Judges 16:21 - The Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he ground at the mill in the prison.
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What does "Judges 16:21" mean?
Judges 16:21 describes the brutal consequences of Samson's capture by the Philistines:
"The Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes": This signifies Samson's utter defeat and humiliation. By blinding him, the Philistines robbed him of his physical strength and his ability to see, both literally and figuratively. It also represents his loss of power and independence.
"and they brought him down to Gaza": Gaza was a major Philistine city, likely a place where they wanted to showcase their victory over Samson. Bringing him there served as a public display of his defeat and their dominance.
"and bound him with fetters of brass": The strong, heavy fetters represent Samson's physical captivity and the Philistines' control over him. The use of brass or bronze emphasizes the strength and permanence of his imprisonment.
"and he ground at the mill in the prison": This is perhaps the most humiliating detail. Grinding grain at the mill was a menial, demeaning task typically performed by animals or slaves. For a man of Samson's strength and stature, being forced to perform this labor was a profound symbol of his degradation and loss of status. It highlighted the complete reversal of his fortunes.
In summary, this verse illustrates Samson's complete fall from grace. He was once a powerful judge of Israel, chosen by God and feared by the Philistines. Now, he is blind, imprisoned, and forced into humiliating servitude. This sets the stage for the final act of his life, where he ultimately uses his remaining strength to exact revenge on the Philistines.
Judges 16:21 - The Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he ground at the mill in the prison.
What does "Judges 16:21" mean?
Judges 16:21 describes the brutal consequences of Samson's capture by the Philistines:
"The Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes": This signifies Samson's utter defeat and humiliation. By blinding him, the Philistines robbed him of his physical strength and his ability to see, both literally and figuratively. It also represents his loss of power and independence.
"and they brought him down to Gaza": Gaza was a major Philistine city, likely a place where they wanted to showcase their victory over Samson. Bringing him there served as a public display of his defeat and their dominance.
"and bound him with fetters of brass": The strong, heavy fetters represent Samson's physical captivity and the Philistines' control over him. The use of brass or bronze emphasizes the strength and permanence of his imprisonment.
"and he ground at the mill in the prison": This is perhaps the most humiliating detail. Grinding grain at the mill was a menial, demeaning task typically performed by animals or slaves. For a man of Samson's strength and stature, being forced to perform this labor was a profound symbol of his degradation and loss of status. It highlighted the complete reversal of his fortunes.
In summary, this verse illustrates Samson's complete fall from grace. He was once a powerful judge of Israel, chosen by God and feared by the Philistines. Now, he is blind, imprisoned, and forced into humiliating servitude. This sets the stage for the final act of his life, where he ultimately uses his remaining strength to exact revenge on the Philistines.