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

23The rulers of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate. They said, “Our god has handed Samson, our enemy, over to us.” 24When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has handed our enemy over to us, the one who ruined our land and killed so many of us!” When they really started celebrating, they said, “Call for Samson so he can entertain us!” So they summoned Samson from the prison and he entertained them. They made him stand between two pillars. 26Samson said to the young man who held his hand, “Position me so I can touch the pillars that support the temple. Then I can lean on them.” 27Now the temple was filled with men and women, and all the rulers of the Philistines were there. There were three thousand men and women on the roof watching Samson entertain.

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 9:27They went out to the field, harvested their grapes, squeezed out the juice, and celebrated. They came to the temple of their god and ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech.
• Judges 18:20The priest was happy. He took the ephod, the personal idols, and the carved image and joined the group.
• Judges 19:6So the two of them sat down and had a meal together. Then the girl’s father said to the man, “Why not stay another night and have a good time!”
• 2 Samuel 13:28Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!”
• 1 Kings 20:12When Ben Hadad received this reply, he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters. He ordered his servants, “Get ready to attack!” So they got ready to attack the city.
• Esther 3:15The messengers scurried forth with the king’s order. The edict was issued in Susa the citadel. While the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in an uproar!
• Isaiah 22:13But look, there is outright celebration! You say, “Kill the ox and slaughter the sheep, eat meat and drink wine. Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”
• Daniel 5:1King Belshazzar prepared a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of them all.
• Matthew 14:6But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,
• Job 30:9“And now I have become their taunt song; I have become a byword among them.
• Psalms 35:15But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together; they gathered together to ambush me. They tore at me without stopping to rest.
• Psalms 69:12Those who sit at the city gate gossip about me; drunkards mock me in their songs.
• Proverbs 24:17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice,
• Micah 7:8My enemies, do not gloat over me! Though I have fallen, I will get up. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.
• Matthew 26:67Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him,
• Matthew 27:29and after braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him: “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