Translations
Modern
And Samson judged Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines.
Traditional
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
Literal
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
Latin
Judicavitque Israël in diebus Philisthiim viginti annis.
Original
Hebrew
English
And Samson judged Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines.
Notes
This summary formula is repeated in Judges 16:31. Its presence here shows that Samson's time as a judge was effectively over (compare Judges 10:2, 3; 12:7). He had done little more than demonstrate Israel's potential for rescue; the Philistines still controlled the land.
Samson, who gets more attention in the book of Judges than any other judge, is more mysterious than Jephthah. Samson shows great inspiration as a leader. He also represents the unstoppable move toward chaos, which shows the need for a more organized society under a godly ruler.
Theme notes and profiles
Events
People
Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes
Places
Philistia: An ancient people and region in Canaan