Judges 15:15-16
And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men. And Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey have I struck down a thousand men.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The detail about the jawbone being "fresh" or "moist" isn't just about it being a sturdier weapon; it hints at divine timing and subtle providence. It suggests Samson found a jawbone from a recently deceased animal, a detail that, while gruesome, might have also meant he wasn't violating his Nazarite vow of avoiding dead bodies, subtly showing God working within even the messy realities of life.
Samson has just been trapped by the men of Judah, who handed him over to the Philistines bound with ropes. However, the Spirit of the Lord empowers him, breaking the ropes, and he finds a fresh donkey jawbone to use as a weapon. He then proceeds to slaughter a thousand Philistines with it, demonstrating God's power through unlikely means. After this incredible victory, Samson cries out to God for water, fearing he will die of thirst.
Why does the text make a point of the jawbone being 'new' or 'moist'? It might be more than just a handy weapon.
The Hebrew word translated as 'new' can also mean 'moist' or 'fresh.' This suggests Samson found the jawbone of a donkey that had recently died.
Samson striking down 1,000 men with a donkey's jawbone sounds unbelievable. Where does the real power come from?
This astonishing feat is not a testament to Samson's inherent strength alone, but a clear demonstration of God's power working through him.
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Understand the original words
nakah · Hebrew Verb
The act of striking or smiting, often used in a military context to signify victory in battle through divine or human force.
chamowr · Hebrew Noun
A male member of the equine family, often used in the ancient Near East as a beast of burden. In this context, the jawbone of a donkey is a mundane, unclean object used miraculously by God through Samson to achieve a great victory.
This passage highlights how God can use seemingly weak or ordinary things – like a donkey's jawbone, or even a 'foolish' act in the world's eyes – as instruments of incredible power, demonstrating that victory ultimately comes from divine strength, not human might.
c. 1100 BC
Samson's Early Life and Vow
Samson is born under a special vow (Nazarite vow) that sets him apart for God's service, marked by strict rules, including not cutting his hair and abstaining from wine. This vow signifies a unique, divinely appointed strength.
c. 1100-1080 BC
Philistine Oppression of Israel
During Samson's lifetime, the Philistines exert significant control over the Israelites in the region of Judah. This ongoing conflict and oppression are the backdrop for Samson's acts of defiance.
c. 1100-1080 BC
Samson's Marriage and Vengeance
Samson's personal life, including his desire to marry a Philistine woman, sparks a series of conflicts. His retaliatory acts against the Philistines escalate the tension between him and the oppressors.
c. 1100-1080 BC— this verse
Samson's Capture and Escape
The people of Judah betray Samson to the Philistines, who bind him with new ropes and mock him. However, the Spirit of the Lord empowers him, breaking the ropes and leading to his immediate need for a weapon.
c. 1100-1080 BC
Samson's Victory at Lehi
Empowered by God, Samson picks up a fresh donkey's jawbone and uses it to defeat 1,000 Philistines. This incredible feat underscores his divinely granted strength and serves as a major blow against the Philistines.
c. 1100-1080 BC
The Well of Him Who Called
After his victory, Samson, in thirst, cries out to God, who provides water from a spring that miraculously opens at Lehi. This event highlights God's provision even in the aftermath of Samson's mighty acts.
This passage directly echoes the promise that one Israelite would chase a thousand enemies, highlighting the supernatural aspect of Samson's victory and God's faithfulness to His promises.
Joshua 23:10This verse reiterates the promise found in Leviticus 26:8, emphasizing that a single Israelite could rout a thousand foes because the Lord Himself fought for them, directly paralleling the divine power behind Samson's incredible feat.
1 Samuel 17:50While David used a sling and Goliath was a formidable warrior, this story parallels Samson's use of an unconventional weapon and his solitary triumph over a multitude of enemies through divine empowerment.
1 Chronicles 11:11This passage mentions one of David's mighty men slaying three hundred Philistines, showing that extraordinary feats of strength against enemies were a theme in Israel's history, though Samson's achievement with a jawbone was on a grander scale.
Judges 3:31Shamgar's feat of killing six hundred Philistines with an ox goad is a striking parallel to Samson's use of an ordinary object (a jawbone) to achieve an extraordinary victory, both pointing to God's power working through unlikely means.
clarkeJudges 15:15: "And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith."
He found a new jaw-bone of an ass - I rather think that the word טריה teriyah, which we translate new, and the margin moist, should be understood as signifying the tabia or putrid state of the ass from which this jawbone was taken. He found there a dead ass in a state of putrefaction; on which account he could the more easily separate the jaw from its integuments; this…
bensonJudges 15:15: "And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith."
Jdg 15:15 . He found a new jaw-bone of an ass — New, and therefore more tough and strong; and slew a thousand men therewith — Some, to account partly for this wonderful achievement, have observed that these Philistines were, probably, unarmed, and that they were struck with a great panic, thinking that the three thousand men of Judah would aid Samson. But doubtless it is…
The detail about the jawbone being "fresh" or "moist" isn't just about it being a sturdier weapon; it hints at divine timing and subtle providence. It suggests Samson found a jawbone from a recently deceased animal, a detail that, while gruesome, might have also meant he wasn't violating his Nazarite vow of avoiding dead bodies, subtly showing God working within even the messy realities of life.
Samson has just been trapped by the men of Judah, who handed him over to the Philistines bound with ropes. However, the Spirit of the Lord empowers him, breaking the ropes, and he finds a fresh donkey jawbone to use as a weapon. He then proceeds to slaughter a thousand Philistines with it, demonstrating God's power through unlikely means. After this incredible victory, Samson cries out to God for water, fearing he will die of thirst.
Samson has just been trapped by the men of Judah, who handed him over to the Philistines bound with ropes. However, the Spirit of the Lord empowers him, breaking the ropes, and he finds a fresh donkey jawbone to use as a weapon. He then proceeds to slaughter a thousand Philistines with it, demonstrating God's power through unlikely means. After this incredible victory, Samson cries out to God for water, fearing he will die of thirst.
"And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men. And Samson said,
“With the jawbone of a donkey,
heaps upon heaps,
with the jawbone of a donkey
have I str…" — The detail about the jawbone being "fresh" or "moist" isn't just about it being a sturdier weapon; it hints at divine timing and subtle providence. It suggests Samson found a jawbone from a recently…
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