges 15:7
Judges 15:7 Ver. 7. And Samson said unto them,.... After they had burnt his wife and her father in their dwelling house, by which they thought to appease him, being afraid of him: though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you; not for burning his wife and father-in-law; his sense is, that though they had don…
129 wordsSECTION 247Judges 15:8
Judges 15:8 Ver. 8. And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter,.... Either smote them on their hips and thighs with his hands (for it does not appear he had any weapon of war), so that they were sadly bruised, and maimed, and lamed, that they could not stir, and of which blows and bruises multitudes died: …
310 wordsSECTION 248Judges 15:9
Judges 15:9 Ver. 9. Then the Philistines went up,.... From Palestine, which lay low on the shore of the Mediterranean sea: and pitched in Judah; in the laud of Judea, which lay higher, particularly in the tribe of Judah, whither they came with an army, and encamped there: and spread themselves in Lehi; their forces …
102 wordsSECTION 249Judges 15:10
Judges 15:10 Ver. 10. And the men of Judah said,.... To the Philistines, very probably by a deputation, which they sent unto them, to know the reason of this formidable appearance: why are ye come up against us? in this hostile manner, with such a number of forces, since they were not conscious to themselves that the…
166 wordsSECTION 250Judges 15:11
Judges 15:11 Ver. 11. Then three thousand of Judah went up to the top of the rock of Etam,.... Or "went down" {g}; that is, into the cave of the rock of Etam, as the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions; and so it is taken by David de Pomis {h} for a cave dug in the rock: this was a large number that went to take one…
306 wordsSECTION 251Judges 15:12
Judges 15:12 Ver. 12. And they said unto him, we are come down to bind thee,.... That is, they were come down into the cave where he was; otherwise more properly they were come up to the top of the rock: that we may deliver thee into the hands of the Philistines; they own what was their intention in binding him, and …
218 wordsSECTION 252Judges 15:13
Judges 15:13 Ver. 13. And they spake unto him, saying, no,.... They declared they would not fall upon him themselves and slay him; nor would the Jews put Christ to death themselves, though they were virtually his betrayers and murderers, Joh 18:31 but we will bind thee fast and deliver thee into their hands; as the J…
294 wordsSECTION 253Judges 15:14
Judges 15:14 Ver. 14. And when he came unto Lehi,.... The place which was afterwards so called, from what happened there at this time, and where the Philistines were spread, Jud 15:9 this, according to Bunting {k}, was six miles from Etam:the Philistines shouted against him: for joy that they had got him into their ha…
1,698 wordsSECTION 254Judges 16:1
Judges 16:1 INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 16 In this chapter we have an account of Samson's too great familiarity with two harlots; by the one he was brought into great danger, and narrowly escaped, Jud 16:1, and by the other he was betrayed into the hands of the Philistines, having got the secret out of him wherein his gre…
416 wordsSECTION 255Judges 16:2
Judges 16:2 Ver. 2. And it was told the Gazites,.... The inhabitants of Gaza, the principal ones of it, the magistrates of the city, either by some persons that saw him come in, who knew him, or by the harlot into whose company he fell, to whom he made himself known: saying, Samson is come hither; the man so famous f…
281 wordsSECTION 256Judges 16:3
Judges 16:3 Ver. 3. And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight,.... Either not being able to lie any longer through the conviction of his conscience for his lewdness, or being warned by a dream, or having an impulse upon his spirit, which suggested to him that wait was laid for him, and the danger he was in; …
462 wordsSECTION 257Judges 16:4
Judges 16:4 Ver. 4. And it came to pass afterwards, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek,.... Which, according to Adrichomius {y} was but half a mile from the brook Eshcol, from whence the spies brought a bunch of grapes, as a specimen of the fruit of the land of Canaan; and this valley of Sorek seems to have …
381 wordsSECTION 258Judges 16:5
Judges 16:5 Ver. 5. And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her,.... Having heard that Samson kept company with her, she being a noted strumpet, like Lais among the Grecians. These were in number five, as appears from Jud 3:3 and had under them five principalities, into which Palestine was divided; and these, if…
501 wordsSECTION 259Judges 16:6
Judges 16:6 Ver. 6. And Delilah said to Samson,.... At a proper opportunity, when in his hands and caresses, as Josephus relates {e}, and introduced it in an artful manner, admiring his strange exploits, and wondering how he could perform them: tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth; which she propose…
181 wordsSECTION 260Judges 16:7
Judges 16:7 Ver. 7. And Samson said unto her,.... In answer to her pressing solicitations: if they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried; the word is sometimes used for nerves, and cords or ropes; but neither of these can be here meant, since these, if moistened or made wet, are the less fit to bind wi…
200 wordsSECTION 261Judges 16:8
Judges 16:8 Ver. 8. Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her,.... To the chamber where she was with Samson, she having acquainted them with what he had told her: seven green withs, which had not been dried; just such as he had described and directed to: and she bound him with them; taking an opportunity, …
155 wordsSECTION 262Judges 16:9
Judges 16:9 Ver. 9. Now there were men lying in wait,.... Very likely some of the servants of the lords of the Philistines, who were placed privately on purpose, that when an opportunity offered, they might rush out, and fall upon Samson; Josephus {y} calls them soldiers: abiding with her in the chamber; in a private…
271 wordsSECTION 263Judges 16:10
Judges 16:10 Ver. 10. And Delilah said unto Samson,.... Not on the same day, but some time after, as Kimchi observes, when an opportunity offered, and he was in like circumstances as before; for had she immediately attacked him, it might have created some suspicion in him of a design against him: behold, thou hast mo…
143 wordsSECTION 264Judges 16:11
Judges 16:11 Ver. 11. And he said unto her,.... Abarbinel presents Samson replying to her, that he had told her the truth at first, only forgot one circumstance, that the "cords", for so he takes the word for "withs" to signify, should be "new", such as were never used, as follows: if they bind me fast with new ropes…
119 wordsSECTION 265Judges 16:12
Judges 16:12 Ver. 12. Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith,.... Tried this experiment with him, according to his directions, being very desirous of getting the sum of money offered her: and said unto him, the Philistines be upon thee, Samson: using the same words, and with the same view as she ha…
110 wordsSECTION 266Judges 16:13
Judges 16:13 Ver. 13. And Delilah said unto Samson,.... At another time, when she thought it most proper to upbraid him with his deception of her: hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies; both the times that she had solicited him to impart the secret of his strength to her: tell me wherewith thou mightest be …
251 wordsSECTION 267Judges 16:14
Judges 16:14 Ver. 14. And she fastened it with the pin,.... That is, after she had interwoven the locks of his hair into the warp, she fastened the beam on which it was with the pin, that it might not roll back; or else her machine or loom to the ground, that it might stand more firmly; or the web into which the hair …
306 wordsSECTION 268Judges 16:15
Judges 16:15 Ver. 15. And she said unto him, how canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me?.... She took an opportunity, when he was caressing her, to upbraid him with dissembled love, and a false heart: thou hast mocked me these three times; she had urged him to tell her where his strength lay, and…
114 wordsSECTION 269Judges 16:16
Judges 16:16 Ver. 16. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him,.... Lay at him day after day to communicate the secret to him, gave him no rest, but was incessant in her applications to him: so that his soul was vexed unto death: could hardly bear to live, but wished to die, being…
311 wordsSECTION 270Judges 16:17
Judges 16:17 Ver. 17. That he told her all his heart,.... All that was in his heart concerning this affair, all that he knew relating to it; he had told her something before, or at least what came nearer to the truth of the matter, when he directed her to the weaving of his locks into the web; but now he told her all,…
5,047 wordsSECTION 271Judges 17:1
Judges 17:1 INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 17 This chapter relates the first rise of idolatry in Israel after the death of Joshua, which began in Mount Ephraim, occasioned by a sum of money stolen by a man from his mother, which being restored, part was converted to an idolatrous use; two images were made of it, Jud 17:1 and…
724 wordsSECTION 272Judges 17:2
Judges 17:2 Ver. 2. And he said unto his mother,.... Who seems to have been a widow, and an ancient woman since Micah had sons, and one of them at age to become a priest: the eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee: which were taken away by stealth from her, though it may be rendered "taken to thee…
433 wordsSECTION 273Judges 17:3
Judges 17:3 Ver. 3. And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother,.... The whole sum, having embezzled none of it: his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand, for my son to make a graven image and a molten image; this she had done either before it was s…
190 wordsSECTION 274Judges 17:4
Judges 17:4 Ver. 4. Yet he restored the money unto his mother,.... Gave it to her a second tithe, not as disapproving her idolatrous intention, as the sequel shows, but being desirous to be entirely free of it, and not have his mind disturbed with it as it had been, and that she might do with it as she thought fit: a…
267 wordsSECTION 275Judges 17:5
Judges 17:5 Ver. 5. And the man Micah had an house of gods,.... Having two images in it, besides teraphim, which were a sort of idols; and the Targum is, an house of images, or idols; though it may be rendered "an house of God"; a temple, a place for religious worship: and made an ephod; a priestly garment, a linen o…
287 wordsSECTION 276Judges 17:6
Judges 17:6 Ver. 6. In those days there was no king in Israel,.... That is, no supreme magistrate, judge, or ruler, Joshua being dead and Caleb also, and the elders contemporary with them; for what the Samaritan Chronicle says {l} is without foundation, that Joshua a little before his death cast a lot in the presence …
132 wordsSECTION 277Judges 17:7
Judges 17:7 Ver. 7. And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah,.... As there were two Bethlehems, one in the tribe of Zebulun, Jos 19:15 and another in the tribe of Judah, the place here designed, Judah is added to it, to distinguish it from the other: of the family of Judah: which refers either to the young man…
229 wordsSECTION 278Judges 17:8
Judges 17:8 Ver. 8. And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah, to sojourn where he could find a place,.... Either being a man that had a rambling head, and of an unsettled mind, and could not easily fix any where; or else there being no supreme magistrate, to take care that the Levites had their due mai…
186 wordsSECTION 279Judges 17:9
Judges 17:9 Ver. 9. And Micah said unto him, whence comest thou?.... For as he might ask for a meal, or for a night's lodging, it was but natural to put such a question to him, as from whence he came, and what was his business in these parts? or whither he was going? and he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemju…
126 wordsSECTION 280Judges 17:10
Judges 17:10 Ver. 10. And Micah said unto him, dwell with me,.... Hearing that he was a Levite, he thought him a fit man for his purpose, and would give some credit to, and put a better face upon his new form of worship, and therefore, without further inquiry after him and his character, invites him to make his abode …
292 wordsSECTION 281Judges 17:11
Judges 17:11 Ver. 11. And the Levite was content to dwell with the man,.... To continue with him; after he had made trial for some time, he liked his service, and his wages, and way of living; it was all agreeable to him: and the young man was unto him as one of his sons; as dearly beloved by him, and used as kindly …
95 wordsSECTION 282Judges 17:12
Judges 17:12 Ver. 12. And Micah consecrated the Levite,.... Installed him into, and invested him with the priestly office; in like manner he had consecrated his son before, by filling his hand with sacrifices; see…
36 wordsSECTION 283Jud 17:5
Jud 17:5 and the young man became his priest; and did the work and office of one; this was a very daring piece of presumption in them both; in Micah, to take upon him to consecrate a priest, who was himself of the tribe of Ephraim; and in the young man, to suffer himself to be put into such an office, which did not be…
111 wordsSECTION 284Judges 17:13
Judges 17:13 Ver. 13. Then said Micah,.... Within himself, pleased with what he had done, and with what he engaged in: now know I that the Lord will do me good; that I shall enjoy his favour, be a happy man, and prosper; and by this it appears, that notwithstanding the idolatry he had fallen into, he had not utterly …
135 wordsSECTION 285Judges 18:1
Judges 18:1 INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 18 This chapter relates how the Danites, being overcrowed in their inheritance, sent out spies to search the land, and see if they could find any proper place to add unto it, and enlarge it, Jud 18:1 who returned and reported Laish as such, and encouraged the Danites to go and posse…
368 wordsSECTION 286Judges 18:2
Judges 18:2 Ver. 2. And the children of Dan sent of their family five men,.... According to Abarbinel one out of a family, as Moses sent one out of a tribe to spy the land; and so there must be five families concerned in this affair: from their coasts, men of valour from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, …
405 wordsSECTION 287Judges 18:3
Judges 18:3 Ver. 3. When they were by the house of Micah,.... At their inn, which might be next to it, or as they were passing by it: they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; who had been in their country, and they had been in his company and conversation, and they knew the tone of his voice when they heard i…
194 wordsSECTION 288Judges 18:4
Judges 18:4 Ver. 4. And he said unto them, thus and thus dealeth Micah with me,.... Told them the whole story, how he came to the door of Micah's house, how he inquired of him who he was, and from whence he came, and whither he was going, and then invited him into his house to stay with him: and hath hired me; by the…
119 wordsSECTION 289Judges 18:5
Judges 18:5 Ver. 5. And they said unto him, ask counsel, we pray thee, of God,.... They did not reprove him for assuming the priestly office, when they knew he was a Levite, such was the corruption of those times, and the great depravity and declensions they were fallen into; nor even for the idolatry he was guilty of…
209 wordsSECTION 290Judges 18:6
Judges 18:6 Ver. 6. And the priest said to them, go in peace,.... After he had consulted the oracle, or had asked counsel by the ephod and teraphim; either of his own head, or by a voice he had heard, which Satan might be permitted of God to deliver, he very roundly told them that they might proceed on in their journe…
196 wordsSECTION 291Judges 18:7
Judges 18:7 Ver. 7. And the five men departed,.... From Mount Ephraim, and Micah's house there: and came to Laish; which, according to Bunting {s}, was one hundred and four miles from Mount Ephraim, and so many he makes it to be from Jerusalem; it lay at the furthest northern border of the land of Canaan, at the foot…
599 wordsSECTION 292Judges 18:8
Judges 18:8 Ver. 8. And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol,.... After they had well viewed the city, and made their remarks on the inhabitants of it, the condition and circumstances in which they were, and took notice of the goodness of the land about it, they returned to their brethren that sent them,…
92 wordsSECTION 293Judges 18:9
Judges 18:9 Ver. 9. And they said, arise, that me may go up against them,.... That is, prepare for war, and go up in an hostile manner against the present possessors of the land, not doubting of being masters of it easily: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good. Adrichomius {x} says it was very good …
265 wordsSECTION 294Judges 18:10
Judges 18:10 Ver. 10. When ye go, ye shall come to a people secure, and to a large land,.... For though it was but one city, the territories of it were large, and the villages belonging to it might be many; which, with the security of the people, might easily be surprised and taken, not being upon their guard, are the…
203 wordsSECTION 295Judges 18:11
Judges 18:11 Ver. 11. And there went from thence of the family of the Danites,.... Or families, the singular being put for the plural; for it can hardly be thought that such a number of men, as after mentioned, went out of one family: out of Zorah, and out of Eshtaol; the two places the spies were sent from, and now …
103 wordsSECTION 296Judges 18:12
Judges 18:12 Ver. 12. And they went up and pitched in Kirjathjearim in Judah,.... Of which place see Jos 15:9. According to Bunting {a} it was sixteen miles from Zorah and Eshtaol, and this was their first day's march: wherefore they called the name of that place Mahanehdan unto this day; which signifies the camp of …
157 wordsSECTION 297Judges 18:13
Judges 18:13 Ver. 13. And they passed thence unto Mount Ephraim,.... Steering their coast still northward; this, according to Bunting {b}, was eight miles from Kirjathjearim, or Mahanehdan, in which Micah's house was, for as yet they were not come to it, see Jud 18:15. {b} Ibid. (Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. p. 112…
56 wordsSECTION 298Judges 18:14
Judges 18:14 Ver. 14. Then they answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish,.... That were sent by their brethren, Jud 18:5 and, as it seems from hence, were sent particularly to Laish; they had some notion of that place as proper for them, and therefore sent those men to reconnoitre it; and now as…
3,410 wordsSECTION 299Judges 19:1
Judges 19:1 INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 19 This chapter gives an account of a sad affair of a Levite and his concubine, and of the bad consequence of it, how that she played the whore, and went away from him to her father's house, whither he followed her, and where he was kindly entertained by her father several days, Jud…
538 wordsSECTION 300Judges 19:2
Judges 19:2 Ver. 2. And his concubine played the whore against him,.... Was unfaithful to him and his bed, and broke the covenant and agreement between them; or "with him" {i}, while she was with him in the house; or "before him" {k}, of which he had knowledge and proof; though some think this is not to be understood …
255 wordsSource & rights
Public domain; John Gill (1697–1771). Source item is marked Public Domain on Internet Archive.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.