Judges

Judges 15:13–17

¹³“No,” they answered, “we will not kill you, but we will tie you up securely and hand you over to them.” So they bound him with two new ropes and led him up from the rock.

¹⁴When Samson arrived in Lehi, the Philistines came out shouting against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him. The ropes on his arms became like burnt flax, and the bonds broke loose from his hands. ¹⁵He found the fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and struck down a thousand men. ¹⁶Then Samson said:

“With the jawbone of a donkey

I have piled them into heaps.^c

With the jawbone of a donkey

I have slain a thousand men.”

¹⁷And when Samson had finished speaking, he cast the jawbone from his hand; and he named that place Ramath-lehi.^d

Footnotes

c 15:16 Or I have made them into donkeys
d 15:17 Ramath-lehi means the hill of the jawbone.

Read all of Judges 15

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Judges 15:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
No	לֹ֚א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
they answered	וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
we will not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
kill you	וְהָמֵ֖ת	wə·hā·mêṯ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H4191 die
but	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
we will tie you up securely	אָסֹ֤ר	’ā·sōr	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H631 tie, bind, imprison
and hand you over to	וּנְתַנּ֣וּךָ	ū·nə·ṯan·nū·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural; second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
them	בְיָדָ֔ם	ḇə·yā·ḏām	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3027 hand
So they bound him	וַיַּאַסְרֻ֗הוּ	way·ya·’as·ru·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine singular	H631 tie, bind, imprison
with two	בִּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙	biš·na·yim	Preposition-b; Number - md	H8147 two
new	חֲדָשִׁ֔ים	ḥă·ḏā·šîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2319 new
ropes	עֲבֹתִ֣ים	‘ă·ḇō·ṯîm	Noun - common plural	H5688 (twisted) cord, rope; cordage; interwoven foliage (?)
and led him up	וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּהוּ	way·ya·‘ă·lū·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
from	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the rock	הַסָּֽלַע׃	has·sā·la‘	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5553 crag, cliff

Judges 15:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	הוּא־	hū-	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
arrived	בָ֣א	ḇā	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
in	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
Lehi	לֶ֔חִי	le·ḥî	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3896 Lechi
the Philistines	וּפִלְשִׁתִּ֖ים	ū·p̄il·šit·tīm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine plural	H6430 Philistine
came out shouting	הֵרִ֣יעוּ	hê·rî·‘ū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural	H7321 raise a shout
against him	לִקְרָאת֑וֹ	liq·rā·ṯōw	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H7122 encounter, befall
And the Spirit	ר֣וּחַ	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of the LORD	יְהוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
came mightily	וַתִּצְלַ֨ח	wat·tiṣ·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H6743 rush
upon him	עָלָ֜יו	‘ā·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5921 height
The ropes	הָעֲבֹתִ֜ים	hā·‘ă·ḇō·ṯîm	Article; Noun - common plural	H5688 (twisted) cord, rope; cordage; interwoven foliage (?)
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
his arms	זְרוֹעוֹתָ֗יו	zə·rō·w·‘ō·w·ṯāw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H2220 arm, shoulder, strength
became	וַתִּהְיֶ֨ינָה	wat·tih·ye·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
like burnt	בָּעֲר֣וּ	bā·‘ă·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1197 burn, consume
flax	כַּפִּשְׁתִּים֙	kap·piš·tîm	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - feminine plural	H6593 linen, carded
and the bonds	אֱסוּרָ֖יו	’ĕ·sū·rāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H612 tie, bind, imprison
broke loose	וַיִּמַּ֥סּוּ	way·yim·mas·sū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4549 dissolve, melt
from	מֵעַ֥ל	mê·‘al	Preposition-m	H5921 height
his hands	יָדָֽיו׃	yā·ḏāw	Noun - feminine dual construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand

Judges 15:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He found	וַיִּמְצָ֥א	way·yim·ṣā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4672 attain to, find
the fresh	טְרִיָּ֑ה	ṭə·rî·yāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H2961 fresh
jawbone	לְחִֽי־	lə·ḥî-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3895 jaw, cheek
of a donkey	חֲמ֖וֹר	ḥă·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H2543 heap
reached out	וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
his hand	יָדוֹ֙	yā·ḏōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
and took it	וַיִּקָּחֶ֔הָ	way·yiq·qā·ḥe·hā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H3947 take
and struck down	וַיַּךְ־	way·yaḵ-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5221 smite
a thousand	אֶ֥לֶף	’e·lep̄	Number - masculine singular construct	H505 thousand
men	אִֽישׁ׃	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man

Judges 15:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Samson	שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן	šim·šō·wn	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8123 Samson
said	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
With the jawbone	בִּלְחִ֣י	bil·ḥî	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3895 jaw, cheek
of a donkey	הַחֲמ֔וֹר	ha·ḥă·mō·wr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2543 heap
I have piled them	חֲמ֖וֹר	ḥă·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H2565 heap
into heaps	חֲמֹרָתָ֑יִם	ḥă·mō·rā·ṯā·yim	Noun - md	H2565 heap
With the jawbone	בִּלְחִ֣י	bil·ḥî	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3895 jaw, cheek
of a donkey	הַחֲמ֔וֹר	ha·ḥă·mō·wr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2543 heap
I have slain	הִכֵּ֖יתִי	hik·kê·ṯî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular	H5221 smite
a thousand	אֶ֥לֶף	’e·lep̄	Number - masculine singular construct	H505 thousand
men	אִֽישׁ׃	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man

Judges 15:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And	וַֽיְהִי֙	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
when	כְּכַלֹּת֣וֹ	kə·ḵal·lō·ṯōw	Preposition-k; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H3615 be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
speaking	לְדַבֵּ֔ר	lə·ḏab·bêr	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1696 speak
he cast	וַיַּשְׁלֵ֥ךְ	way·yaš·lêḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7993 throw, fling, cast
the jawbone	הַלְּחִ֖י	hal·lə·ḥî	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H3895 jaw, cheek
from his hand	מִיָּד֑וֹ	mî·yā·ḏōw	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
and he named	וַיִּקְרָ֛א	way·yiq·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
that	הַה֖וּא	ha·hū	Article; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
place	לַמָּק֥וֹם	lam·mā·qō·wm	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4725 standing, spot, condition
Ramath-lehi	לֶֽחִי׃	le·ḥî	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7437 Ramath-Lechi

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Judges 15:14 Judges 14:19 · Judges 14:6 · Judges 3:10 · Psalm 118:11 · 1 Samuel 17:35 · 1 Samuel 11:6

Judges 15:15 Leviticus 26:8 · Joshua 23:10 · Judges 3:31 · 1 Samuel 17:49–50 · Judges 4:21 · 1 Corinthians 1:27–28 · Judges 7:16 · 1 Samuel 14:6 · 1 Samuel 14:14

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.