Judges 16:3
in Judges 16But Samson lay there only until midnight, when he got up, took hold of the doors of the city gate and both gateposts, and pulled them out, bar and all. Then he put them on his shoulders and took them to the top of the mountain overlooking Hebron.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and laid hold of the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.
KJV
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
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This verse in Judges 16
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Instead of forcing the doors open, he tore the posts up, as it were, by the roots, with the barred doors attached to them. The word rendered “went away with them,” means “to pluck up the tent-pins,” and hence, “to remove.” The present town of Gaza (Ghuzzeh) is an open town, without gates or walls, but the sites of the ancient gates still remain visible. One of these, on the southeast, is shown as the gate carried off by Samson.
This site's exposition
he saw a prostitute
on Judges 16:1-3
Gaza is the far southern city of the Philistine coast, and Joshua 11:22 names it as one of three towns where the Anakim were left. The chapter opens as chapter 14 did, with what Samson “saw”, and those two sightings frame everything up to verse 21. He carries the doors, both gateposts and the bar uphill toward Hebron, roughly forty miles inland, and the text gives no errand for it.
This site's exposition
took hold of the doors of the city gate
Barnes notes that the verb behind pulled them out is the word for plucking up tent pins, and pictures the posts torn from the ground with the barred doors still hung on them. Gregory the Dialogist read the midnight escape as Christ rising before dawn. In his reading, Christ carried off the gates of the grave.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But Samson knowing their design, in the middle of the night forestalling the snare which had been laid for him, took the pillars of the house in his arms, and carried the whole structure and the weight of the roof on his back, up to a high hill above Hebron, a city inhabited by the Hebrews.
When Samson went in to the harlot, he was impure if he did so without reason, but if he did so as a prophet it is a mystery. If he did not enter in order to lie with the woman, perhaps he did so because …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Samson, in the book of Judges, foreshadowed this by his deeds. When he had entered Gaza, a city of the Philistines, they immediately knew of his entry. They quickly surrounded the city with a blockade and assigned guards, and they rejoiced at having now apprehended Samson who was so extremely strong. But we know what Samson did. At midnight he carried off the gates of the city and ascended to the top of the hill. Whom, dearly beloved, whom does Samson foreshadow by his deed but our Redeemer? What does the city of Gaza signify if not the lower world? What is indicated by the Philistines except the faithlessness of the Jews? When they saw that the Lord was dead and his body had been laid in the sepulcher, they assigned guards there. They were happy that they caught and held him, who shone out as the creator of life, behind the defense of the lower world, as Samson had been held in Gaza. Samson not only went out at midnight but even carried off the gates of the city, because our Redeemer, rising before it was light, not only went out free from the lower world but even destroyed its very defenses. He bore the gates and went up to the top of the hill, because by rising he carried off the defenses of the lower world, and by ascending he passed into the kingdom of heaven.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He arose with a penitent abhorrence (we hope) of the sin he was now committing, and of himself because of it, and with a pious resolution not to return to it,--rose under an apprehension of the danger he was in, that he was as one that slept upon the top of a mast,--rose with such thoughts as these: "Is this a bed fit for a Nazarite to sleep in?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The crown has fallen from his head; woe unto him, for he hath sinned. Let all take warning by his fall carefully to preserve their purity, and to watch against all fleshly lusts; for all our glory has gone, and our defence departed form us, when the covenant of our separation to God, as spiritual Nazarites, is profaned.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The city of Gaza was, in those days, probably not less than three-quarters of an hour distant from El-Montar. To have climbed to the top of this hill with the ponderous doors and their bolts on his shoulders, through a road of thick sand, was a feat which none but a Samson could have accomplished [VAN DE VELDE].
Took the doors of the gate - Though Samson was a very strong man, yet we do not find that he was a giant; consequently we may conjecture that the gates of the city were not very large, as he took at once the doors, the two posts, and the bar, with him. The cities of those days would appear to disadvantage among modern villages. A hill - before Hebron - Possibly there were two Hebrons; it could not be the city generally understood by the word Hebron, as that was about twenty miles distant from Gaza: unless we suppose that על פני חברון al peney Chebron is to be understood of the road leading to Hebron: he carried all to the top of that hill which was on the road leading to Hebron.
The words behind it
28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב | vaiyishkav | and he lay down | H7901 → | |
| שִׁמְשׁוֹן֮ | shimshon | Samson | H8123 → | 38 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| חֲצִ֣י | chatzi | [the] middle of | H2677 → | |
| הַלַּיְלָה֒ | halaylah | the night | H3915 → | 233 times |
| וַיָּ֣קָם׀ | vaiyakom | and he arose | H6965 → | 628 times |
| בַּחֲצִ֣י | bachatzi | in [the] middle of | H2677 → | |
| הַלַּ֗יְלָה | halaylah | the night | H3915 → | 233 times |
| וַיֶּאֱחֹ֞ז | vaiyeechoz | and he took hold | H270 → | 67 times |
| בְּדַלְת֤וֹת | bedaltot | on [the] doors of | H1817 → | 88 times |
| שַֽׁעַר־ | shaar- | [the] gate of | H8179 → | 374 times |
| הָעִיר֙ | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| וּבִשְׁתֵּ֣י | uvishtei | and on [the] two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| הַמְּזוּז֔וֹת | hamezuzot | the doorposts | H4201 → | |
| וַיִּסָּעֵם֙ | vaiyisaem | and he pulled up them | H5265 → | 146 times |
| עִֽם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| הַבְּרִ֔יחַ | haberiach | the bar | H1280 → | |
| וַיָּ֖שֶׂם | vaiyasem | and he put [them] | H7760 → | 584 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כְּתֵפָ֑יו | ketefav | shoulders his | H3802 → | |
| וַֽיַּעֲלֵם֙ | vaiyaalem | and he carried up them | H5927 → | 890 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| רֹ֣אשׁ | rosh | [the] top of | H7218 → | 599 times |
| הָהָ֔ר | hahar | the mountain | H2022 → | 546 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֖ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [is] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פְּנֵ֥י | penei | [the] face of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| חֶבְרֽוֹן׃ פ | chevron | Hebron | H2275 → | 72 times |
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣בand he lay down
vaiyishkavH7901 →
שִׁמְשׁוֹן֮Samson
shimshonH8123 →38 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
חֲצִ֣י[the] middle of
chatziH2677 →
הַלַּיְלָה֒the night
halaylahH3915 →233 times
וַיָּ֣קָם׀and he arose
vaiyakomH6965 →628 times
בַּחֲצִ֣יin [the] middle of
bachatziH2677 →
הַלַּ֗יְלָהthe night
halaylahH3915 →233 times
וַיֶּאֱחֹ֞זand he took hold
vaiyeechozH270 →67 times
בְּדַלְת֤וֹתon [the] doors of
bedaltotH1817 →88 times
שַֽׁעַר־[the] gate of
shaar-H8179 →374 times
הָעִיר֙the city
hairH5892 →1090 times
וּבִשְׁתֵּ֣יand on [the] two
uvishteiH8147 →768 times
הַמְּזוּז֔וֹתthe doorposts
hamezuzotH4201 →
וַיִּסָּעֵם֙and he pulled up them
vaiyisaemH5265 →146 times
עִֽם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
הַבְּרִ֔יחַthe bar
haberiachH1280 →
וַיָּ֖שֶׂםand he put [them]
vaiyasemH7760 →584 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כְּתֵפָ֑יוshoulders his
ketefavH3802 →
וַֽיַּעֲלֵם֙and he carried up them
vaiyaalemH5927 →890 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
רֹ֣אשׁ[the] top of
roshH7218 →599 times
הָהָ֔רthe mountain
haharH2022 →546 times
אֲשֶׁ֖רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עַל־[is] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
פְּנֵ֥י[the] face of
peneiH6440 →2123 times
חֶבְרֽוֹן׃ פHebron
chevronH2275 →72 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 107:16For He has broken down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.
it leads to
- Isaiah 45:1–2
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 45:1–2
Through
Acts 2:24But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its clutches.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 6:14
By His power God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us also.
- 1 Peter 1:21
Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God.
- Acts 2:32
God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.
- Romans 8:11
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His…
- Colossians 2:12
And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.
- 1 Corinthians 6:14
Through
Micah 2:13One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate, and go out by it. Their King will pass through before them, the LORD as their leader.
it leads to
- Isaiah 52:12
For you will not leave in a hurry nor flee in haste, for the LORD goes before you, and the God of Israel is your rear guard.
- Zechariah 9:14–15
Then the LORD will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s horn and advance in the whirlwinds of the south.
- Isaiah 52:12
About Judges
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonJudgesSamsonThe Nazirite judge of supernatural strength and unguarded appetites; betrayed by Delilah, blinded at Gaza, he slew more in his dea…
- PlaceJudean hill countryHebronThe city of the patriarchs, where Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah, Caleb took his inheritance, and David reigned seven years…
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Ambrose of Milan, Letter 19: To Vigilius; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 118.5; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 21; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.