Judges 16:25

Judges 16:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)While they were in high spirits, they shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. When they stood him among the pillars,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when their hearts were merry, they said, "Call Samson, that he may entertain us." So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So it happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may perform for us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars.

Context of Judges 16:25

23Now the Philistine lords gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to celebrate, for they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands!” 24When the people saw Samson, they praised their god, for they said, “Our god has handed over our enemy to us, The ravager of our country, Who has killed many of us.” Now when they were in high spirits, they said, “Call for Samson, so that he may amuse us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars. 26Then Samson said to the boy who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the [roof of the] house rests, so that I may lean against them.” 27Now the house was full of men and women; all the Philistine lords were there, and on the flat roof were about three thousand men and women who looked on while Samson was entertaining them.

Judges 16:25 word by word

וַֽיְהִי֙ כְּט֣וֹב לִבָּ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ קִרְא֥וּ לְשִׁמְשׁ֖וֹן וִישַֽׂחֶק־לָ֑נוּ וַיִּקְרְא֨וּ לְשִׁמְשׁ֜וֹן מִבֵּ֣ית הָאֲסוּרִ֗ים וַיְצַחֵק֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּעֲמִ֥ידוּ אוֹת֖וֹ בֵּ֥ין הָעַמּוּדִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when their heartsלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• were merryטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• that they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Callקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• for Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
• that he may make us sportשָׂחַקώâchaq · to laughH7832
• out of the prisonאָסַר'âsar · to bindH631
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• and he made themפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• sportצָחַקtsâchaq · to laughH6711
• and they setעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• him between the pillarsעַמּוּד‛ammûd ‛ammûd · pillarH5982

Cross-references for Judges 16:25

• Judges 9:27They went out into the field, gathered the grapes of their vineyard and trod them, and held a festival; and they entered the house of their god, and they ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
• Judges 18:20The priest’s heart was glad [to hear that], and he took the ephod, the teraphim, and the image, and went among the people.
• Judges 19:6So both men sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl’s father said to the man, “Please be willing to spend the night and enjoy yourself.”
• 2 Samuel 13:28Now Absalom commanded his servants, “Notice carefully, when Amnon’s heart is joyous with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not commanded you myself [and in doing so have I not taken full responsibility for his death]? Be courageous and brave.”
• 1 Kings 20:12When Ben-hadad heard this message, as he and the kings were drinking in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city [of Samaria].
• Esther 3:15The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa. And while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was perplexed [by the unusual and alarming decree].
• Isaiah 22:13Instead, there is joy and jubilation, Killing of oxen and slaughtering of sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine, saying, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.”
• Daniel 5:1Belshazzar the king [who was a descendant of Nebuchadnezzar] gave a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking his wine in the presence of the thousand [guests].
• Matthew 14:6But when Herod’s birthday came, [his niece Salome], the daughter of Herodias danced [immodestly] before them and pleased and fascinated Herod,
• Job 30:9“And now I have become [the subject of] their taunting; Yes, I am a byword and a laughingstock to them.
• Psalms 35:15But in my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered together [against me]; The slanderers whom I did not know gathered against me; They slandered and reviled me without ceasing.
• Psalms 69:12They who sit in the [city’s] gate talk about me and mock me, And I am the song of the drunkards.
• Proverbs 24:17Do not rejoice and gloat when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad [in self-righteousness] when he stumbles,
• Micah 7:8Do not rejoice over me [amid my tragedies], O my enemy! Though I fall, I will rise; Though I sit in the darkness [of distress], the Lord is a light for me.
• Matthew 26:67Then they spat in His face and struck Him with their fists; and some slapped Him,
• Matthew 27:29And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and put a reed in His right hand [as a scepter]. Kneeling before Him, they ridiculed Him, saying, “Hail (rejoice), King of the Jews!”

Commentaries on Judges 16:25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25Call for Samson, that he may make us sport - What the sport was we cannot tell; probably it was an exhibition of his prodigious strength. This seems to be intimated by what is said, Judges 16:22, of the restoration of his hair; and the exertions he was obliged to make will account for the weariness which gave him the pretense to ask for leave to lean against the pillars. Some think he was brought out to be a laughing-stock, and that he was variously…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 25That he may make us sport - Rather, “that he may play for us,” i. e. dance and make music. At an idolatrous feast, dancing was always accompanied with vocal and instrumental music.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-31Verses 25-31 Nothing fills up the sins of any person or people faster than mocking and misusing the servants of God, even thought it is by their own folly that they are brought low. God put it into Samson's heart, as a public person, thus to avenge on them God's quarrel, Israel's, and his own. That strength which he had lost by sin, he recovers by prayer. That it was not from passion or personal revenge, but from holy zeal for the glory of God and Israel…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-31This last chapter of Samson's complicated history does not involve his role as a judge. Samson abandoned his calling and eventually lost his gifts. Only in his final encounter, when he prayed to the Lord again, did he regain any of his heroic stature.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-2523. the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon--It was a common practice in heathen nations, on the return of their solemn religious festivals, to bring forth their war prisoners from their places of confinement or slavery; and, in heaping on them every species of indignity, they would offer their grateful tribute to the gods by whose aid they had triumphed over their enemies. Dagon was a sea idol…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 16:25

• Amusements and Worldly Pleasures
• Gaza
• Samson

In the dictionaries

• Samson
• Dagon
• Feel
• Gaza
• Mock
• Prison
• Quiet
• Sport
• Told
• Delilah

Commentaries on Judges 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings