Judges 16:23 — Meaning and Application

King James Version

“Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.”

Judges 16:23

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Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:

But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house. {put out: Heb. bored out}

Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. {after...: or, as when he was shaven}

Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us. {which...: Heb. and who multiplied our slain}

And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars. {them: Heb. before them}

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Judges 16:1

"Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her. {harlot: Heb. a woman an harlot}"

Judges 16:2

"{And it was told} the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed {him} in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. {quiet: Heb. silence}"

Judges 16:3

"And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put {them} upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that {is} before Hebron. {bar...: Heb. with the bar}"

Judges 16:4

"And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name {was} Delilah. {in...: or, by the brook}"

Judges 16:5

"And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength {lieth}, and by what {means} we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred {pieces} of silver. {afflict: or, humble}"

Judges 16:6

"And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength {lieth}, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee."

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