Verse 7:[1] And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
[Although ye have done this, nevertheless I will yet exact vengeance of you, and then I will cease, אִֽם־תַּעֲשׂ֖וּן כָּזֹ֑את כִּ֛י אִם־נִקַּ֥מְתִּי בָכֶ֖ם וְאַחַ֥ר אֶחְדָּֽל׃] The sentence is clear in Our Translation, whereby Samson indicates that he was not yet appeased by that vengeance, and that he willed also to add another. But the Hebrew sentence is quite obscure (Bonfrerius). They are the words of an enraged man, and therefore concise, and there are many things that are to be understood (Martyr, Vatablus). They translate it, if ye had done so, or, as this (if ye will do as this [Jonathan]; although ye have done so [Syriac, Arabic, English]; since ye have done this [Tigurinus]), but I will exact vengeance of you (nay rather I will take vengeance on you [Septuagint]; nevertheless, when I will have been avenged of you [Jonathan]; nevertheless I will take vengeance on you [Syriac, similarly the Arabic, Tigurinus]), and afterwards I will cease (Munster, similarly the Septuagint, Jonathan, Syriac, Arabic, Tigurinus, Pagnine, English). The sense: If before vengeance was inflicted ye had done so, and had burned her, it would have been good for you; but as it is ye did not take care, until I prosecuted my cause against you: neither will I ceased from the vengeance until I take vengeance on you yet once more (Munster). If ye had done such a thing at the beginning, that is, when my wife was first taken away from me, I would have been satisfied: But I will avenge myself, etc. Some understand something [in this manner]: Certainly I will not be satisfied, unless I will have yet exacted punishments from you. Others: but I will avenge myself of you before I cease (Vatablus). If ye have done this, etc. Here, if does not express an uncertain condition, but is put in the place of כִּי/while/since/ although; as in that, if it shall be the Jubile;[2] and, if God be for us, etc.[3] כָּזֹאת, like this. Here, the כ/Kaph does not compare, but it is a כ/Kaph ἀληθινόν, agreeable to truth. That is to say, Although ye do this in truth, surely I will take vengeance on you, I will not cease: that is to say, I will not desist, until I will have been avenged on you (Drusius). Although ye have done this, and have hoped to satisfy me now by this punishment; nevertheless, I will be no means cease the vengeance begun, namely, because of your manifold tyrannies toward the people of God (Osiander). Others otherwise: Thus are ye going to do? but when I will have taken vengeance on you, afterwards I will cease (Junius and Tremellius). That is to say, From this beginning I understand what ye are going to do concerning me, if I should come into your hands: but not on that account will I desist from these undertakings before I will have been avenged on you (Junius).
Though ye have done this, etc.: Whereby it appears, that it was not his private injuries, but the public, which he did revenge.
[1] Hebrew: וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן אִֽם־תַּעֲשׂ֖וּן כָּזֹ֑את כִּ֛י אִם־נִקַּ֥מְתִּי בָכֶ֖ם וְאַחַ֥ר אֶחְדָּֽל׃
[2] Numbers 36:4: “And when the jubile of the children of Israel shall be (וְאִם־יִהְיֶ֣ה הַיֹּבֵל֮ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒), then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.”
[3] Romans 8:31: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us (εἰ ὁ Θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν), who can be against us?”
Matthew Henry: 'The occasion Samson took hence to do them a yet greater mischief, which touched their bone and their flesh, Judges 15:7, 8. "Though you have done this to them, and thereby shown what you would do to me if you could, yet that shall not deter me from being further vexatious to you." Or, "Though you think, by doing this, you have made me satisfaction for the affront I received among you, yet I have Israel's cause to plead as a public person, and for the wrongs done to them I will be avenged on you, and, if you will then forbear your insults, I will cease, aiming at no more than the deliverance of Israel."'
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Hebrew Observations: 1. Ellipsis is common in Biblical Hebrew. Is there ellipsis in enraged Samson's declaration here?
2. Gesensius: ' Very probably this use of ci im arises from the original meaning for if, surely if (ci in an affirmative sense); so evidently in Exodus 22:22 as a forcible resumption of the preceding im. Thus, e.g. Judges 15:7 is simply surely when I have been avenged of you, after that I will cease, equivalent to, I will not cease, until I have, &c. When the exception follows, an ellipse must be assumed, e.g. Ruth 3:18 surely (or for) when he has finished it (then the man will rest). It is far less natural to assume such an ellipse …