Judges 16 30

Judges 16:30 kjv

And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

Judges 16:30 nkjv

Then Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.

Judges 16:30 niv

Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

Judges 16:30 esv

And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines." Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.

Judges 16:30 nlt

he prayed, "Let me die with the Philistines." And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime.

Judges 16 verses

Judges 16 30 Meaning

Judges 16:30 describes the climactic, self-sacrificial act of Samson, the Israelite judge, against the Philistines. After his strength was supernaturally restored by God, Samson pulled down the two central pillars supporting the Philistine temple of Dagon, resulting in the collapse of the structure upon himself and all the thousands of Philistine lords and people gathered within. The verse concludes by stating that the number of Philistines Samson killed in this final act of his life was greater than all those he had slain throughout his entire career as a judge, signifying a massive, devastating blow to Israel's oppressors.

Judges 16 30 Context

Judges chapter 16 climaxes the narrative of Samson, the last major judge recorded in the book. After a life marked by supernatural strength, impulsive choices, and significant moral failures, Samson finally falls victim to Delilah, who extracts the secret of his Nazarite vow and thus the source of his strength. The Philistines capture him, blind him, and put him to grind grain in prison. They then bring him out for public mockery in their temple to Dagon, their national god, celebrating their triumph over Israel and its divinely appointed strongman. Verse 30 is the climax of this humiliation and Samson's ultimate redemptive act, where, with renewed divine strength, he turns their moment of triumph into their catastrophic defeat. This event takes place during a prolonged period of Philistine oppression over Israel, serving as a powerful demonstration of Yahweh's sovereignty over pagan deities and His unwavering purpose to deliver His people, even through imperfect instruments.

Judges 16 30 Word analysis

• "And Samson said": This indicates his conscious decision and clear intent in his final moments. It was not an accidental or desperate reaction, but a willed action, albeit desperate.

• "Let me die": The Hebrew word is mut (מוּת), meaning "to die" or "to perish." Here, it signifies a purposeful desire for his own death, but crucially, it's presented within the context of a divinely empowered act of war and vengeance for God's people. This is distinct from suicide driven by despair.

• "with the Philistines": This phrase clarifies the nature of his desired death—it was to be an act of war and judgment against the oppressors of Israel. His end was inextricably linked with the downfall of the enemy, highlighting his final service as a deliverer.

• "And he bowed himself": The Hebrew yikōf (יִכֹּף) means "to bend, to incline, to bow down." It conveys the physical effort and the tremendous strain Samson put into pushing the pillars. It emphasizes the active, strenuous nature of his action.

• "with all his might": The Hebrew term koach (כֹּחַ) refers to strength, power, or force. This "might" is the re-empowered, supernatural strength for which Samson had specifically prayed to the Lord in the preceding verses, demonstrating God's faithful answer and renewed endowment for this ultimate task.

• "and the house fell": The "house" refers to the Dagon temple, which also functioned as a large public gathering place or amphitheater. Its collapse represents the dramatic, catastrophic result of Samson's act, signaling the destruction brought by divine judgment.

• "upon the lords": The Hebrew word seranim (סְרָנִים) is a distinct Philistine title, specifically referring to the five lords or chieftains of the major Philistine cities (Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, Gath). Their targeted elimination underscored the devastating blow to Philistine leadership.

• "and upon all the people that were therein": This indicates the vast scale of the destruction. Not just the leaders, but a multitude of ordinary citizens gathered for the mockery, all became casualties of Samson's final, divinely sanctioned act of vengeance.

• "So the dead which he slew at his death": This is a direct summary and outcome of the climactic event, focusing on the victims of this single, ultimate action.

• "were more than they which he slew in his life": This concluding comparative statement highlights the unprecedented success and profound impact of Samson's final act. It emphasizes the divinely disproportionate outcome, where his greatest victory for Israel came in his final, self-sacrificial moment. It underscores God's ability to achieve maximum effect even through a life that seemed fraught with inconsistency.

• "Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might": This combination highlights Samson's resolved intention ("Let me die") and the immense physical exertion fueled by renewed divine power ("all his might") necessary for this final, great feat. It is a moment of total commitment to his calling as a deliverer, albeit a flawed one.

• "the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein": This group of words describes the immediate and catastrophic result of Samson's action, encompassing the target audience (Philistine leaders and common people) and the extent of the judgment (the collapse of the entire structure). It visually conveys the magnitude of their destruction.

• "the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life": This powerful comparative phrase functions as the narrative's climax, summarizing the profound and unprecedented impact of Samson's ultimate sacrifice. It signifies a unique and unmatched victory, where his seemingly defeated end became his most effective triumph for Israel.

Judges 16 30 Bonus section

• Ambiguity of "Suicide": Samson's death is not presented as a personal act of despair-driven suicide, which is forbidden by God's Law. Instead, it is depicted as a unique, divinely enabled, and explicitly prayed-for act of war by an appointed judge against an enemy of God and His people. It fits within the paradigm of Old Testament deliverers sacrificing themselves in battle for Israel's deliverance, with explicit divine authorization.
• Completing the Judgeship: Though his life was full of contradictions and personal failings, Samson's death marked the most impactful moment of his judgeship. Through this final act, he brought immense suffering and death to the oppressors, effectively crippling Philistine power in the region for a significant period. This concluded his designated purpose, securing his place as one of the judges who delivered Israel, imperfect though he was.

Judges 16 30 Commentary

Judges 16:30 powerfully illustrates God's ability to work through flawed human agents to achieve His purposes, demonstrating that His power is perfected in weakness. Stripped of his strength and sight, mocked by his enemies, Samson's final prayer was for divine strength, not primarily for personal survival, but to fulfill his God-given role of delivering Israel from the Philistines by a single, definitive act of judgment. His willingness to sacrifice his life was integral to this divinely empowered feat. This act served as a dramatic polemic against the Philistine god Dagon, confirming Yahweh's ultimate sovereignty even when His chosen instrument appeared defeated. The numerical superiority of Philistines killed in his death underscored the scale of this decisive victory, a stark reversal of their triumph into their catastrophic downfall. It points to a broader biblical truth that victory can emerge from apparent defeat, and foreshadows the greater work of Christ who, through His ultimate death, secured true and lasting victory over the spiritual enemies of humanity.