Judges 16:25 kjv
And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
Judges 16:25 nkjv
So it happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, "Call for Samson, that he may perform for us." So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars.
Judges 16:25 niv
While they were in high spirits, they shouted, "Bring out Samson to entertain us." So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. When they stood him among the pillars,
Judges 16:25 esv
And when their hearts were merry, they said, "Call Samson, that he may entertain us." So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars.
Judges 16:25 nlt
Half drunk by now, the people demanded, "Bring out Samson so he can amuse us!" So he was brought from the prison to amuse them, and they had him stand between the pillars supporting the roof.
Judges 16 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Judg 16:21 | And the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house. | Samson's capture and humiliation prior to the event. |
| 1 Sam 5:2-5 | When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon... when they arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face... | Dagon's later humiliation before the Ark of God. |
| Ps 115:4-7 | Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not... | Critique of the lifelessness and powerlessness of idols. |
| Isa 42:8 | I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. | God's exclusive claim to glory, rejecting idol worship. |
| Isa 44:19-20 | None considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire... | Irony and foolishness of worshipping crafted idols. |
| Jer 10:3-5 | For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest... They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not... | Description of idols as useless and unable to help. |
| Ps 79:10 | Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants. | Prayer for God to vindicate His name against mockers. |
| Ps 44:13-14 | Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. Thou makest us a byword among the heathen... | Experience of mockery and scorn endured by God's people. |
| Lam 2:15-16 | All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city...? | Describes public scorn and derision. |
| Nah 1:9 | What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. | Warning against defying the Lord, promising an end. |
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. | The proverb warning against the Philistines' hubris. |
| Dan 5:1-4 | Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Whiles he tasted the wine... | Similar scene of pagan revelry and sacrilege before judgment. |
| Hab 2:15-16 | Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! | Condemnation of exploiting others through intoxication. |
| Joel 3:2-3 | I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat... for my people... whom they have scattered... | Divine judgment against nations that exploit God's people. |
| Gen 21:9 | And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. | Usage of "mock" (צָחַק) reflecting negative sport/ridicule. |
| Judg 16:28-30 | And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me... Let me die with the Philistines. | Samson's prayer for divine strength and vengeance, fulfilled in their midst. |
| Ps 94:3 | LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? | Questioning the duration of the wicked's victory. |
| Acts 17:24-25 | God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; | New Testament perspective on God not confined to man-made temples or gods. |
| Rom 12:19 | Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. | God's prerogative for ultimate justice and vengeance. |
| 1 Cor 8:4-6 | As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world... | Declares idols have no real existence or power. |
| Gal 6:7 | Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. | Warning against attempts to mock or defy God without consequence. |
| Rev 18:20 | Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. | Future divine vindication and judgment on Babylon. |
Judges 16 verses
Judges 16 25 Meaning
Judges 16:25 describes the Philistines' celebration in the temple of Dagon after capturing Samson. With hearts full of revelry and perceived triumph, they summoned the blind and captive Samson to perform for them, making him a spectacle of entertainment and humiliation. As he provided this "sport," they praised their false god, Dagon, confidently proclaiming that Dagon had delivered their formidable enemy and the destroyer of their land into their hands. This moment highlights the peak of Philistine hubris and their worship of an idol, setting the stage for a dramatic display of the one true God's power.
Judges 16 25 Context
Judges chapter 16 climaxes Samson's tragic and tumultuous life, marked by his unparalleled strength, impulsive choices, and relationships with Philistine women. After Delilah repeatedly tries to discover the secret of his strength and ultimately succeeds, Samson's Nazarite vow is completely broken as his hair is cut. The Spirit of the LORD departs from him, rendering him powerless. The Philistines capture him, gouge out his eyes, bind him in brass fetters, and force him to grind grain in their prison at Gaza, an act of supreme humiliation. This verse occurs during a major festival of Dagon, the Philistine fish-god. Thousands, including their lords and people, gather to celebrate what they believe is the decisive victory of Dagon over Israel's champion. The Philistine context involves deep enmity with Israel and a strong polytheistic culture, where victory over an enemy's hero was attributed directly to one's patron deity, thus validating its supremacy. Samson, once a terror to them, is now their plaything.
Judges 16 25 Word analysis
- And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry:
- Hearts were merry (Hebrew: ṭôb libbām - "good of their heart"). This idiom denotes a state of joyous festivity, often associated with feasting, wine, and general merriment. In this context, it signifies the Philistines' self-satisfied revelry, possibly to the point of intoxication, leading to reckless and boastful behavior. This mirth contrasts sharply with Samson's misery and blindness.
- that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport.
- Call for Samson: Emphasizes Samson's subjugation. He is now a summonable object, stripped of his dignity.
- make us sport (Hebrew: ṣaḥẹq lānû - "to laugh for us," "to play for us," "to mock for us"). This word is rich in meaning. It can refer to lighthearted play or entertainment, but also strongly connotes mockery, humiliation, and derision (as seen in Gen 21:9 regarding Ishmael mocking Isaac, or Gen 19:14 where Lot's sons-in-law think he "jesteth" - a form of making light). For the Philistines, it was both entertainment and public shaming of their former oppressor. Samson was reduced to a grotesque spectacle.
- And they called for Samson; and he made them sport:
- This reiterates the demand and its fulfillment, highlighting the Philistines' complete control over Samson at this point, before God intervenes. Samson is forced into a performance of degradation.
- and they praised their god, and said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country.
- praised their god (Hebrew: hillelû ’et-’elôhêhem - "they praised their god"). This is a strong act of worship, elevating Dagon. The verb "hillelu" is the root for "hallelujah," used for praising the true God. Here, it is directed at a false deity, highlighting the intense idolatry.
- their god: Specifically Dagon, the Philistine fertility deity, often depicted as half-man, half-fish. This is a direct polemic against Yahweh, challenging His sovereignty.
- delivered into our hands (Hebrew: nātan beyādênû - "given into our hands"): A common biblical phrase for granting victory or control. They attribute Samson's capture directly to Dagon's intervention and power.
- our enemy: Refers to Samson, who had been a perpetual adversary to them, leading raids and massacres.
- the destroyer of our country (Hebrew: maḥărîb ’arṣênû - "the ruin-er of our land"). This emphasizes Samson's previous devastating actions against Philistia, such as burning their crops (Judg 15:5) and killing thousands (Judg 15:8, 15). He was seen as a profound threat to their economic and social stability.
Judges 16 25 Bonus section
The term "make us sport" could also imply a forced coitus, a degrading and extreme act of humiliation, though its primary biblical usage here tends to lean towards mockery and public spectacle. The gathering of "about three thousand men and women" on the temple roof (Judg 16:27) indicates a very large public structure. Scholars suggest the Dagon temple in Gaza was likely an open-courtyard type with central pillars, common for Middle Eastern religious architecture of the period, making Samson's feat architecturally plausible. This grand structure served not just as a religious site but as a civic gathering place, amplifying the public nature of Samson's degradation and the Philistines' boasting. Their complete confidence in Dagon’s victory, manifested in their widespread revelry, showcases a deep spiritual blindness and sets them up for their catastrophic fall.
Judges 16 25 Commentary
Judges 16:25 encapsulates the zenith of Philistine pride and idolatry, providing a crucial turning point in Samson's narrative and in God's broader plan for His people. The scene of the "merry hearts" in Dagon's temple represents a celebration rooted in perceived power and false worship. They reduce Samson, once Israel's strong champion, to a humiliating object of entertainment. By attributing his capture to Dagon, they openly challenge the authority and power of the God of Israel, elevating their own deity in what they believed to be a definitive victory. This blatant act of defiance and hubris sets the stage for a dramatic display of divine justice, where the very spectacle meant to glorify Dagon ultimately brings about its worshippers' destruction and Samson's final, divinely empowered vengeance. The Philistine cry, "Our god hath delivered," is immediately juxtaposed with Samson's subsequent prayer to the Lord (v. 28), directly establishing the contest between Dagon and Yahweh, a contest the Philistines are about to lose definitively.