Judges 15:4

Judges 15:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
• New International Version (NIV)So he went out and caught three hundred foxes and tied them tail to tail in pairs. He then fastened a torch to every pair of tails,
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Samson went and caught 300 foxes and took torches. And he turned them tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Samson went and caught three hundred foxes; and he took torches, turned the foxes tail to tail, and put a torch between each pair of tails.

Context of Judges 15:4

2“I thought for sure you had utterly hated her,” her father said, “so I gave her to your best man. Her younger sister—isn’t she better than her? Please, let her be yours instead.” 3Then Samson said to them, “This time I am blameless from the Philistines when I do harm to them.” So Samson went and caught 300 foxes, and took torches, turned the foxes tail to tail and put one torch between every two tails. 5Then he set fire to the torches and released them into the standing grain of the Philistines, Thus he burned up both the stacks and the standing grain, along with vineyards and olive trees. 6Then the Philistines asked, “Who did this?” They were told, “Samson, son-in-law of the Timnite, because he took his wife and gave her to his best man.” So the Philistines came up and burnt her and her father with fire.

Judges 15:4 word by word

וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן וַיִּלְכֹּ֖ד שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת שׁוּעָלִ֑ים וַיִּקַּ֣ח לַפִּדִ֗ים וַיֶּ֤פֶן זָנָב֙ אֶל־זָנָ֔ב וַיָּ֨שֶׂם לַפִּ֥יד אֶחָ֛ד בֵּין־שְׁנֵ֥י הַזְּנָב֖וֹת בַּתָּֽוֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Samsonשִׁמְשׁוֹןshimshôn · SamsonH8123
• wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and caughtלָכַדlâkad · to captureH3920
• threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• foxesשׁוּעָלshû‛âl shû‛âl · foxH7776
• and tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• firebrandsלַפִּידlappîyd lappid · torchH3940
• and turnedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
• tailזָנָבzânâb · tailH2180
• and putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• aאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
• between twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147

Cross-references for Judges 15:4

• Judges 20:10We will take ten men of a hundred throughout the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to supply provisions for the troops, so that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, they may do to them according to all the disgrace that they have committed in Israel.”
• Ezekiel 13:9“My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not remain in the assembly of My people, nor will they be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, nor enter into the land of Israel. You will know that I am Adonai.
• Ruth 2:15When she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his workers saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, do not humiliate her.
• Psalms 63:10But those who seek my soul to destroy it will go down to the depths of the earth.
• Lamentations 5:18for Mount Zion, which lies desolate, as jackals prowl over it.

Commentaries on Judges 15:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Went and caught three hundred foxes - There has been much controversy concerning the meaning of the term שועלים shualim, some supposing it to mean foxes or jackals, and others handfuls or sheaves of corn. Much of the force of the objections against the common version will be diminished by the following considerations: - Foxes, or jackals, are common and gregarious in that country. It is not hinted that Samson collected them alone; he might have employed…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Foxes - Rather, “jackals,” which are still very common in Palestine, especially about Joppa and Gaza. 1 Samuel 13:17 and Joshua 15:28; Joshua 19:3, are indications of the abundance of foxes or jackals giving names to places, especially in the country of the Phililstines. It belongs to Samson‘s character, and agrees with the incident about the lion, that he should be an expert hunter. Ovid relates a very curious custom at Rome of letting loose foxes with…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5In revenge, Samson destroyed the grain harvest, vineyards, and olive groves.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. went and caught three hundred foxes--rather, "jackals"; an animal between a wolf and a fox, which, unlike our fox, a solitary creature, prowls in large packs or herds and abounds in the mountains of Palestine. The collection of so great a number would require both time and assistance. took firebrands--torches or matches which would burn slowly, retaining the fire, and blaze fiercely when blown by the wind. He put two jackals together, tail by tail…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 15:4

• Arson
• Firebrand
• Fox
• Samson

In the dictionaries

• Samson
• Displeasure
• Fast
• Firebrand
• Fox
• Hip
• Visit
• Brand
• Israel, History of
• Judges, Book of

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