Judges 15:8
New International Version
He attacked them viciously and slaughtered many of them. Then he went down and stayed in a cave in the rock of Etam.

New Living Translation
So he attacked the Philistines with great fury and killed many of them. Then he went to live in a cave in the rock of Etam.

English Standard Version
And he struck them hip and thigh with a great blow, and he went down and stayed in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

Berean Standard Bible
And he struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter, and then went down and stayed in the cave at the rock of Etam.

King James Bible
And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.

New King James Version
So he attacked them hip and thigh with a great slaughter; then he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

New American Standard Bible
So he struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter; and afterward he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

NASB 1995
He struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

NASB 1977
And he struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

Amplified Bible
Then he struck them without mercy, a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

Christian Standard Bible
He tore them limb from limb and then went down and stayed in the cave at the rock of Etam.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He tore them limb from limb with a great slaughter, and he went down and stayed in the cave at the rock of Etam.

American Standard Version
And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

Contemporary English Version
Then Samson started hacking them to pieces with his sword. Samson left Philistia and went to live in the cave at Etam Rock.

English Revised Version
And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So he attacked them violently and slaughtered them. Then he went to live in a cave in the cliff at Etam.

Good News Translation
He attacked them fiercely and killed many of them. Then he went and stayed in the cave in the cliff at Etam.

International Standard Version
So he attacked them ruthlessly in a massive slaughter, then left to live in the caves of Etam.

Majority Standard Bible
And he struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter, and then went down and stayed in the cave at the rock of Etam.

NET Bible
He struck them down and defeated them. Then he went down and lived for a time in the cave in the cliff of Etam.

New Heart English Bible
He struck them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter. And he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.

World English Bible
He struck them hip and thigh with a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cave in Etam’s rock.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he strikes them hip and thigh [with] a great striking, and goes down and dwells in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

Young's Literal Translation
And he smiteth them hip and thigh -- a great smiting, and goeth down and dwelleth in the cleft of the rock Etam.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will strike them leg upon thigh, a great smiting. And he will go down and dwell in the cleft of the rock Etam.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he made a great slaughter of them, so that in astonishment they laid the calf of the leg upon the thigh. And going down he dwelt in a cavern of the rock Etam.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he struck them with a tremendous slaughter, so much so that, out of astonishment, they laid the calf of the leg upon the thigh. And descending, he lived in a cave of the rock at Etam.

New American Bible
And he struck them hip and thigh—a great slaughter. Then he went down and stayed in a cleft of the crag of Etam.

New Revised Standard Version
He struck them down hip and thigh with great slaughter; and he went down and stayed in the cleft of the rock of Etam.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter; and he went down and dwelt in a cave of the rock of Atmin.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he struck them with slaughter from their legs and unto their loins, a great slaughter, and he went on and dwelt in an overhang of a cliff of Atmin
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter; and he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he smote them leg on thigh with a great overthrow; and went down and dwelt in a cave of the rock Etam.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Samson's Revenge
7And Samson told them, “Because you have done this, I will not rest until I have taken vengeance upon you.” 8And he struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter, and then went down and stayed in the cave at the rock of Etam. 9Then the Philistines went up, camped in Judah, and deployed themselves near the town of Lehi.…

Cross References
Judges 14:19
Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. And burning with anger, Samson returned to his father’s house,

Judges 16:28-30
Then Samson called out to the LORD: “O Lord GOD, please remember me. Strengthen me, O God, just once more, so that with one vengeful blow I may pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.” / And Samson reached out for the two central pillars supporting the temple. Bracing himself against them with his right hand on one pillar and his left hand on the other, / Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people in it. So in his death he killed more than he had killed in his life.

1 Samuel 14:47-48
After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them. / He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of its plunderers.

1 Samuel 18:25-27
Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines. / When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, / David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.

1 Samuel 23:1-5
Now it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.” / So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” / But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” ...

2 Samuel 5:17-25
When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went in search of him; but David learned of this and went down to the stronghold. / Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. / So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go up,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.” ...

2 Samuel 8:1-14
Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah from the hand of the Philistines. / David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute. / David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River. ...

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.” ...

1 Kings 11:15-16
Earlier, when David was in Edom, Joab the commander of the army had gone to bury the dead and had struck down every male in Edom. / Joab and all Israel had stayed there six months, until he had killed every male in Edom.

1 Chronicles 11:22-23
And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion. / He also struck down an Egyptian, a huge man five cubits tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s beam in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear.

1 Chronicles 14:8-17
When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they all went in search of him; but David learned of this and went out to face them. / Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim. / So David inquired of God, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go,” replied the LORD, “for I will deliver them into your hand.” ...

1 Chronicles 18:1-13
Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its villages from the hand of the Philistines. / David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to David and brought him tribute. / As far as Hamath, David also defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah, who had marched out to establish his dominion along the Euphrates River. ...

Matthew 11:12
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence, and the violent lay claim to it.

Luke 9:54-56
When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” / But Jesus turned and rebuked them. / And He and His disciples went on to another village.

John 2:15-17
So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. / To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!” / His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.”


Treasury of Scripture

And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelled in the top of the rock Etam.

Isaiah 25:10
For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.

Isaiah 63:3,6
I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment…

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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














And he struck them down
This phrase indicates a decisive and forceful action taken by Samson against the Philistines. The Hebrew root word for "struck" is "נָכָה" (nakah), which often implies a severe blow or defeat. Historically, this reflects the ongoing conflict between the Israelites and the Philistines, where God used Samson as a judge to deliver His people. Samson's actions, though violent, were part of God's plan to weaken the Philistine oppression over Israel.

with a great slaughter
The term "great slaughter" emphasizes the magnitude of Samson's victory. The Hebrew word for "slaughter" is "מַכָּה" (makkah), which can mean a plague or a severe blow, indicating the extent of the defeat inflicted upon the Philistines. This event showcases the extraordinary strength given to Samson by God, serving as a reminder of divine intervention in the affairs of Israel. It also highlights the seriousness of the conflict and the lengths to which God would go to protect His chosen people.

and he went down
The phrase "went down" suggests a movement from a place of confrontation to a place of refuge. In the biblical narrative, this often signifies a transition from public action to private reflection or safety. Samson's retreat after the battle indicates a need for rest and perhaps a strategic withdrawal to avoid immediate retaliation from the Philistines.

and stayed in the cave
The word "stayed" implies a temporary dwelling or hiding. The Hebrew root "יָשַׁב" (yashab) means to sit, dwell, or remain. Caves in ancient times were often used as places of refuge or hiding, providing natural protection. This setting underscores Samson's isolation and the solitary nature of his mission. It also reflects a period of waiting and preparation for what God would have him do next.

at the rock of Etam
The "rock of Etam" is a specific geographical location, likely a stronghold or a place of strategic importance. The name "Etam" means "lair of wild beasts," suggesting a rugged and remote area. This location provided Samson with a defensible position and a place to regroup. In a broader spiritual sense, the rock symbolizes strength and stability, pointing to God as the ultimate refuge and fortress for His people. The choice of this location highlights the theme of God providing safety and security amidst trials and adversities.

(8) Hip and thigh.--There is no doubt that the expression intensifies the words "with a great slaughter;" but the origin of the phrase is a matter of conjecture. It may be purely general, like the German expression "Arm und Bein," or "er hieb den Feind in die Pfanne," or "in Kochstcke" ("A blow strikes a fugitive on the hip, and that would be enough; another blow on the thigh ends him"). "Hence," says Ewald, "it means thigh over and above"--i.e., besides the hip. It cannot possibly mean "cavalry and infantry," as the Chaldee renders it, or be a reference to wrestling (Greek, huposkelizein); nor is it likely to have a sacrificial origin ("good and bad pieces"). It is hard to see what St. Jerome means by his gloss "ita ut slupentes suram femori imponerent." Literally it is, thigh upon hip, or leg upon thigh (LXX., ?????? ??? ?????). May it not have had its origin in some such fierce custom as that known to the Greeks as akroteriasmos, or maschalismos, in which the extremities of a corpse were cut off and placed under the arm-pits? ('sch. Cho. 439; Soph. El. 445.) Thus in Hesychius and Suidas maschalismata means "mutilated limbs," and also "the flesh of the shoulders laid on the haunches at sacrifices."

With a great slaughter.--It is not said, nor is it necessarily implied (any more than in the case of Shamgar), that Samson was absolutely alone in these raids. There is nothing either in the narrative or in the ordinary style of Hebrew prose which makes any such inference necessary, nor, indeed, is there any such inference drawn in many similar passages (e.g., Judgesi. 20, &c.).

In the top of the rock Etam.--It should undoubtedly be in a ravine (or cave) of the cliff Etam. For instance, in Judges 15:11 the men of Judah could not go down to the top of a rock, and the same word is rendered "cleft" in Isaiah 57:5, and should be so rendered for "top" in Isaiah 3:21 (LXX., "in a hole of the rock," and "in the cave of Etam;" Vulg., in spelunca petrae). This explains the expression "went down" in this verse, and "brought him up" in Judges 15:13. Such cliff-caves are the natural refuge of oppressed peoples (Judges 6:2; 1Samuel 13:6; 1Kings 18:13). These caves, like the cave of Aduliam, are often supplied with water by natural springs, and one man may defend them against a multitude. The LXX. (Cod. A) add the words "by the torrent." The site of Etam is uncertain; but it is in the tribe of Judah, which Samson only enters once, or, possibly (Judges 16:3), twice, and then only as a fugitive. . . .

Verse 8. - He smote them hip and thigh, etc. A proverbial expression, the origin of which is uncertain; it means, he smote them with a great and complete slaughter. It is reasonable to suppose that he had gathered a few Hebrews round him to help him. He went down, etc. This shows that Etam must have been situated lower than Tinmath, and seems to preclude its identification with Urtas, in the hill country of Judah, between Bethlehem and Tekoah, which apparently represents the Etam of 2 Chronicles 11:6. But there is another Etam in the tribe of Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:32), which may possibly be the Etam of our text. In the top of the rock. Rather, the cleft or fissure of the rock - some narrow and inaccessible ravine. The site has not been identified.

CHAPTER 15:9-20

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And he struck
וַיַּ֨ךְ (way·yaḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

them ruthlessly
שׁ֛וֹק (šō·wq)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7785: The, leg

with a great
גְדוֹלָ֑ה (ḡə·ḏō·w·lāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

slaughter,
מַכָּ֣ה (mak·kāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4347: A wound, carnage, pestilence

and then went down
וַיֵּ֣רֶד (way·yê·reḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

and stayed
וַיֵּ֔שֶׁב (way·yê·šeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in the cave
בִּסְעִ֖יף (bis·‘îp̄)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5585: A fissure, a bough

at the rock
סֶ֥לַע (se·la‘)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5553: A craggy rock

of Etam.
עֵיטָֽם׃ (‘ê·ṭām)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5862: Etam -- three places in Israel


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OT History: Judges 15:8 He struck them hip and thigh (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 15:7
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