English Standard Version
Judges 15:14
14When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands.
Judges 15:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
- New International Version (NIV)As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands.
- New Living Translation (NLT)As Samson arrived at Lehi, the Philistines came shouting in triumph. But the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon Samson, and he snapped the ropes on his arms as if they were burnt strands of flax, and they fell from his wrists.
Context of Judges 15:14
12And they said to him, "We have come down to bind you, that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines." And Samson said to them, "Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves." 13They said to him, "No; we will only bind you and give you into their hands. We will surely not kill you." So they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock. When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands. 15And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men. 16And Samson said, "With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey have I struck down a thousand men."
Read all of Judges 15Judges 15:14 word by word
הוּא־בָ֣א עַד־לֶ֔חִי וּפִלְשִׁתִּ֖ים הֵרִ֣יעוּ לִקְרָאת֑וֹ וַתִּצְלַ֨ח עָלָ֜יו ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֗ה וַתִּהְיֶ֨ינָה הָעֲבֹתִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־זְרוֹעוֹתָ֗יו כַּפִּשְׁתִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּעֲר֣וּ בָאֵ֔שׁ וַיִּמַּ֥סּוּ אֱסוּרָ֖יו מֵעַ֥ל יָדָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- when he cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto Lehiלֶחִיlechîy · LehiH3896
- the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- shoutedרוּעַrûa‛ · to shoutH7321
- againstקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
- him: and the Spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- came mightilyצָלַחtsâlach tsâlêach · to rushH6743
- upon him, and the cordsעֲבֹת‛ăbôth ‛ăbôth ‛ăbôthâh · cordH5688
- upon his armsזְרוֹעַzerôa‛ zerôa‛ zerô‛âh zerô‛âh · armH2220
- became as flaxפֵּ֫שֶׁתpishteh · flaxH6593
- that was burntבָּעַרbâ‛ar · to burn: burnH1197
- with fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- and his bandsאֵסוּר'êsûr · bondH612
- loosedמָסַסmâsas · to meltH4549
- from off his handsיָדyâd · handH3027
Cross-references for Judges 15:14
- Judges 5:30'Have they not found and divided the spoil?— A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials for Sisera, spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?'
- Judges 10:14Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress."
- Exodus 14:3For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, 'They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.'
- 1 Samuel 4:5As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded.
- Job 20:5that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
- Micah 7:8Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.
- Judges 3:10The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.
- Judges 14:6Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
- Zechariah 4:6Then he said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
- Judges 16:9Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber. And she said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" But he snapped the bowstrings, as a thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.
- 1 Samuel 17:35I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.
- Psalms 18:34He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
- Psalms 118:11They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
- Philippians 4:3Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Commentaries on Judges 15:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14When he came unto Lehi - This was the name of the place to which they brought him, either to put him to death, or keep him in perpetual confinement. Shouted against him - His capture was a matter of public rejoicing.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14The cords became as flax - i. e. were as weak against his strength as half-burned flax which yields to the least pressure.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 9-17 Sin dispirits men, it hides from their eyes the things that belong to their peace. The Israelites blamed Samson for what he had done against the Philistines, as if he had done them a great injury. Thus our Lord Jesus did many good works, and for those the Jews were ready to stone him. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, his cords were loosed: where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and those are free indeed who are thus…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-15Samson and the Judeans were content with this small victory and did not try to end Philistine rule. This shows Israel's decreasing trust in God's promises.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 15:14
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries