BibleWord.ai› Bible› Judges› Chapter 16› Verse 20

Judges 16:20

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Judges 16:20 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And she said, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free. But he knew not that Jehovah was departed from him.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And she said, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free. But he knew not that Jehovah was departed from him.
Judges 16:20 — American Standard Version

Context — Judges 16

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
17And he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon my head; for I have been a Nazirite unto God from my mother`s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
18And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath told me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought the money in their hand.
19And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
20And she said, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free. But he knew not that Jehovah was departed from him.
21And the Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison-house.
22Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
23And the lords of the Philistines gathered them together to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
← Judges 16:19Judges 16:21 →
← Full Chapter 16 Judges Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And she said, the Philistines be upon thee, Samson, etc.] In like manner as she had before, that she might have full proof that the case was really such, that his strength was gone from him: and he awoke out of his sleep; upon the cry she made: and said; within himself, purposing and determining in his own mind: I will go out as at other times before; as he had done at the three former times, and did not meet with any Philistines to fall upon him, and so concluded it would be the case now, and he, if he did, should be able to defend himself against them: and shake myself; that he might be thoroughly awake, and be on his guard and defence: and he wist not that the Lord was departed from him;…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“he wist not that the Lord was departed from him--What a humiliating and painful spectacle! Deprived of the divine influences, degraded in his character, and yet, through the infatuation of a guilty passion, scarcely awake to the wretchedness of his fallen condition!”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The possession of his extraordinary strength is ascribed (e. g. Judges 13:25) to the presence of the Spirit of the Lord. Now the Lord, or the Spirit of the Lord, had departed from him, and so his strength had gone too. The practical lesson against the presumption of self-dependence, and the all-importance of a hearty dependence upon God’s Holy Spirit, must not be overlooked. return to 'Top of Page'”
Read attributed excerpt →
Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Said - Within himself. Shake myself - That is, put forth my strength. Knew not - Not distinctly feeling the loss of his hair, or not considering what would follow. Many have lost the favourable presence of God, and are not aware of it. They have provoked God to withdraw from them; but are not sensible of their loss. Judges 16:21”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“I will go: Jdg 16:3, Jdg 16:9, Jdg 16:14; Deu 32:30; Isa 42:24; Hos 7:9 the Lord: Num 14:9, Num 14:42, Num 14:43; Jos 7:12; Sa1 16:14, Sa1 18:12, Sa1 28:14-16; Ch2 15:2; Isa 59:1, Isa 59:2; Jer 9:23, Jer 9:24; Mat 17:16, Mat 17:20; Co2 3:5 Judges 16:21”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Read Judges 16 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification