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,
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Half drunk by now, the people demanded, “Bring out Samson so he can amuse us!” So he was brought from the prison to amuse them, and they had him stand between the pillars supporting the roof.

Context of Judges 16:25

23Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand." 24And when the people saw him, they praised their god. For they said, "Our god has given our enemy into our hand, the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us." 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. 26And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them." 27Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained.

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 9:27And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech.
• Judges 18:20And the priest's heart was glad. He took the ephod and the household gods and the carved image and went along with the people.
• Judges 19:6So the two of them sat and ate and drank together. And the girl's father said to the man, "Be pleased to spend the night, and let your heart be merry."
• 2 Samuel 13:28Then Absalom commanded his servants, "Mark when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant."
• 1 Kings 20:12When Ben-hadad heard this message as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his men, "Take your positions." And they took their positions against the city.
• Esther 3:15The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.
• Isaiah 22:13and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
• Daniel 5:1King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.
• Matthew 14:6But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod,
• Job 30:9"And now I have become their song; I am a byword to them.
• Psalms 35:15But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;
• Psalms 69:12I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me.
• Proverbs 24:17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
• 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.
• Matthew 26:67Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him,
• Matthew 27:29and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, 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