Judges 16:28
in Judges 16Then Samson called out to the LORD: “O Lord GOD, please remember me. Strengthen me, O God, just once more, so that with one vengeful blow I may pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Samson called unto Jehovah, and said, O Lord Jehovah, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
KJV
And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
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This verse in Judges 16
Commentary
9 notes on this verseSamson called unto the Lord - It was in consequence of his faith in God that he should be strengthened to overthrow his enemies and the enemies of his country, that he is mentioned, Heb 11:32, among those who were remarkable for their faith.
This site's exposition
O Lord GOD, please remember me
on Judges 16:28-30
This is Samson's second recorded prayer, after his cry for water at 15:18, and he asks to pay back the Philistines “for my two eyes”, the only reason given. Verse 30 says “in his death he killed more than he had killed in his life”, and the book passes no judgment on the act. Augustine took the question up in The City of God, book one, chapter twenty-one.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
But in process of time his hair began to grow again; and on the occasion of a great feast Samson is brought out of prison to the assembly of the Philistines, and set in sight of the people. There were nearly three thousand in number, men and women; and they insulted him with bitter reproaches, and carried him about in mockery, a trial harder to be borne than the very reality of captivity by a man conscious of innate power. For to live and die is natural, to be a laughing stock is counted a disgrace.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
1 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there a harlot, and went in unto her. 2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:98%@v1-2
Samson called - This prayer was not an act of malice and revenge, but of faith and zeal for God, who was there publickly dishonoured; and justice, in vindicating the whole common- wealth of Israel, which was his duty, as he was judge.
And Samson called unto the Lord,....
That strength which he had lost by sin he, like a true penitent, recovers by prayer; as David, who, when he had provoked the Spirit of grace to withdraw, prayed ( Ps. li. 12 ), Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Samson called unto the Lord--His penitent and prayerful spirit seems clearly to indicate that this meditated act was not that of a vindictive suicide, and that he regarded himself as putting forth his strength in his capacity of a public magistrate.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
At once avenged - “i. e. with one final revenge.” These words do not breathe the spirit of the Gospel, but they express a sentiment, natural to the age, knowledge, and character of Samson.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקְרָ֥א | vaiyikra' | and he called out | H7121 → | 733 times |
| שִׁמְשׁ֛וֹן | shimshon | Samson | H8123 → | 38 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיֹּאמַ֑ר | vaiyomar | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֣י | ʾadonai | O Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| יֱהֹוִ֡ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3069 → | |
| זָכְרֵ֣נִי | zakhereni | remember me | H2142 → | 230 times |
| נָא֩ | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| וְחַזְּקֵ֨נִי | vechazekeni | and strengthen me | H2388 → | 291 times |
| נָ֜א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| אַ֣ךְ | ʾakh | only | H389 → | 161 times |
| הַפַּ֤עַם | hapaam | the time | H6471 → | 118 times |
| הַזֶּה֙ | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים | haelohim | O God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וְאִנָּקְמָ֧ה | veinakemah | so let me avenge myself | H5358 → | |
| נְקַם־ | nekam- | vengeance of | H5359 → | |
| אַחַ֛ת | ʾachat | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| מִשְּׁתֵ֥י | mishetei | from [the] two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| עֵינַ֖י | ʾeinai | eyes my | H5869 → | 887 times |
| מִפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ | mipelishtim | from [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
וַיִּקְרָ֥אand he called out
vaiyikra'H7121 →733 times
שִׁמְשׁ֛וֹןSamson
shimshonH8123 →38 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיֹּאמַ֑רand he said
vaiyomarH559 →5305 times
אֲדֹנָ֣יO Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
יֱהֹוִ֡הYahweh
yahwehH3069 →
זָכְרֵ֣נִיremember me
zakhereniH2142 →230 times
נָא֩please
na'H4994 →404 times
וְחַזְּקֵ֨נִיand strengthen me
vechazekeniH2388 →291 times
נָ֜אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
אַ֣ךְonly
ʾakhH389 →161 times
הַפַּ֤עַםthe time
hapaamH6471 →118 times
הַזֶּה֙<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֔יםO God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
וְאִנָּקְמָ֧הso let me avenge myself
veinakemahH5358 →
נְקַם־vengeance of
nekam-H5359 →
אַחַ֛תone
ʾachatH259 →971 times
מִשְּׁתֵ֥יfrom [the] two
misheteiH8147 →768 times
עֵינַ֖יeyes my
ʾeinaiH5869 →887 times
מִפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃from [the] Philistines
mipelishtimH6430 →287 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 91:15When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 33:3
Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
- Isaiah 65:24
Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
- Psalms 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
- Psalms 138:7
If I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve me from the anger of my foes; You extend Your hand, and Your right hand saves me.
- John 12:26
If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
- Jeremiah 33:3
Through
Revelation 6:10And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?”
it leads to
- Revelation 19:2
For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her…
- Revelation 11:18
The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your…
- Psalms 9:12
For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
- Revelation 19:2
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Letter 19; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.