Judges 15:16 Then Samson said: "With the jawbone of a donkey I have piled them into heaps. With the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men."

◄ Judges 15:16 ►

New International Version
Then Samson said, “With a donkey’s jawbone I have made donkeys of them. With a donkey’s jawbone I have killed a thousand men.”

New Living Translation
Then Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, I’ve piled them in heaps! With the jawbone of a donkey, I’ve killed a thousand men!”

English Standard Version
And Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey have I struck down a thousand men.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then Samson said: “With the jawbone of a donkey I have piled them into heaps. With the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men.”

King James Bible
And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.

New King James Version
Then Samson said: “With the jawbone of a donkey, Heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men!”

New American Standard Bible
And Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, Heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of a donkey I have killed a thousand men.”

NASB 1995
Then Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, Heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of a donkey I have killed a thousand men.”

NASB 1977
Then Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, Heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of a donkey I have killed a thousand men.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, Heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of a donkey I have struck down 1,000 men.”

Amplified Bible
Then Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, Heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of a donkey I have struck down a thousand men.”

Christian Standard Bible
Then Samson said: With the jawbone of a donkey I have piled them in heaps. With the jawbone of a donkey I have killed a thousand men.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Samson said: With the jawbone of a donkey I have piled them in a heap. With the jawbone of a donkey I have killed 1,000 men.

American Standard Version
And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of an ass have I smitten a thousand men.

Contemporary English Version
After the fighting was over, he made up this poem about what he had done to the Philistines: I used a donkey's jawbone to kill a thousand men; I beat them with this jawbone over and over again.

English Revised Version
And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of an ass have I smitten a thousand men.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Samson said, "With a jawbone from a donkey, I've made two piles of them. With a jawbone from a donkey, I've killed a thousand men."

Good News Translation
So Samson sang, "With the jawbone of a donkey I killed a thousand men; With the jawbone of a donkey I piled them up in piles."

International Standard Version
Then Samson declared, "With a jawbone from the donkey— here a heap, there a pair of heaps— with the jawbone of the donkey I've killed 1,000 men."

Majority Standard Bible
Then Samson said: “With the jawbone of a donkey I have piled them into heaps. With the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men.”

NET Bible
Samson then said, "With the jawbone of a donkey I have left them in heaps; with the jawbone of a donkey I have struck down a thousand men!"

New Heart English Bible
Samson said, "With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps on heaps; with the jawbone of a donkey I have struck a thousand men."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Samson said, With the jaw-bone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.

World English Bible
Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps on heaps; with the jawbone of a donkey I have struck a thousand men.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And Samson says, “With the jawbone of a donkey, heap on heaps—I have struck down one thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey!”

Young's Literal Translation
And Samson saith, 'With a jaw-bone of the ass -- an ass upon asses -- with a jaw-bone of the ass I have smitten a thousand men.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Samson will say, With the jaw-bone of the ass, a heap, two heaps, with the jaw-bone of the ass I struck a thousand men.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: With the jawbone of an ass, with the jaw of the colt of asses I have destroyed them, and have slain a thousand men.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, with the jaw of the colt of a donkey, I have destroyed them, and I have struck down a thousand men.”

New American Bible
Then Samson said, “With the jawbone of an ass I have piled them in a heap; With the jawbone of an ass I have slain a thousand men.”

New Revised Standard Version
And Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass I have made heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of an ass I have slain a thousand men.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Samson said: “With the jaw of a donkey, heaps in a heap of them, with the jaw of a donkey I have killed one thousand men!”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Samson said: With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of an ass have I smitten a thousand men.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Sampson said, With the jaw-bone of an ass I have utterly destroyed them, for with the jaw-bone of an ass I have smitten a thousand men.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Samson's Revenge
…15He found the fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and struck down a thousand men. 16Then Samson said: “With the jawbone of a donkey I have piled them into heaps. With the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men.” 17And when Samson had finished speaking, he cast the jawbone from his hand; and he named that place Ramath-lehi.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

1 Samuel 17:49-51
Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, and slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. / Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. / David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword and pulled it from its sheath and killed him, and he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.

Hebrews 11:32-34
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

Joshua 23:10
One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised.

1 Samuel 14:6
Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”

1 Samuel 14:13-14
So Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. And the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off. / In that first assault, Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in about half an acre of land.

2 Samuel 23:8
These are the names of David’s mighty men: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed at one time.

1 Chronicles 11:11
This is the list of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the officers; he wielded his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed at one time.

1 Samuel 17:36-37
Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” / David added, “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” “Go,” said Saul, “and may the LORD be with you.”

2 Corinthians 10:4
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Psalm 18:34
He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

Psalm 144:1
Of David. Blessed be the LORD, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.

1 Samuel 17:45-47
But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. / This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand. This day I will strike you down, cut off your head, and give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the creatures of the earth. Then the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. / And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”

1 Samuel 17:50
Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

1 Samuel 18:7
And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

2 Samuel 21:15-22
Once again the Philistines waged war against Israel, and David and his servants went down and fought against the Philistines. But David became exhausted. / Then Ishbi-benob, a descendant of Rapha, whose bronze spear weighed three hundred shekels and who was bearing a new sword, resolved to kill David. / But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.” ...

Treasury of Scripture

And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps on heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.

with the jaw-bone.

Jump to Previous

Ass Ass's Blood Destruction Donkey Donkeys Donkey's Heaps Jaw Jawbone Jaw-Bone Killed Mouth-Bone Red Samson Slain Smitten Struck Thousand

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Ass Ass's Blood Destruction Donkey Donkeys Donkey's Heaps Jaw Jawbone Jaw-Bone Killed Mouth-Bone Red Samson Slain Smitten Struck Thousand

Judges 15

1. Samson is denied his wife
3. He burns the Philistines' corn with foxes and firebrands
6. His wife and her father are burnt by the Philistines
8. Samson smites them hip and thigh
9. He is bound by the men of Judah, and delivered to the Philistines
14. He kills them with a jawbone
18. God makes the fountain En-hakkore for him in Lehi

Berean Study Bible

Then Samson said
This phrase introduces a direct speech from Samson, one of the most enigmatic and powerful judges of Israel. The Hebrew root for "said" is אָמַר (amar), which is often used to denote not just speaking, but declaring or proclaiming something significant. In the context of Judges, Samson's words often carry weight and reflect his role as a divinely appointed judge and deliverer of Israel. Historically, Samson's life is set during a time of Philistine oppression, and his actions are seen as part of God's plan to deliver Israel from their enemies.

With the jawbone of a donkey
The jawbone of a donkey is an unusual weapon, highlighting the unconventional means by which God delivers His people. The Hebrew word for "jawbone" is לְחִי (lechi), and its use here emphasizes the miraculous nature of Samson's victory. Archaeologically, donkey bones have been found in ancient Near Eastern sites, underscoring their commonality and the everyday nature of the object Samson used. This phrase reminds us that God can use the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary.

I have slain a thousand men
This phrase underscores the magnitude of Samson's victory. The Hebrew word for "slain" is הִכָּה (hikkah), which means to strike or smite. The number "thousand" (אֶלֶף, eleph) is often used in the Bible to signify a large, complete number, indicating the totality of the victory. Historically, this event demonstrates the power of God working through Samson, despite his personal flaws, to deliver Israel from their enemies. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and ability to achieve His purposes through human agents.

With the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men
This repetition of the earlier phrase serves to emphasize the miraculous nature of the event. In Hebrew narrative, repetition is a literary device used to highlight important themes or events. Here, it underscores the divine empowerment of Samson and the fulfillment of God's promise to deliver Israel. The repetition also serves to inspire faith in God's ability to use unlikely means and people to accomplish His will, encouraging believers to trust in His providence and power.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass.--Here we once more find ourselves in very primitive regions of poetry and paronomasia. Samson's exultation over his extraordinary achievement finds vent in a sort of punning couplet, which turns entirely on the identity of sound between chamor, a heap, and chamor, an ass, and the play of meaning between aleph, a thousand, and aleph, an ox. In the Hebrew the couplet runs:--

"Bi-lechi ha-chamor chamor chamorathaim.

Bi-lechi ha-chamor hicceythi eleph eesh."

Literally, with some attempt, however clumsy, to keep up the play of words,

"With jaw of the ass, a (m)ass two (m) asses,

With jaw of the ass I smote an ox-load of men."

The versions are, of course, unable to preserve these rough paronomasias, which are characteristic of the age. It would be quite a mistake to infer that they show any levity of spirit in Samson. On the contrary, such peculiarities of expression often arise out of deep emotion. When John of Gaunt begins his dying speech to Richard II. with--

"Old Gaunt, indeed! and gaunt in being old," &c.,

the king asks:--

"Can sick men play so nicely with their names?"

and the dying prince makes the striking answer:--

"No; misery makes sport to mock herself." . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - And Samson said, etc. The exploit gave birth to one of Sam son's punning, enigmatical, sayings: "With the jawbone of the ass, one heap, two heads of slain." Hamor, an ass, means also an heap. If one were to imitate the passage in English, supposing that the jaw of a sheep had been the implement, it might run something like this - By the jaw of a sheep they fell heap upon heap. A Latin imitation is, Maxilla cervi, acervum acervos (Bochart). He adds, as if in explanation, With the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men. So the women sang, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands (1 Samuel 18:7), And a Latin song is quoted, in which Aurelian is made to say after the Sarmatic war - "Mille Sarmatas, mille Frances, Semel et semel occidimus, Mille Persas quaerimus" (Bp. Patrick on Judges 15.).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Then Samson
שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן (šim·šō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8123: Samson -- a deliverer of Israel

said:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“With the jawbone
בִּלְחִ֣י (bil·ḥî)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3895: The cheek, the jaw-bone

of a donkey
הַחֲמ֔וֹר (ha·ḥă·mō·wr)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2543: A male ass

I have piled them
חֲמ֖וֹר (ḥă·mō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2563: A bubbling up, of water, a wave, of earth, mire, clay, a heap, a chomer, dry measure

into heaps.
חֲמֹרָתָ֑יִם (ḥă·mō·rā·ṯā·yim)
Noun - md
Strong's 2563: A bubbling up, of water, a wave, of earth, mire, clay, a heap, a chomer, dry measure

With the jawbone
בִּלְחִ֣י (bil·ḥî)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3895: The cheek, the jaw-bone

of a donkey
הַחֲמ֔וֹר (ha·ḥă·mō·wr)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2543: A male ass

I have slain
הִכֵּ֖יתִי (hik·kê·ṯî)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

a thousand
אֶ֥לֶף (’e·lep̄)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 505: A thousand

men.”
אִֽישׁ׃ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

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OT History: Judges 15:16 Samson said With the jawbone (Jd Judg. Jdg)