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 lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice, for they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands.” 24When the people saw him, they praised their god, for they said, “Our god has given our enemy into our hands, Even the destroyer of our country, Who has slain many of us.” It so happened when they were in high spirits, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may amuse us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them. And they made him stand between the pillars. 26Then Samson said to the boy who was holding his 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, and all the lords of the Philistines were there. And about 3,000 men and women were on the roof looking on while Samson was amusing 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

• It so happenedהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• they were in highטוֹבţôb · be pleasingH2895
• spiritsלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• that they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Callקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• for Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
• that he may amuseשָׂחַקώâchaq · to laughH7832
• from the prisonבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• from the prisonאָסַר'âsar · to bindH631
• entertainedצָחַקtsâchaq · to laughH6711
• entertainedפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• them. And they made him standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• betweenבַּ֫יִןbêyn · betweenH996
• the pillarsעַמּוּד‛ammûd ‛ammûd · pillarH5982

Cross-references for Judges 16:25

• Judges 9:27They went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them, and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god, and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.
• Judges 18:20The priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod and household idols and the graven image and went among the people.
• Judges 19:6So both of them sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl’s father said to the man, “Please be willing to spend the night, and let your heart be merry.”
• 2 Samuel 13:28Absalom commanded his servants, saying, “See now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then put him to death. Do not fear; have not I myself 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 temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city.
• Esther 3:15The couriers went out impelled by the king’s command while the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in confusion.
• Isaiah 22:13Instead, there is gaiety and gladness, Killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, Eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.”
• Daniel 5:1Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.
• Matthew 14:6But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,
• Job 30:9“And now I have become their taunt, I have even become a byword to them.
• Psalms 35:15But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me, They slandered me without ceasing.
• Psalms 69:12Those who sit in the gate talk about me, And I am the song of the drunkards.
• Proverbs 24:17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
• Micah 7:8Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me.
• Matthew 26:67Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him,
• Matthew 27:29And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and 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