Judges 15:10 - The men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” They said, “We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he has done to us.”

Generated Verse: Judges 15:10

What does "Judges 15:10" mean?


Judges 15:10 is part of the story of Samson, a judge of Israel known for his incredible strength and his ongoing conflict with the Philistines. Let's break down the verse:

"The men of Judah said, 'Why have you come up against us?'": The men of Judah (the tribe of Judah) are speaking to a large group of Philistines who have come to their land. They are asking the Philistines for their reason for this hostile arrival. Judah is seemingly neutral in the conflict between Samson and the Philistines, and they are concerned about being caught in the crossfire.

"They said, 'We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he has done to us.'": The Philistines respond, stating their sole purpose is to capture Samson. They want to punish him in the same way that Samson has punished them. Samson had been carrying out a series of attacks against the Philistines (including killing many of them) as revenge for personal grievances and to defend Israel.

In essence, the verse reveals a tense situation:

The Philistines are on a mission of revenge against Samson.
The men of Judah are caught in the middle and want to avoid conflict with the powerful Philistines. They are likely afraid of the Philistines and perhaps even resent Samson's actions for drawing the Philistines' attention to their territory.
The verse sets the stage for the next part of the story, where the men of Judah decide to betray Samson and hand him over to the Philistines to avoid trouble.

This verse is important because it highlights the complex dynamics between the Israelites, the Philistines, and Samson. It reveals the fear and political considerations that led the Israelites to turn against their own deliverer.

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