Judges 15:20
◄  Judges 15:20  ►
New International Version (©2011)
Samson led Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Samson judged Israel for twenty years during the period when the Philistines dominated the land.

English Standard Version (©2001)
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
So he judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
And he judged Israel 20 years in the days of the Philistines.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Samson governed Israel for twenty years during the Philistine domination.

NET Bible (©2006)
Samson led Israel for twenty years during the days of Philistine prominence.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Samson judged Israel for 20 years during the time of the Philistines.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

American King James Version
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

American Standard Version
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Darby Bible Translation
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

English Revised Version
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he judged Israel, in the days of the Philistines, twenty years.

World English Bible
He judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Young's Literal Translation
And he judgeth Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

15:18-20 So little notice did the men of Judah take of their deliverer, that he was ready to perish for want of a draught of water. Thus are the greatest slights often put upon those who do the greatest services. Samson prayed to God in this distress. Those that forget to attend God their praises, may be compelled to attend him with their prayers. Past experiences of God's power and goodness, are excellent pleas in prayer for further mercy. He pleads his being exposed to God's enemies; our best pleas are taken from God's glory. The Lord sent him seasonable relief. The place of this action was, from the jaw-bone, called Lehi. And in the place thus called, God caused a fountain suddenly and seasonably to open, close by Samson. We should be more thankful for the mercy of water, did we consider how ill we can spare it. Israel submitted to him whom they had betrayed. God was with him; henceforward they were directed by him as their judge.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 20. - And he judged Israel, etc. See ch. 16:81. It looks as if it had been the intention to close the history of Samson with these Words, but that ch. 16. was subsequently added, possibly from other sources. Compare the close of chs. 20. and 21. of the Gospel of St. John. A possible explanation, however, of this verse being placed here is that it results from the statement in ver. 19, that Samson's spirit came again, and he revived, or came to life again, after being on the very point of death; and, adds the writer, he judged Israel after this for twenty years.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years. While they had the power over the Israelites, who were not entirely delivered out of their hands by Samson, he only began to deliver them, but did not completely do it; though he got many advantages over them, and wrought many salvations and deliverances, yet was not the author of perfect salvation, see Judges 13:5 however, he was a check upon the Philistines, and protected the Israelites from heavier oppressions, which otherwise they would have come under; and no doubt administered justice and judgment among them, and was an instrument of their reformation, and of preserving them from idolatry; for in such things the work of a judge chiefly lay: some from hence observe, that this shows the years of servitude and bondage are included in the years of the judges.

Judges 15:20 Parallel Commentaries

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Samson Defeats the Philistines
…18And he was sore thirsty, and called on the LORD, and said, You have given this great deliverance into the hand of your servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? 19But God split an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water out of there; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: why he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi to this day. 20And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets,
Judges 13:1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.
Judges 16:31 Then his brothers and his father's whole family went down to get him. They brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led Israel twenty years.