Samson said to them, “This time I will be blameless in the case of the Philistines when I harm them.”
Parallel Translations
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Samson said to them, “This time I will be blameless in the case of the Philistines when I harm them.”
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And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.
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And Samson said unto them: 'This time shall I be quits with the Philistines, when I do them a mischief.'
Cross-references (1)
Passages linked to Judges 15:3 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Judges 14:15 On the seventh day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you called us to impoverish us? Isn’t that so?”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain For through his father-in-law’s occasion, he was moved again…
For through his father-in-law’s occasion, he was moved again to take vengeance of the Philistines.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Jdg 15:3 And Samson said concerning them, Now shall…
Jdg 15:3 And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.
Ver. 3. Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines.] Who all were in fault, because they either approved, or at least inhibited not this injury done to Samson; wherefore he proclaimeth open war against them all, vowing revenge.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Because they have first provoked me by an irreparable…
Because they have first provoked me by an irreparable injury. But although this may look like an act of private revenge, yet it is plain enough that Samson acted as a judge, (for so he was,) and as an avenger of the public injuries and oppressions of his people; as plainly appears from hence, that Samson designed this very thing before he had received any personal injury, Jdg 14:4.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Samson said concerning them,.... His wife's father, and…
And Samson said concerning them,.... His wife's father, and other relations, and the citizens of Timnath; this, which is what follows, he said either within himself respecting them, or he said it to them openly and publicly before them all:
now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure; signifying, that if he did them an ill thing, or what might be reckoned an injury to their persons or properties, and which would be disagreeable and displeasing to them, they could not justly blame him for it, since they had given him such a provocation as to dispose of his wife to another man; though Samson did not mean to act, nor did he act in the following instances as a private person taking private revenge, but as a public person, and judge of Israel; and took occasion, from the private injuries done him, to avenge the public ones of the children of Israel upon the Philistines; and they might thank themselves for giving the opportunity, which they could not justly condemn him for taking.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Now shall I, &c. - Because they have first…
Now shall I, &c. - Because they have first provoked me by an irreparable injury: but although this may look like an act of private revenge; yet it is plain Samson acted as a judge (for so he was) and as an avenger of the publick injuries of his people.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Jdg 15:3. Now shall I be more blameless than…
Jdg 15:3. Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines — Or rather, blameless from the Philistines, because they have first provoked me by an irreparable injury. It seems probable from this, that the people of the place, in general, had approved of, and perhaps advised, the giving of Samson’s wife to another man. Though I do them a displeasure — Although this may look like an act of private revenge, yet it is plain, Samson acted as a judge (for such he was) and as an avenger of the public injuries which his people had suffered from the Philistines.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain See the margin. Before, when the Philistines injured him…
See the margin. Before, when the Philistines injured him he was in covenant with the Timnathites through his marriage and by the rites of hospitality, for which reason he went off to Ashkelon to take his revenge Jdg 14:19. But now the Philistines themselves had broken this bond, and so he was free to take his revenge on the spot.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Evils. This is a declaration of war, made by…
Evils. This is a declaration of war, made by Samson in person, against a whole nation. (Haydock) --- He does not wish to engage his countrymen in the quarrel, that they may not be more oppressed. God chose that he should weaken the Philistines by degrees. They had been apprised of the injustice done to Samson, and did not strive to hinder it, so that they all deserved to suffer. (Grotius; Estius; Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain HE BURNS THE PHILISTINES' CORN. (Jdg 15:3-8)
HE BURNS THE PHILISTINES' CORN. (Jdg 15:3-8)
Samson said . . ., Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines--This nefarious conduct provoked the hero's just indignation, and he resolved to take signal vengeance.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 3. unto them] Cf. Jdg_15:7. The family and friends…
3. unto them] Cf. Jdg_15:7. The family and friends were no doubt discussing the situation with oriental excitement.
shall I be blameless in regard of] i.e. I am resolved to have my revenge on the Philistines, and no one will be able to blame me for it (cf. Num_32:22, 2Sa_3:28); Samson’s words express a resolve in a tone of exultation. When I do should be for I am going to do.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (3) Concerning them.—There is no reason for this rendering.…
(3) Concerning them.—There is no reason for this rendering. It should be to them. The Vulg. has cui, and the LXX. “to them,” or “to him.”
Now—i.e., This time. He means that his second act of vengeance will at least have more excuse than his assault on the Askelonites.
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More blameless than the Philistines.—Rather, innocent as regards the Philistines. The words are somewhat obscure. Ewald renders them—
“This time I am quit of the Philistines,
If ‘tis evil I think of doing them.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain I shall be more blameless than the Philistines. The…
I shall be more blameless than the Philistines. The phrase rather means, I shall be blameless (or guiltless) before the Philistines, i.e. in relation to the Philistines, they will have nothing to lay to my charge; my revenge will be a just one, as in Num_32:22: Then shall ye be guiltless before the Lord, and be. fore Israel. He means that so grievous an injury as he had received in having his wife taken from him and given to a Philistine will justify any requitals on his part.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 I will be innocent in regard to the Philistines…
I will be innocent in regard to the Philistines when I hurt them
Samson thinks that he will be innocent if he attacks the Philistines because they wronged him. This can be stated clearly. AT: "I will be innocent if I hurt the Philistines because they have wronged me" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
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three hundred foxes
"300 foxes" (See: Numbers)
foxes
Foxes are animals like dogs that have long tails and that eat nesting birds and other small animals.
each pair
a pair is two of anything, such as two foxes, or two tails
tail to tail
"by their tails"
torches
A torch is a stick of wood with something flammable attached to one end; a torch is often used to light other things or to be carried for light.
translationWords
Samson
innocent
Philistines
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.