Judges 15 18

Judges 15:18 kjv

And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

Judges 15:18 nkjv

Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to the LORD and said, "You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?"

Judges 15:18 niv

Because he was very thirsty, he cried out to the LORD, "You have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?"

Judges 15:18 esv

And he was very thirsty, and he called upon the LORD and said, "You have granted this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?"

Judges 15:18 nlt

Samson was now very thirsty, and he cried out to the LORD, "You have accomplished this great victory by the strength of your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of these pagans?"

Judges 15 verses

Judges 15 18 Meaning

After his astounding victory over a thousand Philistines, Samson experienced severe dehydration due to the strenuous exertion. In his mortal distress, he cried out to the Lord, acknowledging that the great deliverance had been given by God through his servant. He pleaded for his life, expressing fear of dying from thirst and consequently falling disgracefully into the hands of the Philistines, who were considered uncircumcised and defiled.

Judges 15 18 Context

Judges 15:18 immediately follows Samson's miraculous and divinely empowered victory over a thousand Philistines using the jawbone of a donkey. This act of "great deliverance" had established his singular strength, fueled by the Spirit of the Lord, against the Philistine oppressors. However, the narrative suddenly shifts from immense supernatural power to extreme human vulnerability. The battle's physical toll left Samson utterly depleted and on the verge of death from thirst. This specific verse reveals Samson, for the first time explicitly in the text, acknowledging God as the source of his power and calling upon Him in dire need, fearing a humiliating end at the hands of the very enemies he had just decisively defeated. The wider Judges context emphasizes the cyclical nature of Israel's apostasy, oppression, and God raising up deliverers, though Samson's judgeship is unique for its personal character and powerful acts often detached from direct leadership of Israel.

Judges 15 18 Word analysis

• And he was very thirsty: The Hebrew `וַיִּצְמָא מְאֹד` (va·yiṣ·mā mĕ·'ōḏ) uses `צָמֵא` (tsame'), meaning "to be thirsty," intensified by `מְאֹד` (me'od), meaning "very" or "exceedingly." This vividly portrays Samson's acute physical distress, underscoring human frailty even after performing supernatural feats. It emphasizes his immediate shift from being an empowered hero to a vulnerable man.
• and called on the Lord: The Hebrew `וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־יְהוָה` (va·yiq·rā' 'el-YHWH) uses `קָרָא` (qara'), "to call" or "to cry out," directed towards `יְהוָה` (YHWH), the personal, covenant name of God. This is the first explicit instance of Samson praying directly to YHWH in the narrative, signifying a moment of desperate reliance and acknowledgment of the true source of his power and hope, moving beyond mere physical strength.
• and said: A simple, transitional verb (`וַיֹּאמֶר`, va·yō·mer), introducing Samson's direct address to God.
• Thou hast given this great deliverance: The Hebrew `אַתָּה נָתַתָּ הַתְּשׁוּעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה` (attah natatāh hat·tĕ·šū·'āh hag·gĕ·ḏō·w·lāh) highlights `אַתָּה` (attah), "You," emphasizing God's direct agency. `נָתַתָּ` (natat) is "You have given," acknowledging God's initiative. `תְּשׁוּעָה גְּדוֹלָה` (teshu'ah gedolah) means "great salvation" or "great deliverance," Samson accurately attributing his recent phenomenal victory to God alone, not his own might.
• into the hand of thy servant: `בְּיַד עַבְדֶּךָ` (bĕ·yaḏ 'aḇ·deḵā) translates literally "by the hand of your servant." `עֶבֶד` ('eved), "servant," reveals Samson's posture of humility and submission to God's will and purpose. He recognizes he is merely an instrument, despite his unique strength.
• and now shall I die for thirst: `וְעַתָּה אָמוּת בַּצָּמָא` (wĕ·'at·tāh 'ā·mūṯ baṣ·ṣā·mā'). `עַתָּה` ('attah), "now," denotes immediate and urgent peril. `אָמוּת` ('āmut) "I will die" (a rhetorical question expressing despair). This highlights the acute irony and desperation – victory achieved, yet imminent death threatens from a different, unexpected source, namely his own physical weakness.
• and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?: `וְנָפַלְתִּי בְּיַד הָעֲרֵלִים` (wĕ·nā·p̄al·tî bĕ·yaḏ hā·'ă·rê·lîm). `נָפַלְתִּי` (napalti) "I would fall" or "I would be captured." `עֲרֵלִים` ('arelim), "the uncircumcised," is a derogatory and theological term for the Philistines, marking them as outside the covenant of God and ceremonially unclean. For Samson, a Nazirite, to die at the hands of the Philistines in such a weakened state, and perhaps to have his body dishonored, would be the ultimate disgrace and perceived as a repudiation of God's prior help, tarnishing YHWH's reputation.

• he was very thirsty, and called on the Lord: This juxtaposition underscores the critical moment: extreme physical weakness prompts an unprecedented act of spiritual reliance. Samson's desperation drives him to direct communion with God, something not explicitly shown before in his narrative of personal exploits.
• Thou hast given this great deliverance...and now shall I die for thirst: This is a powerful appeal to divine consistency and honor. Samson argues that if God has invested so much in a "great deliverance" through him, surely He would not allow His servant to perish immediately after, undermining the very victory. It’s a prayer that implicitly questions God's ongoing commitment.
• die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised: This expresses Samson's ultimate fear and humiliation. Death by thirst is already inglorious, but to then have his body (or reputation) fall under the control of the "uncircumcised" Philistines – those spiritually separated from God's people – would be the profoundest shame and dishonor, reflecting negatively not only on Samson but on the God of Israel who had just delivered them.

Judges 15 18 Bonus section

Samson's prayer in Judges 15:18 stands out because it's one of the few explicit moments in his life where he is shown to directly appeal to God. While the Spirit of the Lord empowered him multiple times, his actions were often self-serving or vengeful. This desperate cry signifies a true, albeit momentary, turning to the Lord in dire need. Furthermore, God's immediate and miraculous provision of water (creating a spring from the ground) echoes the Exodus narrative of God providing water for Israel in the wilderness (Exod 17:1-7, Num 20:2-11). This parallel highlights God's consistent character as the Sustainer of His people, reinforcing His covenant faithfulness even when His chosen instrument (Samson) is personally flawed. The miracle not only saved Samson's life but reaffirmed YHWH's absolute sovereignty over creation and His active presence in the affairs of His servant.

Judges 15 18 Commentary

Judges 15:18 unveils a pivotal moment in Samson's tumultuous life, exposing the profound paradox of human strength and divine power. Immediately following a supernatural feat where he single-handedly crushed a thousand Philistines, Samson's mortal frailty is dramatically highlighted as he succumbs to life-threatening thirst. This physical collapse forces Samson, known for his self-reliance and impulsiveness, into a rare posture of genuine dependence and prayer to the Lord (YHWH), explicitly acknowledging God as the true source of his past triumph. His plea, "Thou hast given this great deliverance... and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?", reveals a deep-seated concern for God's honor as well as his own life. Samson fears not just death, but the indignity of a dishonorable end at the hands of those who defy God's covenant, which would seem to negate God's previous mighty act. God's swift response, providing water from a cleft in the ground, validates Samson's recognition of divine power and demonstrates God's faithful provision even for His flawed servants. This incident serves as a crucial reminder that all human strength, even when supernaturally empowered, ultimately remains contingent upon divine sustenance, and that true victory and deliverance are always God's to give and maintain.