Verse 9:[1] Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves (Judg. 15:19) in Lehi.
[The Philistine, going up] Properly: For it is an ascent from Palestine proper into Judea (Drusius).
Pitched in Judah: The rock Etam was in Judah: see 1 Chronicles 4:32; 2 Chronicles 11:5, 6.
[They camped, וַיִּנָּטְשׁוּ[2]] And they extended themselves (Pagnine, Montanus); and they were spread out, or, they spread themselves, after the manner of the making camp (Vatablus): and they were left/remained (Munster).
Spread themselves, as coming in great numbers with a powerful host.
[At Lehi, בַּלֶּחִי] In Lehi (Pagnine, Montanus, Vatablus). Thus the name of the place was called afterwards from the outcome of the matter (Vatablus); namely, from the jaw of an ass[3] (Bonfrerius).
Lehi; a place so called by anticipation, Judges 15:17.
Verse 10:[4] And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
[1] Hebrew: וַיַּעֲל֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בִּיהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּנָּטְשׁ֖וּ בַּלֶּֽחִי׃
[2] Judges 15:9: “Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves (וַיִּנָּטְשׁוּ) in Lehi.” נָטַשׁ, to leave or permit, in the Niphal, is to be left or let go, to spread abroad.
[3] Judges 15:17: “And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone (הַלְּחִי) out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-lehiרָ֥מַת) לֶֽחִי׃, that is, the High Place of the Jawbone).”
[4] Hebrew: וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה לָמָ֖ה עֲלִיתֶ֣ם עָלֵ֑ינוּ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ לֶאֱס֤וֹר אֶת־שִׁמְשׁוֹן֙ עָלִ֔ינוּ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת ל֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר עָ֥שָׂה לָֽנוּ׃
Thank you.
Yes. This conflict was precipitated by the burning of the fields.
What a great website. Is this after Samson burns the Philistines fields?
Matthew Henry: 'Here is, I. Samson violently pursued by the Philistine. They went up in a body, a more formidable force than they had together when Samson smote them hip and thigh; and they pitched in Judah, and spread themselves up and down the country, to find out Samson, who they heard had come this way, Judges 15:9. When the men of Judah, who had tamely submitted to their yoke, pleaded that they had paid their tribute, and that none of their tribe had given them any offence, they freely own they designed nothing in this invasion but to seize Samson; they would fight neither against small nor great, but only that judge of Israel (Judges 15:10), to do t…
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Hebrew Observations:
1. Note the aetiology of the place name, Lehi.
2. It is interesting to note how natash, meaning to be forsaken, becomes extended in meaning to to be loosed, to be spread abroad.