Judges 15:9

Then the Philistines went up, camped in Judah, and deployed themselves near the town of Lehi.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The Philistines advance into Judah and position their forces near Lehi following Samson's prior slaughter of their troops. This deployment occurs immediately before the men of Judah confront the Philistines about their presence (Judges 15:10).

The words — The verb וַֽ/יַּחֲנ֖וּ (va/i.ya.cha.Nu) denotes a deliberate military encampment, while בַּ/לֶּֽחִי (ba./Le.chi) fixes the location at the specific town of Lehi.

The thread — The site Lehi reappears when Samson casts down the jawbone and names the area Ramath-lehi (Judges 15:17), and later when God opens a hollow place there to provide water (Judges 15:19). The Philistine positioning directly precedes the Spirit of the LORD coming upon Samson at that location (Judges 15:14).

Why it lands — The text records a strategic enemy movement that establishes the geographic and tactical context for the coming confrontation. It requires the reader to track how a localized military posture directly precedes divine intervention and territorial naming.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיַּעֲל֣וּva/i.ya.'a.Luand/ they went up פְלִשְׁתִּ֔יםfe.lish.Tim[the] Philistines וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּva/i.ya.cha.Nuand/ they encamped בִּיהוּדָ֑הbi./hu.Dahin/ Judah וַיִּנָּטְשׁ֖וּva/i.yi.na.te.Shuand/ they were spread out בַּלֶּֽחִי׃ba./Le.chiat <the>/ Lehi

King James Version

Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.

Cross-references

Judges 15:17 And when Samson had finished speaking, he cast the jawbone from his hand; and he named that place Ramath-lehi.
Judges 15:19 So God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned, and he was revived. That is why he named it En-hakkore, and it remains in Lehi to this day.
Judges 15:14 When Samson arrived in Lehi, the Philistines came out shouting against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him. The ropes on his arms became like burnt flax, and the bonds broke loose from his hands.