Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · Judges · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
THen went Samson to Gaza and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her, &c. V. 1.Hitherto the valiant acts of Samson have beene set forth and his piety: now his fowle fallings into sinne follow, and so into misery and death, that the weaknesse of the best may appeare, that who so standeth may alwayes take heed, lest hee fall. The Hebrews seeke to salve the matter, saying that shee was no harlot, but an Inne-keeper, as the word also signifyeth, and that hee went in to her onelyonly to lodge all night, as travailers use to doe. But both the circumstance of seeing her and so going in unto her, and of loving Dalilah after this evince, that hee committed the foule sinne of fornication with her, as with Dalilah, but it is to be thought in the time of his misery, which followed, that hee repented and was forgiven, because Heb. 11. hee is numbred among the Saints. Gaza was one of the chiefe Cities of the Philistims, and hither it is likely, that Samson came to seeke occasion againe against the Philistims, that hee might try his strength further upon them. But it is most probable, that hee came now of his owne minde, presuming upon his strength, because it is not said, that this came of the Lord, and so God withdrew his grace from him for a punishment of his presumption, and hee ran into the sinne of fornication. v. 2. And it was told the Gazites saying, Samson is come V. 2.in hither, and they compassed him in and laid wait for him, &c. And Samson rose at midnight and tooke the doores and the two posts, &c. Although hee sinned by fornication, yet as long as he sinned not against the law of Nazaritisme, the Lord cut of his great mercy passed it over, and supplyed him still with this stupendious strength, the like unto which was never heard of in any man, to plucke up and to carry away the gates and postes of a great City, which accordingly were without doubt great and heavy and strongly fixed, so that he could not be hereby kept in, it shewed plainly a supernaturall and divine power, against which the strongest gates and walls are nothing to defend the wicked inhabitants within. The place, to which hee carryed these gates was an hill before Hebron, this saith H. Bunting, was 20 miles, Adrichomius, a place H. Bunt Partriatravailes. Adrichomius.neare Gaza, but that could not bee, because it is described by Hebron, neare unto which it was, and that was, as Adrichomius himself saith, 14 miles from Gaza. And this tending to the increasing of the miracle. What the watchmen did all this while it is not said, but it is most probable, that they were asleepe, it being now midnight, or stood amazed seeing him doe such a wonderfull thing, and not daring to result, or to pursue him.
After this he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Dalilah. V. 4.The river Sorek, which ran through this valley, saith Jerom, was by Eleutheropolis northward, where a little village remained to his time called Capharsorek, Hieron in lot. Hebr. Josephus.and Adrichomius placeth it in Dan, but Josephus in Palestina: which is most probable, and that Dalilah was a Philistim woman, because the Lords of the Philistims dealt with her to betray Samson, as followeth, and his wife and the harlot, to whom hee went in before, were Philistims. Sorek signifyeth a H. Bunting Patria. travailes.myrtle, which beareth berryes, of which pleasant wine is made: the river Sorek had the beginning in the tribe of Judah, and ran through the Philistims Countrey, the valley about being a most pleasant place, full of vines and myrtles. This woman is held by some to have beene Samsons wife, as by Chrysost Hem. 15. in. Math. Ephrem. contr. impias mulieres Prosper lib. de promis. Cap. 22. Joseph. Ambros. Epist. 70. Ferus.Chrysostom, Ephrem, and Prosper, but Josephus, Ambrosius, Suidas, Tostatus, Ferus, &c. say, that hee lived also in fornication with her: for of his taking her to wife there is no mention made, as of the Timnites daughter before. And Ferus noteth that having once fallen, and cast the feare of God away, hee made now no conscience of committing the same foule sinne againe and againe, till that hee was brought to misery: Wherefore let us take heed of falling, and if wee fall, rise speedily up againe, lest sinne follow sinne, and Note. unavoidable judgement after all. The five Princes of the Philistims perceiving V. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. V. 11, 12, 13. V. 14, 15, 16, 17.the love of Samson to Dalilah, seeke to her to betray him, promising unto her great summes of money, if shee could learne out, wherein his great strength lay, that he might be deprived of it and come into their hands; wherefore shee inticed him, and being thrice deluded at the last hee truely certified her, that if his haire were cut, hee should become weake, another man, &c. Dalilah is wonne by money, and shee though a weake woman, overcometh Samson, and delivereth him bound into his enemies hands. Which is set forth, that every man may take heed of the whorish woman, seeing what misery Note. Samson was brought by such an one. Her house, saith Solomon, is the way of Prov. 2.death, to such an house Samson going came to bee bound, blinded, and to suffer a world of misery. But why did the Philistims imagine the strength of Qu. Samson to lye in something, of which hee might bee deprived, seeing they that are most mighty men are made so by nature? Answ. It is not improbable, but that hee had sometime spoken something in generall, whereby they gathered it, although hee alwayes kept secret, what that thing was, and now being importuned by his Dalilah, hee would not a long time tell her, but first; If they take 7. greene withs, that were never dryed, and binde mee, &c. the Vulgar V. 7.Latin, si 7. nerviecis funibus ligatus fuero, the Sept. likewise have foreign nerves of beasts, which being twisted together will make a most strong binder. The word foreign here used signifyeth either a nerve, cord, rope, or rod, which being wound greene maketh a with. It may be indifferently taken therefore for a nerve or with, and herein Samson might seeme to speake probably: for what strength of man is able to breake 7. of these together. Hee had indeed broken cords, wherewith he was bound before Ch. 15. 13. but this might seeme to bee a binding much stronger: wherefore shee beleeved him and bound him therewith, but when the men laid in wait were ready to take him being thus bound, he easily brake them, and so they durst not approach.
2 If hee were bound with new ropes, but hee brake these also as threads. V. 11.Now although shee cryed out both these times, The Philistims are upon thee Samson, yet they lay hid still, and appeared not, till that some triall was made, and so hee remained secure, not knowing, that there were men hidden in the chamber to take him. For otherwise hee would without doubt both have slaine them, and seeing the treachery of Dalilah have taken heed of her.
3. If thou weavest the 7 lockes of my head with a web, and shee fastened it with a pinne, &c. The speach of Samson being not full, but the fastening with a V. 13.pinne left to be understood, is thus supplyed by the Sept. If thou weavest the 7 lockes of my head with a web, and fasteneth it with a pinne to the wall, The Vulgar Latin, et clavum his circumligatum terrae fixeris; Junius thinketh, that having weaved his 7 lockes, into which his haire was distinguished, shee bound on a Junius.pinne and fastened it to a pillar. It was doubtlesse some long pinne of iron, sharpe at the end like a naile, that shee drave into some stud of the house so fast, that it might seeme impossible for him to remove from that place, till the Philistims lying in wait had taken him, he lying bound thus by the haire of the head, and this is intimated, v. 14, hee awaked out of his sleepe and went away with the pinne of the beame and the web.V. 14.
Lastly Dalilah seeing, that none of these wayes would take effect, she urgeth Samson more, that being overcome at the last, hee telleth her all his heart, and V. 15, 16.the haire of his head was shaved contrary to the law of Nazaritisme, and the Lord departed from him, and his great strength failed, and hee was taken by V. 17, 18. 19.the Philistims. It is not to bee thought, because when his haire was cut off, he became weake, as another man, that his great strength lay in his haire, for then other Nazarites should have had such invincible strength also, but it was a gift extraordinarily given him of God that hee might deliver Israel and as long as hee continued in his calling of a Nazarite not suffering a razour to come upon his head, this gift continued, but so soone as hee was shaven Lyra. Ferus.hee lost it. And it came to passe by a just judgement of God, that hee was so besotted through the love of an whore, as to reveale his great secret, that hee might bee punished for his licenciousnesse this way, both now, and before in Gaza. If any man shall say, if the transgressing against the law of Nazaritisme was the cause of Gods depriving him of this great gift, it should seeme, that hee was worthy to bee deprived of it long before, because a Nazarite might not touch a dead body, or come at it, but hee was amongst heapes of the dead Philistims, when he had slaine them, and from 30 men being slaine hee tooke garments. But Lyra answereth well, Samson although a Nazarite, was not in this tyed to the law of ordinary Nazarites, because his calling was to kill and to destroy the Philistims, v. 19. when his haire was going off, shee is said to afflict him, because his strength went then from him, or when his haire was all cut off shee afflicted him by waking him out of this sleepe, whereupon hee found his owne weaknesse and came immediately into misery. But it may further be damanded here, how the Philistims knew, that Qu. his strength was now gone from: for although it was most probable, that hee had revealed his whole heart truly to Dalilah, yet because he had so often deceived her, they could not certainly ground upon it, unlesse they saw some signe ofweaknesse now in him? To this Lyra and others answer rightly, that although there be no mention made of her binding him at this time, yet it is to be held, that shee bound him as at other times that shee might hereby make tryall, and now he being awakened, and not able to breake the bands, it appeared that his strength was gone.
The Philistims having taken Samson put out his eyes, and made him to grinde V. 21.in a mill at Gaza, brinding him with fetters of brasse, and putting him in prison; a just punishment for being drawne by his eyes after an harlots beauty, therefore his eyes are now cruelly put out; hee voluntarily suffered himselfe Ferus.to be bound by her, a stranger, therefore hee cometh into the hands of strangers, and was bound by them; hee could not use his liberty and freedome in Gods service well, therefore hee is now imprisoned and made to worke like Note. a slave: thus God punisheth sinne in the kinde. They slew him not, but put his eyes out, that hee might indure misery the longer, and bee no more able to hurt them; they bound him with fetters of brasse, because, they saw, that other bands could not hold him, and they made him grinde in prison after the manner of captaines in those dayes, to adde unto his affliction, and that hee might not eate bread gratis. The Hebrews, as Comestor hath it, say, that Eccles. Histor.they also made him lye with women of able bodies, that hee might of them beget lusty children, and Lyra, that they interpret his grinding in the mill thus, but this, is obscene and absurd. Wee may see in this example the ficklenesse Note. of wordly glory, in that ere while none upon earth was so glorious as Samson, but now none more miserable. But this is the reward of sinne, and although all fornicators, and wicked persons are not served thus, yet spiritually they suffer as Samson did. 1. By comming thus into the hands of their spirituall enemies. Ferus. 2 Cor. 4. 4.2. By having the eyes of their mindes blinded. 3. By being bound with an evill custome of sinning, that cannot be broken. 4. By being cast into the prison of obstinacy. 5. By making them to labour without end in his workes, which is the grinding in his mill.
Howbeit the haire of his head began to grow againe, after that hee was shaven. V. 22.When his haire was cut off, his strength went away, because that speciall thing concerning Nazaritisme decreed concerning him before hee was borne, was transgressed: but now in his affliction hee was carefull to live like a Nazarite againe and to nourish his haire, till it came to that length, that it was of, before hee was shaven, wherefore God now supplyed him of his mercy with the like strength againe, that his enemies might not alwayes triumph in his misery, but be destroyed, as they were well worthy for their sinnes, and Israel might hereby have deliverance from them, for which Samson was appointed. By this time it is likely, that hee was throughly humbled for his sinnes past and sought unto God for mercy, and therefore although for a time hee afflicted him, hee shewed mercy at length againe unto him, and gave him might to be revenged upon the Philistims, who were as the rod of God unto him for a time. So God leaveth none of his finally: but when he hath corrected them, that they might not perish for ever, he turneth againe unto Note. them in much compassion, but hee utterly destroyeth the wicked, whom for a time hee hath used as his chastising instruments; and it is not injust in him after this to destroy them, as a father, when hee hath done correcting his childe with a rod, may well take it and cast it into the fire. For although God useth the wicked to chastise the vices of his, yet they sinne so greatly in chastising them, as that they are well worthy when the faithfull having sinned have tasted of the cup of his wrath, to drinke the dreggs thereof even to the bottome. Thus these wicked Philistims sinned, when they were made instruments to punish Samson. 1. For that they ascribed their prevailing V. 23. 24. V. 25.over him to their idoll Dagon, 2. In that they aggravated his misery by propounding him as their common laughing stocke, they derided the miserable. The Lords of the Philistims gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and they said, Our God hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hands. And when the people saw him, they praised Dagon likewise. Thus because things fell out prosperously for a while unto them, they thought, that they did well in serving Dagon, an idoll, whereas it was through Gods judgement against Samson for his sinnes, that hee came into their power. So the wicked commonly flatter themselves because of Note. their prosperity, and have no conscience of their evill doings: but prosperity doth not alwayes argue well doing, but the wicked are sometime lifted up hereby, that they may take the greater fall. Dagon is thought to come of foreign a fish, it was an idoll having an humane shape upward, and the shape of a fish downward, according to the forme of some monsters in the Sea. Diodorus Siculus writing of this idoll by the name of Derceta saith: In Ascalon, Note. in Syria, there is a famous Temple of a goddesse called Derceta, and therein an image having the face of a woman, but the rest of the body all like a fish. For this Derceta being once taken with the love of a proper young man, by whom shee had a daughter, through sorrow and shame cast herselfe into a lake and was turned into a fish, for which cause the Syrians abstaine from fish, and worship fishes as gods; Of Dagon see more 1 Sam. 6. 4. Hee had an head and hands, but no feet, that wee read of, as a fish hath none, which confirmeth this that upward hee had the shape of a man or woman, downward of a fish. By such vanities of old were the heathen led. And when their hearts were merry, they called for Samson, that hee might make them sport which hee did: that is, saith Lyra, because hee was blinde, by going Lyra.sometime against a pillar and sometime against the wall, and sometime stumbling and falling. Arias Montanus saith, that it was by dancing, but it Arias Montan.is not probable, that Samson would doe any thing to move them to laughter, but rather the sport, that was made by him was passive, they jesting and laughing at him, and happily one while one striking him on the eare, and then another, and asking him, who did it, or other wayes most grossely abusing him, so that hee being of an ingenuous and valiant minde had rather Josephus.indure death. And thus the Sept. have it, they mocked him; Josephus, they convitiated him in their cuppes, so likewise Ambros. gravibus in eum insultabant Ambros. Epist. 70. V. 26.convitiis.
And Samson said to the lad, that led him, Suffer mee to feele the pillars whereupon the house standeth, &c. Hitherto of Samsons great sinnes and punishment suffered therefore, now followeth his being received to grace againe, and the judgement through his strength comming upon his enemies. For that God received him to grace appeareth, because he heard his prayer Ferus.and strengthened him to pull downe the house upon the Philistims heads. Although hee had sinned foully, yet he did patiently beare his grievous punishment without murmuring, and prayed to God as his God, wherein his repentance and faith appeared. And from hence wee ought all when we have Note. sinned, to be stirred up to repent and by faithfull prayer to seeke againe unto God for mercy, seeing he is easily entreated by those that turne unto him. If it be objected, that Samson prayed, that he might be revenged, whereas the Object. Lord saith, Revenge not your selves, for vengeance is mine: It is answered, hee indeed that hath no calling to take revenge, sinneth, if hee seeketh it, but Samson had a calling to it, because hee was set up to deliver Israel, and therefore to take revenge upon the Philistims their enemies. If it bee further objected Object. hee slew himselfe together with the Philistims, which for any man to doe is most impious: It is answered, hee did not this out of despaire, or without a calling, but to deliver Israel, and to glorifie God by his death, as his calling required: for hee could not now otherwise deliver the people of God, but by putting his owne life in certaine hazzard, even as they, that runne into apparent danger of death in fighting against the Turkes for the good of many miserable Christians being hereunto appointed by their superiors: where-fore Samson in this deserved no blame, but rather high praise and commendation; so Ferus. It was not, saith Lyra, out of malice for the wrongs done Lyra.unto him, but out of zeale, that hee thus sought the Philistims destruction, because they blasphemed the true God and magnifyed their idol Dagon. And because hee could not otherwise take vengeance on them, hee did it with the losse of his owne life together, being moved doubtlesse by an instinct from God, because hee gave him such miraculous strength to doe it. So that here is nothing to patronize those that desperately make away themselves, or run rashly into deadly dangers. In asking the lad that led him, to bring him to the two pillars, which supported the house, hee might happily be thought to desire this, saith Lyra, to rest himselfe against them, as being over-wearyed: but I thinke rather hee was suffered to lay hold upon them, that the Philistims might laugh at his vanity, holding it impossible for him to pull them downe, supposing him still to be as weake, as at their first taking of him. But thus God suffered them to be infatuated, against that, which they had notice of to their destruction. For otherwise having learnt once that his strength lay in his Nazaritish haire, a man would wonder, that they shaved him not againe and againe to make sure worke against the mischiefe, that otherwise they might feare hee would doe them. The house, where this great slaughter was made, is held generally to bee the Temple of Dagon, where they sacrificed and feasted. The V. 27.number slaine is said to be 3000 of men and women, that stood upon the roofe, besides all the Lords of the Philistims, and so many within, as the house could containe, and thus hee is said to have slaine more at his death, then in his V. 30.life, and by this meanes the children of Israel had a breathing time given them from the Philistims oppressions.
Then his brethren came downe and tooke him, and brought him up and buryed him V. 31.betweene Zorah and Eshtaol, &c. so the body of this servant of God was not suffered to lye amongst the Philistims, but was honorably buryed amongst his people, about which such care was commonly taken for the hope of the resurrection, when the bodies of all the faithfull shall be made glorious, and therefore it is fit in the meane season, that they should be laid up with honour. As Samson dying slew more enemies, then living, so saith Ferus, doe all the faithfull, Ferus.some vices they mortify, whilst they live, but then they kill all, that have had dominion in them.
Mystically by Samson Christ was figured out, 1. In his name taken from The Mystery. Mat. 4.the Sun, as hath beene shewed, for Christ is the Sun of righteousnesse. 2. In that hee came of a barren woman to deliver Israel being full of misery, so Christ came of a Virgin, from whom no fruit could bee expected to save his people. 3. The Angel foretelleth his birth and condition, he shall be a Nazarite, and begin to deliver Israel, and giveth a signe by ascending in the flame which burnt the sacrifice: so the Angel Gabriel foretold the birth of Christ, and his condition, that hee should bee holy and the Sonne of God, and gave a signe in Elizabeth, who beyond all expectation had now conceived. 4. Samson grew up and the Spirit came upon him, so Christ grew in stature and favour with God and men, and had the Spirit without measure. 5. Samson tooke a wise of the Philistims, but his Parents were against it, so Christ tooke a spouse of the Gentiles, the Jews being left, but this was taken indignly by his ancient people the Jews, but some of them, that is, the Apostles at length consented, and furthered the marriage by their preaching unto them. 6. Samson going about the taking of a wife is incountred by a Lion, but he slayeth him without a weapon: so Christ was tempted by the Devill, but hee overcame him and confounded his forces. And he likewise cometh against the faithfull, but is by faith subdued, and cannot hurt them: for thou shalt tread upon the Lion, Pet. 5. 8or the Aspe, and the Basiliske, Psal. 91. Esa. 11. 7. Samson tooke hony out of the Lions carcass: so Christ causeth honey to come from them, that before were Lions, that is, sweet and heavenly doctrine, as from Paul, and of Lions hee maketh Bees, when the hard hearted are made mercifull, the cruel gentle, the proud humble, &c. 8. Samson propoundeth a riddle to be expounded to his companions promising a reward, but they could not expound it, but by the helpe of his heifer: So Christ, saith Hugo, propounded the Scriptures to the Hugo Cardin.Apostles, but they could not expound them, that is, the Prophesies touching him, till they beleeved his incarnation, and this was ploughing with his heifer, for the man Christ, by whose blood wee are cleansed from sinne; was prefigured by a red heifer; or they could not expound them without light coming from him. Or as Ferus, the compainions of Samson set forth the Jews, Numb. 6. 19.amongst whom Christ was preaching, and whom hee used familiarly, but they being treacherous against him, hee went away angry, when hee departed up to heaven, as Samson went angry away from the Philistims. 9. Samson returneth againe in wheat harvest to visit his wife with a kid, but is rejected, and with Foxes tyed together and fire-brands fireth their corne, so Christ came in the time of Pentecost by his Spirit, that by his Apostles indued herewith hee might visit the Church of the the Jews, but being rejected hee bringeth the Romans with fire and sword against them, thus Ferus: but Lyra will have his Lyra.going among the Gentiles by the Apostle to preach, and so his desire to bee joyned to a Church amongst them to bee here prefigured, but the Roman Emperor, as their father withstood it, but hee kindled in their harvest the fire of love, &c. but the first is better. 10. The Philistims came up to binde Samson, and the men of Iudah delivered him bound into their hands, but he brake the bands, and slew them with the jawbone of an Asse, and being athirst had water miraculously out of that jawbone: so Christ was bound by the consent of Jews and Gentiles, with the bands of death, hee himselfe permitting it, but hee brake these bands and came forth, and onelyonly by the tongues of his Ministers, who were base and contemptible, as the jawbone of an Asse, he subdued thousands, but then hee cast them away, as it were, as Samson did the jawbone, when he suffered them to come into the hands of persecutors, and when the faithfull hereupon were much perplexed, he gave them comfort by working miracles at their sepulchres. 11. Samson came downe to Gaza and loved a woman there, and going in unto her was watched, but hee arose at midnight and carryed away the gates of the City: So Christ, through the love of mankinde having descended into the grave had a watch set about his sepulcher, but hee arose and destroyed the gates of hell, and went up to the Mountaine of God, that is, heaven. 12. Samson loved Dalilah and by her was betrayed, being first 3 times bound, then his eyes were put out &c. But his haire growing his strength returned, and the Philistims, though for a time rejoycing were by his might destroyed: So Christ loved the Church of the Jews, but was betrayed amongst them, and put to death, but even then his power departed not from him, but was onelyonly hidden for a time, breaking out againe afterwards, when the Apostles, that before fled, returned and went about courageously preaching, and the house wherein his enemies were, was pulled downe upon them, when their City and Temple were destroyed, onelyonly herein he was unlike unto Samson in that hee dyed not together, but liveth for ever. Thus Ferus, who also addeth, that hee was bound 3 times, when hee tooke upon him the sinnes of those before the law, under the law, and under the Gospell. But the putting out of Samsons eyes doth better set forth the blindfolding of Christ, and then their ignominious usage of him, as the Philistims used Samson, the shaving of his haire, the departing of the divine helpe for a time from him, as hee cryed out, my God my God why hast thou forsaken mee? Samsons voluntary offering of himselfe to death after his binding and carrying it away, Christs voluntary dying for our sins, when he slew more then in all his life time, because hee now destroyed him, that had power of death, that is, the Devill, Heb. 2. 15, 16.