Judges 16 24

Judges 16:24 kjv

And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.

Judges 16:24 nkjv

When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said: "Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy, The destroyer of our land, And the one who multiplied our dead."

Judges 16:24 niv

When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, "Our god has delivered our enemy into our hands, the one who laid waste our land and multiplied our slain."

Judges 16:24 esv

And when the people saw him, they praised their god. For they said, "Our god has given our enemy into our hand, the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us."

Judges 16:24 nlt

When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, "Our god has delivered our enemy to us! The one who killed so many of us is now in our power!"

Judges 16 verses

Judges 16 24 Meaning

Judges chapter 16 verse 24 depicts the Philistine populace's ecstatic reaction upon the capture of Samson, Israel's judge. They gathered, celebrating his apprehension and attributing this perceived great victory to their deity, Dagon. Their chant highlights Samson as their "enemy," the "destroyer of our country," and the one "who slew many of us," emphasizing the magnitude of the threat Samson had posed and their profound relief and misguided reverence towards their false god.

Judges 16 24 Context

Judges 16:24 falls within the dramatic narrative of Samson's final days. After being lured and betrayed by Delilah, having his strength removed by the cutting of his hair, and then captured, blinded, and brought to Gaza, Samson is now reduced to a slave grinding grain in the Philistine prison. This verse captures the moment of Philistine national jubilation. Historically, the Philistines were a strong maritime people inhabiting the coastal plain of Canaan, frequent antagonists of Israel during the period of the Judges. Their chief deity was Dagon, often depicted with a human upper body and fish-like lower body. Their public praise of Dagon for Samson's capture was not merely a celebration but a deeply theological statement, proclaiming their god's supremacy over Samson's God (YHWH) and thus, over Israel. This public boast set the stage for Samson's final, pivotal act of deliverance, which would dramatically contradict their proclaimed victory.

Judges 16 24 Word analysis

• And when the people: Referring to the Philistine populace, a large collective gathering for celebration. This emphasizes the widespread, national scope of their jubilant sentiment.
• saw him: They saw Samson, blinded, bound, and broken, a stark contrast to the fearsome deliverer he once was. This visual humiliation fueled their praise.
• they praised: Hebrew: הָלַל (halal), which means "to praise, to boast, to commend." Here, it's a boisterous, public declaration of veneration, not of the true God but of a false one.
• their god: Hebrew: אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (ʾĕlōhêhem). This refers explicitly to Dagon, the chief deity of the Philistines, to whom they attributed all military successes. It highlights the religious aspect of their national conflict with Israel.
• saying, "Our god has delivered into our hands...": This proclamation reveals their immediate attribution of their victory. They saw Dagon as actively intervening on their behalf, a stark challenge to YHWH's power.
  • our enemy: From the Philistine perspective, Samson was their most formidable and troublesome adversary, responsible for immense destruction and loss of life.
  • the destroyer of our country: Hebrew: מַחֲרִיב אַרְצֵנוּ (macharib artzenu). The term emphasizes the extensive devastation Samson had brought upon their land and infrastructure (e.g., Judges 15:5).
  • who slew many of us: Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר הִרְבָּה אֶת חֲלָלֵינוּ (asher hirbah et chalaleynu) - literally, "who multiplied our slain/dead." This underscores the massive loss of life Samson had inflicted, making his capture an especially significant event for them.

Judges 16 24 Bonus section

The Philistines' explicit vocal praise of Dagon contrasts sharply with Israel's often-muted or flawed response to YHWH's deliverances throughout the Book of Judges. While Samson had often been a flawed instrument of God's power, his capture and the Philistine boast inadvertently served to set up one of the clearest demonstrations of YHWH's superiority over Dagon. This public acclamation for Dagon not only reflects Philistine theology but also intensifies the dramatic tension, underscoring the spiritual battle at play. Their jubilant shouts were not just celebration but also a taunt to Israel's God. However, in divine irony, this very celebration in Dagon's temple provides the setting for YHWH's ultimate display of power and vindication through His servant, Samson, demonstrating that no human or demonic power can ultimately thwart His purpose.

Judges 16 24 Commentary

Judges 16:24 marks a pivotal moment of perceived Philistine triumph and hubris. Their celebration, expressed through the acclamation of Dagon, transforms a military capture into a religious victory, positioning their false god as superior to Israel's YHWH. This boastful proclamation, made by a large assembly, sets the stage for a profound theological demonstration of God's true sovereignty. The Philistines' attributing Samson's fall to Dagon directly contradicts God's providential plan, where Samson's weakness and capture were ultimately permitted to achieve a greater deliverance for Israel. Their misplaced praise of Dagon for destroying the very man God used as a judge highlights the spiritual blindness and idolatry that would lead to their own ultimate undoing. This verse serves as an ironic prelude to the climax, where the 'destroyer' would himself, in death, execute a more profound judgment than ever, confirming the true God's supremacy over all false deities.