New International Version
Judges 15:14
14As 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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
12They said to him, “We’ve come to tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson said, “Swear to me that you won’t kill me yourselves.” 13“Agreed,” they answered. “We will only tie you up and hand you over to them. We will not kill you.” So they bound him with two new ropes and led him up from the rock. 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. 15Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men. 16Then Samson said, “With a donkey’s jawbone I have made donkeys of them. With a donkey’s jawbone I have killed 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
People and places in Judges 15:14
Cross-references for Judges 15:14
- Judges 5:30‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils: a woman or two for each man, colorful garments as plunder for Sisera, colorful garments embroidered, highly embroidered garments for my neck— all this as plunder?’
- Judges 10:14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!”
- Exodus 14:3Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’
- 1 Samuel 4:5When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.
- Job 20:5that the mirth of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.
- Micah 7:8Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.
- Judges 3:10The Spirit of the Lord came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him.
- Judges 14:6The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done.
- Zechariah 4:6So 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 Almighty.
- Judges 16:9With men hidden in the room, she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.
- 1 Samuel 17:35I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.
- Psalms 18:34He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
- Psalms 118:11They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
- Philippians 4:3Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries