Judges 16:1

Judges 16:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.
• New International Version (NIV)One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a prostitute, and he went in to her.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her.

Context of Judges 16:1

One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute and went in to spend the night with her. 2When the Gazites heard that Samson was there, they surrounded that place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They were quiet throughout the night, saying, “Let us wait until dawn; then we will kill him.” 3But Samson lay there only until midnight, when he got up, took hold of the doors of the city gate and both gateposts, and pulled them out, bar and all. Then he put them on his shoulders and took them to the top of the mountain overlooking Hebron.

Judges 16:1 word by word

וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ שִׁמְשׁ֖וֹן עַזָּ֑תָה וַיַּרְא־שָׁם֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה זוֹנָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֖א אֵלֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear

• One day Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
• wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• to Gazaעַזָּה‛azzâh · GazaH5804
• whereשָׁםshâm · thereH8033
• whereאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• he sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• a prostituteזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
• and went in to spend the nightבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): marryH935
• with herאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413

Cross-references for Judges 16:1

• Genesis 10:19and the borders of Canaan extended from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
• Joshua 15:47Ashdod, with its towns and villages; Gaza, with its towns and villages, as far as the Brook of Egypt and the coastline of the Great Sea.
• Genesis 38:16Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “What will you give me for sleeping with you?” she inquired.
• Ezra 9:1After these things had been accomplished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the surrounding peoples whose abominations are like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.

Commentaries on Judges 16:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there a harlot - The Chaldee, as in the former case, renders the clause thus: Samson saw there a woman, an inn-keeper. Perhaps the word זונה zonah is to be taken here in its double sense; one who keeps a house for the entertainment of travelers, and who also prostitutes her person. Gaza was situated near the Mediterranean Sea, and was one of the most southern cities of Palestine. It has been supposed by some to have…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Gaza - About 8 hours from Eleutheropolis, and one of the chief strong-holds of the Philistines.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Samson's escape from Gaza. (1-3) Samson enticed to declare his strength lay. (4-17) The Philistines take Samson, and put out his eyes. (18-21) Samson's strength is renewed. (22-24) He destroys many of the Philistines. (25-31) Verses 1-3 Hitherto Samson's character has appeared glorious, though uncommon. In this chapter we find him behaving in so wicked a manner, that many question whether or not he were a godly man. But the apostle has determined this, He…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. 1-31-2. Gaza--now Guzzah, the capital of the largest of the five Philistine principal cities, about fifteen miles southwest of Ashkelon. The object of this visit to this city is not recorded, and unless he had gone in disguise, it was a perilous exposure of his life in one of the enemy's strongholds. It soon became known that he was there; and it was immediately resolved to secure him. But deeming themselves certain of their prey, the Gazites deferred the…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 16:1

• Adultery
• Friends
• Samson

In the dictionaries

• Gaza
• Samson
• Feel
• Mock
• Quiet
• Sport
• Told
• Dagon
• Delilah
• Israel, History of

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