And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years. While they had the power over the Israelites, who were not entirely delivered out of their hands by Samson, he only began to deliver them, but did not completely do it; though he got many advantages over them, and wrought many salvations and deliverances, yet was not the author of perfect salvation, see Jud 13:5 however, he was a check upon the Philistines, and protected the Israelites from heavier oppressions, which otherwise they would have come under; and no doubt administered justice and judgment among them, and was an instrument of their reformation, and of preserving them from idolatry; for in such things the work of a judge chiefly lay: some from hence observe, that this shows the years of servitude and bondage are included in the years of the judges.
Bible Commentary
Judges 15:20
Judges 15:20
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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Judges 15 — OverviewJudges 15 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleSamson, when he courted an alliance with the Philistines, did but seek
an occasion against them, ch. xiv. 4. Now here we have a further
account of the occasions he took to weaken them, and to avenge, not his…Judges 15 — OverviewJudges 15 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeJudges 15:1, Samson is denied his wife; Judges 15:3, He burns the Philistines’ corn with foxes and firebrands; Judges 15:6, His wife and her father are burnt by the Philistines; Judges 15:7, Samson smites them hip and…Judges 15 — OverviewJudges 15 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter relates, that Samson being denied his wife, did by a strange stratagem burn the corn fields, vineyards, and olives of the Philistines, Jud 15:1, and that because of their burning her and her father, he made…Judges 15:9-20Judges 15:9-20 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITION
15:9
Went up, i.e. from their own country in the Shephelah to the hill country of Judah. As Samson had avenged his wrongs on the whole Philistine people, so they now came up to Judah to take vengeance for…Judges 15:18-20Judges 15:18-20 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleHere is, I. The distress which Samson was in after this great
performance (v. 18): He was sore athirst. It was a natural effect of
the great heat he had been in, and the great pains he had taken; his
zeal…Judges 15:20Judges 15:20 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeJudges 13:1, Judges 13:5, Judges 16:31 "He seems to have judged South-west Israel during twenty years of their servitude of the Philistines."