The Meaning of Judges 16:1 Explained

Judges 16:1

KJV: Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.

YLT: And Samson goeth to Gaza, and seeth there a woman, a harlot, and goeth in unto her;

Darby: Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a harlot, and he went in to her.

ASV: And Samson went to Gaza, and saw there a harlot, and went in unto her.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then went  Samson  to Gaza,  and saw  there an harlot,  and went in  unto her. 

What does Judges 16:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 16:1-14 - Playing With The Enemy
Three women, one after another, brought Samson down. If only a noble woman could have influenced him, as Deborah did Barak, how different his record would have been. Let those who are eminent in spiritual capacity guard against the swing of their nature to the opposite, sensual side.
It is clear that Samson's strength was not wholly accounted for by huge stature nor massive muscles, else Delilah would not have needed to ask his secret; and he lost his strength, not merely because the razor deprived him of his hitherto unshorn locks, which lay in glossy ringlets at the feet of his temptress, but because he had yielded to her seductive wiles. We should have supposed that one or two experiences of her shameful treachery would have sufficed to put him on his guard and lead hip to flee from the spot, as did Joseph, Genesis 39:12. But Samson lingered, as the moth which seems unable to resist the fascination of the flame, although already it has singed its wings, Proverbs 1:10-19. There is always a way of escape, but we must take it with instant eagerness, Genesis 19:17-22. [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 16

1  Samson at Gaza escapes, and carries away the gates of the city
4  Delilah corrupted by the Philistines, entices Samson
6  Thrice she is deceived
15  At last she overcomes him
21  The Philistines take him, and put out his eyes
22  His strength renewing, he pulls down the house upon the Philistines and dies

What do the individual words in Judges 16:1 mean?

And went Samson to Gaza and saw there a woman a harlot and went in to her
וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ שִׁמְשׁ֖וֹן עַזָּ֑תָה וַיַּרְא־ שָׁם֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה זוֹנָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֖א אֵלֶֽיהָ

וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ  And  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
שִׁמְשׁ֖וֹן  Samson 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁמְשֹׁון  
Sense: a Danite, son of Manoah, a Nazarite for life, and a judge of Israel for 20 years.
עַזָּ֑תָה  to  Gaza 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: עַזָּה  
Sense: another name for ‘Gaza’, a city of the Philistines located in the extreme southwest of Palestine close to the Mediterranean.
וַיַּרְא־  and  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אִשָּׁ֣ה  a  woman 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
זוֹנָ֔ה  a  harlot 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: זָנָה 
Sense: to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot.
וַיָּבֹ֖א  and  went  in 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵלֶֽיהָ  to  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).

What are the major concepts related to Judges 16:1?

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