Judges 15:4

Judges 15:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
• New International Version (NIV)So he went out and caught three hundred foxes and tied them tail to tail in pairs. He then fastened a torch to every pair of tails,
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Samson went and caught 300 foxes and took torches. And he turned them tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Samson went and caught three hundred foxes; and he took torches, turned the foxes tail to tail, and put a torch between each pair of tails.

Context of Judges 15:4

2He said, ‘I was sure that you hated my daughter. So I have given her to your special friend to be his wife. Look at her younger sister. She is more beautiful. Take her as your wife, instead.’ 3Samson said, ‘This time I will not be guilty when I punish the Philistines!’ So he went out and he caught 300 foxes. He tied the foxes in pairs by their tails. He tied some dry grass to each pair of tails. 5Then he lit the grass with fire. He made the foxes run through the fields where the wheat was growing. The fire destroyed all the Philistines' crops, whether they had already cut it down or not. The fire also destroyed their vines and their olive trees. 6The Philistines asked, ‘Who did this?’ People said to them, ‘It was Samson, the man who married the young woman in Timnah. He did it because her father gave her to Samson's special friend instead of Samson.’ So the Philistines went and burned the man and his daughter to death.

Judges 15:4 word by word

וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן וַיִּלְכֹּ֖ד שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת שׁוּעָלִ֑ים וַיִּקַּ֣ח לַפִּדִ֗ים וַיֶּ֤פֶן זָנָב֙ אֶל־זָנָ֔ב וַיָּ֨שֶׂם לַפִּ֥יד אֶחָ֛ד בֵּין־שְׁנֵ֥י הַזְּנָב֖וֹת בַּתָּֽוֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
• wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and caughtלָכַדlâkad · to captureH3920
• threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• foxesשׁוּעָלshû‛âl shû‛âl · foxH7776
• and tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• firebrandsלַפִּידlappîyd lappid · torchH3940
• and turnedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• tailזָנָבzânâb · tailH2180
• and putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• aאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
• between twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147

Cross-references for Judges 15:4

• Judges 20:10We will take ten men from every 100 men in each tribe. We will take 100 men from every 1,000 men, and 1,000 men from every 10,000 men. Those men will find food for the other soldiers. That will be their job. Then the other soldiers will be able to attack Gibeah. They will punish Gibeah's people as they deserve for the terrible thing that they have done.’
• Ezekiel 13:9I will punish the prophets who see false visions and who tell lies. They will not be among the leaders of my people. They will not be on the list of people who are true Israelites. They will not even return to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Almighty Lord.
• Ruth 2:15After the meal, Ruth returned to work in the field. Boaz said to his workers, ‘Let her pick up grains anywhere, even near the heaps of barley that you have cut down. Do not chase her away.
• Psalms 63:10Soldiers will kill them with swords. Wild dogs will eat their dead bodies.
• Lamentations 5:18We are so sad because they destroyed Zion's walls and buildings. Wild animals walk on them now.

Commentaries on Judges 15:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Went and caught three hundred foxes - There has been much controversy concerning the meaning of the term שועלים shualim, some supposing it to mean foxes or jackals, and others handfuls or sheaves of corn. Much of the force of the objections against the common version will be diminished by the following considerations: - Foxes, or jackals, are common and gregarious in that country. It is not hinted that Samson collected them alone; he might have employed…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Foxes - Rather, “jackals,” which are still very common in Palestine, especially about Joppa and Gaza. 1 Samuel 13:17 and Joshua 15:28; Joshua 19:3, are indications of the abundance of foxes or jackals giving names to places, especially in the country of the Phililstines. It belongs to Samson‘s character, and agrees with the incident about the lion, that he should be an expert hunter. Ovid relates a very curious custom at Rome of letting loose foxes with…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5In revenge, Samson destroyed the grain harvest, vineyards, and olive groves.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. went and caught three hundred foxes--rather, "jackals"; an animal between a wolf and a fox, which, unlike our fox, a solitary creature, prowls in large packs or herds and abounds in the mountains of Palestine. The collection of so great a number would require both time and assistance. took firebrands--torches or matches which would burn slowly, retaining the fire, and blaze fiercely when blown by the wind. He put two jackals together, tail by tail…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 15:4

• Arson
• Firebrand
• Fox
• Samson

In the dictionaries

• Samson
• Displeasure
• Fast
• Firebrand
• Fox
• Hip
• Visit
• Brand
• Israel, History of
• Judges, Book of

Commentaries on Judges 15

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings