Bible Strands
Judges 16:25
And while their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison to entertain them. And they stationed him between the pillars.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Philistine rulers address their assembly during a celebration following Samson's capture, commanding his removal from prison to perform for them between two temple pillars. The words — The phrase כְּטוֹב לִבָּם (ke tov libam) literally renders "while it was good to their heart," denoting a state of celebratory satisfaction that prompts the command קִרְאוּ (kir'u) to summon Samson. The thread — This narrative of revelry intersecting with judgment aligns with the festival gathering in Judges 9:27, the shared drinking in Judges 19:6, and the directive to wait until Absalom's heart is merry in 2 Samuel 13:28. Why it lands — The text records a ruling class demanding entertainment from a captive to mark their triumph, requiring the reader to observe how human celebration directly precedes the positioning of the captive for the coming confrontation.
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
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Judges 9:27 And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.
- Judges 19:6 So they sat down and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the girl’s father said to the man, “Please agree to stay overnight and let your heart be merry.”
- 2 Samuel 13:28 Now Absalom had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!”
- Psalms 35:15 But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing.
- Hebrews 11:36 Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
- Judges 18:20 So the priest was glad and took the ephod, the household idols, and the graven image, and went with the people.
- Judges 19:9 When the man got up to depart with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is drawing to a close. Please spend the night. See, the day is almost over. Spend the night here, that your heart may be merry. Then you can get up early tomorrow for your journey home.”
- 1 Kings 20:12 Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they stationed themselves against the city.
- Esther 3:15 The couriers left, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.
- Job 30:9 And now they mock me in song; I have become a byword among them.