ScriptureDepth's study of Judges 15
“He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, put out his hand, took it, and struck a thousand men with it.”
Judges 15:15
Samson declares his triumph with the jawbone of a donkey, marking a turning point as he strikes down a thousand Philistines, fulfilling his vow of revenge.
What Judges 15 is about
Samson attempts to visit his wife but is denied entry by her father, who has given her to another man (vv. 1-2). In response, Samson plans revenge against the Philistines, capturing three hundred foxes and setting fire to their grain and olive groves (vv. 3-5). After the Philistines learn of Samson's actions, they retaliate by burning his wife and her father (vv. 6-8). The Philistines then camp against Judah, prompting the men of Judah to confront Samson about his actions (vv. 9-12). Samson agrees to be bound by them and delivered to the Philistines, as long as they do not kill him (vv. 12-13). When Samson arrives in Lehi, Yahweh's Spirit empowers him, breaking his bonds, and he slaughters a thousand men using a jawbone (vv. 14-17). Afterward, he calls on Yahweh in thirst, and God provides water, leading to the naming of the place (vv. 18-19). Samson judges Israel for twenty years during the Philistine oppression (v. 20).
Samson judges Israel for twenty years while facing the dominance of the Philistines.
Judges 15 at a glance
- Judges 15:1–2Samson's Visit Denied
- Judges 15:3–5Samson's Revenge Plan
- Judges 15:6–8Philistines' Retaliation
- Judges 15:9–12Judah's Dilemma
- Judges 15:13–14Samson Bound
- Judges 15:15–17Samson's Victory
- Judges 15:18–20Divine Provision
Key verse: Judges 15:15
One thing to notice
Samson calls upon Yahweh after defeating the Philistines. In verse 18, he expresses his thirst, concerned about dying at the hands of the uncircumcised. In verse 19, it notes, 'But God split the hollow place', providing water in response to Samson's plea.
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Judges 15 (WEB)
Samson's Visit Denied Judges 15:1–2
1Verse 1. But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a young goat. He said, “I will go in to my wife’s room.” But her father wouldn’t allow him to go in. 2Verse 2. Her father said, “I most certainly thought that you utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to your companion. Isn’t her younger sister more beautiful than she? Please take her, instead.”
Samson's Revenge Plan Judges 15:3–5
3Verse 3. Samson said to them, “This time I will be blameless in the case of the Philistines, when I harm them.” 4Verse 4. Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned tail to tail, and put a torch in the middle between every two tails. 5Verse 5. When he had set the torches on fire, he let them go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burned up both the shocks and the standing grain, and also the olive groves.
Philistines' Retaliation Judges 15:6–8
6Verse 6. Then the Philistines said, “Who has done this?” They said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he has taken his wife, and given her to his companion.” The Philistines came up, and burned her and her father with fire. 7Verse 7. Samson said to them, “If you behave like this, surely I will take revenge on you, and after that I will cease.” 8Verse 8. He struck them hip and thigh with a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cave in Etam’s rock.
Judah's Dilemma Judges 15:9–12
9Verse 9. Then the Philistines went up, encamped in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.10Verse 10. The men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?”They said, “We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he has done to us.”11Verse 11. Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cave in Etam’s rock, and said to Samson, “Don’t you know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?”He said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.”12Verse 12. They said to him, “We have come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines.”Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves.”
Samson Bound Judges 15:13–14
13Verse 13. They spoke to him, saying, “No; but we will bind you securely, and deliver you into their hands; but surely we will not kill you.” They bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock. 14Verse 14. When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. Then Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that was burned with fire, and his bands dropped from off his hands.
Samson's Victory Judges 15:15–17
15Verse 15. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, put out his hand, took it, and struck a thousand men with it. 16Verse 16. Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps on heaps; with the jawbone of a donkey I have struck a thousand men.” 17Verse 17. When he had finished speaking, he threw the jawbone out of his hand; and that place was called Ramath Lehi.
Divine Provision Judges 15:18–20
18Verse 18. He was very thirsty, and called on Yahweh, and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of your servant; and now shall I die of thirst, and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” 19Verse 19. But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out of it. When he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived. Therefore its name was called En Hakkore, which is in Lehi, to this day. 20Verse 20. He judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.
World English Bible (public domain)
Go deeper
Ask the AI about Judges 15
Bring your question about the chapter, the key verse, or how this passage fits the rest of Scripture. Ask unlimited questions and keep study notes on every chapter. 7 days free, no card.
Main themes in Judges 15
Divine empowerment
In verse 14, 'Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on him' as Samson confronts the Philistines. This supernatural empowerment allows him to break free from the ropes that bound him and enables his victory over a thousand men using a jawbone. This act of strength reveals how divine intervention plays a crucial role in Samson's actions against his enemies, showcasing the partnership between God's spirit and Samson's physical prowess.
Vengeance and retribution
Samson's desire for vengeance surfaces in verses 7 and 11, where he declares, 'If you behave like this, surely I will take revenge on you.' After the Philistines burn his wife and her father, Samson responds with violence, claiming that his actions are justified. The cycle of vengeance escalates, as the Philistines seek to retaliate against Samson, demonstrating the destructive nature of retribution in this conflict.
Conflict and struggle
The chapter illustrates conflict through Samson's relationships and his battles with the Philistines. In verses 9-10, the Philistines gather to confront Samson, accusing him of provoking them. This conflict is further complicated by the men of Judah, who in verses 11-12 express their fear of the Philistine oppression and seek to bind Samson, revealing the struggle between personal vendettas and communal safety.
Flawed deliverance
In verse 20, it is noted that Samson judged Israel for twenty years during the Philistine oppression, yet his methods reveal significant flaws. His violent acts in seeking personal revenge overshadow his role as a deliverer for Israel. Despite achieving victories, the reliance on brute force rather than righteous leadership raises questions about the nature and effectiveness of his deliverance.
Chapter outline
How Judges 15 unfolds
Judges 15:1–2 Samson's Visit Denied
Samson visits his wife during the wheat harvest, but her father denies him access because he assumed Samson hated her and instead gave her to a companion (vv. 1-2).
Judges 15:3–5 Samson's Revenge Plan
Samson declares he will be blameless for harming the Philistines, then captures three hundred foxes, attaches torches to them, and sets them loose to burn the Philistines’ crops (vv. 3-5).
Judges 15:6–8 Philistines' Retaliation
The Philistines discover Samson's actions and retaliate by burning Samson's wife and her father, prompting Samson to vow revenge against them for their actions (vv. 6-8).
Judges 15:9–12 Judah's Dilemma
The Philistines camp in Judah to capture Samson, prompting three thousand men from Judah to confront him and express their loyalty to the Philistines (vv. 9-12).
Judges 15:13–14 Samson Bound
Judah binds Samson with new ropes, promising not to kill him, and leads him up to meet the Philistines, showcasing their unwillingness to directly challenge the Philistines (vv. 13-14).
Judges 15:15–17 Samson's Victory
Empowered by Yahweh's Spirit, Samson breaks free from his bindings and defeats a thousand Philistines using a donkey's jawbone, expressing his triumph in a poetic declaration (vv. 15-17).
Judges 15:18–20 Divine Provision
After the battle, Samson, feeling thirsty and fearing death, calls on Yahweh, who provides him water from a rock, reviving him and marking the place with a name (vv. 18-20).
Key verses
Judges 15:15Samson declares his triumph with the jawbone of a donkey, marking a turning point as he strikes down a thousand Philistines, fulfilling his vow of revenge.
Get a short devotional by email, one passage and one question a day.
One short email each morning, with the free study guide. Unsubscribe anytime. By subscribing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. We use your address only to send this email.
Study questions
Questions for studying Judges 15
- observeIn v6, why do the Philistines say they are retaliating against Samson?
- observeWhat does Samson mean when he states, 'As they did to me, so I have done to them' in v11?
- interpretSamson's actions in v4 are drastic; what motivates him to catch 'three hundred foxes'?
- interpretIn v18, why does Samson question if he will 'die of thirst' after his victory?
- applyWhen has anger led you to actions you later regretted, like Samson's 'great slaughter' in v8?
For Bible groups
Study Judges 15 with your group
A free one-page handout with the overview, key verse, outline and discussion questions, ready to print for everyone at the table.
Cross-references
Passages that echo Judges 15
- Joshua 23Judges 15:15 and Joshua 23:10Both chase a thousand: Judges 15:15 he struck a thousand men with it, while Joshua 23:10 one man of you shall chase a thousand.
- Judges 14Judges 15:2 and Judges 14:20Both given to his companion: Judges 15:2 her father said I gave her to your companion, while Judges 14:20 Samson’s wife was given to his companion.
- Judges 16Judges 15:20 and Judges 16:31Both judged Israel twenty years: Judges 15:20 he judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines, while Judges 16:31 he judged Israel twenty years.
- 1 Samuel 17Judges 15:15 and 1 Samuel 17:49Both striking the Philistines: Judges 15:15 he struck a thousand men with it, while 1 Samuel 17:49 he struck the Philistine in his forehead.
- Judges 13Judges 15:11 and Judges 13:1Both did evil in Yahweh’s sight: Judges 15:11 don’t you know the Philistines are rulers over us, while Judges 13:1 the children of Israel did that which was evil.
- Judges 3Judges 15:15 and Judges 3:31Both striking Philistines: Judges 15:15 he struck a thousand men with it, while Judges 3:31 Shamgar struck six hundred men of the Philistines.
Related chapters
Chapters that connect with Judges 15
Elsewhere on ScriptureDepth
Where to go from here
- Judges: the whole bookJudges covers the dark centuries between Joshua's death and the rise of the monarchy, and its structure is a…
- Full Year Chronological Bible, day 83Day 83 of 365: Judges 15–17.
- SinWhat the Bible says about sin, with verses.
- Common Bible questionsThe questions people bring to Bible study, each answered from the text.
- Today's devotionalOne verse and a short reflection, new every morning.
Judges 15: frequently asked questions
What is Judges 15 about?+
What is the key verse in Judges 15?+
What are the main themes of Judges 15?+
Studying Judges with a print Bible beside you? See our study Bible guides.