SEV Biblia, Chapter 15:15
Y hallando a mano una quijada de asno aún fresca, extendió la mano y la tomó, e hirió con ella a mil hombres.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Judges 15:15
Verse 15. He found a new jaw-bone of an ass] I rather think that the word hyrf teriyah, which we translate new, and the margin moist, should be understood as signifying the tabia or putrid state of the ass from which this jawbone was taken. He found there a dead ass in a state of putrefaction; on which account he could the more easily separate the jaw from its integuments; this was a circumstance proper to be recorded by the historian, and a mark of the providence of God. But were we to understand it of a fresh jaw-bone, very lately separated from the head of an ass, the circumstance does not seem worthy of being recorded. With the jaw-bore of an ass, heaps upon heaps] I cannot see the propriety of this rendering of the Hebrew words rwmj rwmjh yjlb µytrmj bilchi hachamor, chemor chamorathayim; I believe they should be translated thus: - "With the jaw-bone of this ass, an ass (the foal) of two asses; "With the jaw- bone of this ass I have slain a thousand men." This appears to have been a triumphal song on the occasion; and the words are variously rendered both by the versions, and by expositors.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. And he found a new jawbone of an ass , etc.] That is, the jawbone of an ass lately killed, which perhaps had some of the flesh upon it, the blood or purulent matter on it; for Jarchi says, he had read in the books of physicians, that the word here used signifies the sanies or purulent matter of a wound; however, it was moist, and fresh, and so tough and strong, and would bear to strike with, and give hard blows with, when an old jawbone would have been dry and brittle; and perhaps the asses of those countries were larger than ours, and so their jawbones bigger and stronger: and put forth his hand and took it ; it lay near him, being so disposed by the providence of God at the time and place where his cords were loosed from him, and he reached and took it up: and slew one thousand men therewith , such was his great strength, that every blow he gave in all probability killed a man; there have been wonderful things done by mighty warriors, but none like this; they have by the use of warlike weapons destroyed many, as with the sword or spear, but not with such an instrument. One of David’s worthies slew three hundred men at one time with his spear, ( 1 Chronicles 11:11) and Scanderbeg with his sword slew great numbers of the Turks with his own hand at different times; what comes nearest to this is Shamgar’s killing six hundred Philistines with an ox goad, ( Judges 3:31), this may be an emblem of the weak and contemptible means of the Gospel, the foolishness of preaching, by which Christ has conquered and subdued multitudes to himself.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-17 - Sin dispirits men, it hides from their eyes the things that belong to their peace. The Israelites blamed Samson for what he had done agains the Philistines, as if he had done them a great injury. Thus our Lor Jesus did many good works, and for those the Jews were ready to ston him. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, his cords wer loosed: where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and thos are free indeed who are thus set free. Thus Christ triumphed over the powers of darkness that shouted against him, as if they had him in their power. Samson made great destruction among the Philistines. To take the bone of an ass for this, was to do wonders by the foolis things of the world, that the excellency of the power might be of God not of man. This victory was not in the weapon, was not in the arm; but it was in the Spirit of God, which moved the weapon by the arm. We can do all things through Him that strengtheneth us. Seest thou a poor Christian, who is enabled to overcome a temptation by weak, feebl counsel, there is the Philistine vanquished by a sorry jaw-bone.
Original Hebrew
וימצא 4672 לחי 3895 חמור 2543 טריה 2961 וישׁלח 7971 ידו 3027 ויקחה 3947 ויך 5221 בה אלף 505 אישׁ׃ 376
