## Malbim on Judges Chapter 16

###### Malbim on Judges 16:1:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:1:1)

**וילך שמשון עזתה.** לא פחד לבא בעיר גדולה מוקפת חומה דלתים ובריח ולשכב בבית זונה בלא פחד, ולא עוד אלא...

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And Samson went to Gaza.** He was not afraid to enter a large city surrounded by walls, gates, and bars, and to lie in the house of a harlot without fear — and not only that, but…


###### Malbim on Judges 16:2:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:2:1)

**לעזתים לאמר.** שצוה שיאמרו לעזתים שבא שמשון הנה הוא עצמו הוציא קול ששמשון הוא בעיר, רק לא הגיד שהוא הוא שמשון בעצמו:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**To the Gazites, saying.** He commanded that it be announced to the people of Gaza that Samson had come; thus he himself caused it to be proclaimed that Samson was in the city, yet he did not reveal that he himself was Samson.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:2:2
[Malbim on Judges 16:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:2:2)

**ויסבו.** אחר שלא הכירו את המגיד וחשבו שאינו שמשון, סבו לדרוש ולחקור עליו ולתפשו בעת ירצה לצאת ויסבו בעיר וגם ארבו בשער ע"י שסגרו השער במנעול בל יוכל לצאת. ומלת **אור**, פעל עבר, עד יאור הבקר.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And they surrounded.** Since they did not recognize the informer and assumed he was not Samson, they went about searching and investigating him in order to seize him when he would attempt to leave; they surrounded the city and also lay in wait at the gate, having locked it so that he could not go out. And the word **“light”** is in the past tense — meaning, until the morning would be light.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:3:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:3:1)

**ויאחז בדלתות.** וזה גבורה יותר משאם אוחז בבריח ושוברו, ב) ששם המשא הזאת על כתפיו, ג) **ויעלם** דרך יום נשא אותם, כמו שאמר חז"ל, ומלת ויסעם שהוא יוצא מן הקל מורה שע"י נסיעתו בעצמו הסיע גם אותם וכן ויסע את היתד הארג מורה על קלות הפעולה כי היה לו לומר ויסיעם.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And he seized the doors.** This was an even greater display of strength than if he had merely grasped the bar and broken it. (b) He placed that burden upon his shoulders. (c) **And he carried them up** — he bore them for the distance of a day’s journey, as the Sages said. The word “and he pulled them up” (vayissa‘em), which is in the simple form, indicates that by his own movement he caused them to be carried as well; similarly, “and he pulled up the peg of the loom” implies the ease of the action, for it would otherwise have said “and he caused them to be pulled up.”


###### Malbim on Judges 16:4:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:4:1)

**ויהי אחרי כן.** עבירה גוררת עבירה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And it came to pass afterward.** One transgression leads to another.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:4:2
[Malbim on Judges 16:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:4:2)

**ושמה דלילה.** הראשונה גייר ושינה שמה לשם יהדות, אבל זו לא נתגיירה ונשאר שמה דלילה. וכן אמר בירושלמי (פרק ראשון דסוטה הלכה ח) שבתמנתה דרך נשואין היה ולא בעזה. וחז"ל דרשו דלדלה כחו ומעשיו ולבו.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And her name was Delilah.** The first woman converted and changed her name to a Jewish name, but this one did not convert and remained with the name Delilah. So it is stated in the Jerusalem Talmud (Sotah 1:8) that in Timnah it was by way of marriage, but not in Gaza. And the Sages expounded that she “diluted” (dalelah) his strength, his deeds, and his heart.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:5:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:5:1)

**השאלות**
**(ה-יח) הם דרשו שני דברים במה כחו גדול, ובמה יוכלו לאסרו, וכן שאלה בפעם הראשון והוא לא השיב רק במה יוכלו לאסרו, ולא על במה כחו גדול, ובפעם הב' והג' לא שאלה ממנו רק במה כחו גדול, במה הכירה בפעם האחרון שהגיד לה את כל לבו, ולמה בפעמים הראשונים אמר והייתי כאחד האדם, ובפעם האחרון אמר והייתי ככל האדם:**

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**Questions (5–18): They inquired about two matters — wherein lies his great strength, and how they might bind him — yet in the first instance she asked him, and he answered only how he might be bound, not wherein his strength lies. In the second and third instances she asked only about the source of his strength. By what sign did she recognize in the final instance that he had told her all his heart? And why in the earlier instances did he say, “and I shall be like one of men,” whereas in the last he said, “and I shall be like any man”?**


###### Malbim on Judges 16:5:2
[Malbim on Judges 16:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:5:2)

**וראי במה כחו גדול ובמה נוכל לו.** בקשו שני דברים:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And see wherein his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him.** They requested two things:


###### Malbim on Judges 16:5:3
[Malbim on Judges 16:5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:5:3)

א) שתראה מה הסבה שבעבורה כחו גדול, כי חשבו שאינו כטבע רק ע"י איזה סגולה, ואז יוכלו להתחכם כנגדו להסיר הסבה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(a) That she discover the cause by which his strength was so great, for they assumed it was not natural but due to some special quality; and if so, they could devise a strategy to remove that cause.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:5:4
[Malbim on Judges 16:5:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:5:4)

ב) שגם אם הוא בטבע תדרוש באיזה אופן יאסר, כי יש מי שכחו בידיו ולא ברגליו, ויאסר ברגליו או במקום אחר מן הגוף שאינו חזק שם, ואמרו **וראי** רצה לומר שתבחון את דבריו אם כנים הם, ואמרו **ואסרנוהו לענותו**, הוא הבטחה שלא ימיתו אותו וכן קיימו הבטחתם שלא ימיתו אותו ולא המיתוהו רק נקרו את עיניו.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(b) And even if his strength were natural, she should investigate by what means he might be bound; for there are those whose strength lies in their hands but not in their feet, and he might be bound at the feet or at some other part of the body where he is not strong. And they said **“and see”** — meaning, examine whether his words are true. And when they said **“and we will bind him to afflict him,”** this was a promise that they would not kill him; and they kept their word — they did not put him to death but only put out his eyes.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:6:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:6:1)

**ותאמר.** וכן שאלה אותו על שני דברים הנזכרים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And she said.** She likewise asked him concerning the two matters mentioned.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:7:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:7:1)

**ויאמר אליה.** והוא לא השיב לה רק במה יאסר ולא על במה כחו גדול, כאילו אינו יודע סבה לזה כי הוא בטבע, רק שבחן שבזה יאסר.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And he said to her.** He answered her only regarding how he might be bound, and not about wherein his great strength lay — as though he did not know any special cause for it, for it was natural to him — but he merely tested her by saying how he could be restrained.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:10:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:10:1)

**ותאמר דלילה כו' הנה התלת בי.** רצה לומר היא האמינה לו במ"ש שאנו יודע במה כחו גדול, אבל אחר שהודה שיודע במה יאסר, א"כ **למה דברת כזבים, ועתה הגידה נא לי** האמת **במה תאסר.**

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And Delilah said… “Behold, you have mocked me.”** That is, she believed him when he implied that he knew wherein his strength lay; but since he admitted that he knew by what means he could be bound, then **why have you spoken lies? Now tell me,** truly, **by what you may be bound.**


###### Malbim on Judges 16:11:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:11:1)

**ויאמר אליה.** השיב שלא דבר כזבים כלל, רק ששכח תנאי בדבריו:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And he said to her.** He replied that he had not spoken falsely at all, but had merely omitted a condition in his words.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:11:2
[Malbim on Judges 16:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:11:2)

א) שהיתרים צריכים להיות **עבותים**, רצה לומר קלועים משלשה,

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(a) That the cords must be **thick** — that is, braided of three strands.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:11:3
[Malbim on Judges 16:11:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:11:3)

ב) שצריך ש**לא נעשה בם מלאכה.**

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(b) That they must be such as **have not been used for any work.**


###### Malbim on Judges 16:12:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:12:1)

**וינתקם כו' כחוט.** רצה לומר לא בקלות גדול כראשונים רק כחוט, שהאדם הנותקו ינתקנו במעט כח.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And he snapped them… like a thread.** That is to say, not with as great ease as before, but like a thread — which a person can tear apart with a small amount of force.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:13:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:13:1)

**עד הנה התלת בי.** רצה לומר בראשונה תרצת דבריך, אבל עתה נודע שהתלת בי בשתי הפעמים:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**Until now you have mocked me.** That is to say, at first you justified your words, but now it is evident that you have mocked me on both occasions.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:14:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:14:1)

**ותתקע.** פה לא כתוב והאורב יושב בחדר, כי אחר שכזבה שתי פעמים לא שמו לב לדבריה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And she fastened it.** Here it does not say, “and the ambusher was sitting in the chamber,” for after she had deceived them twice, they no longer paid attention to her words.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:15:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:15:1)

**ולא הגדת לי במה כחך גדול.** אחר שכבר כזב לה ג' פעמים שבה לבקש השאלה הראשונה במה כחו גדול, אחר שלא יכלה עוד לבקש במה יאסר, שכבר כחש לה ג' פעמים, ואם תוסיף בזה לשאול יבין כי שרי פלשתים עמה בקושרים, לכן בקשה רק במה כחו גדול, כאילו תרצה לדעת טבעו ותכונתו לא לדעת במה יאסר.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And you have not told me wherein your great strength lies.** After he had already deceived her three times, she returned to ask the original question — wherein his great strength lay — since she could no longer continue asking by what means he might be bound, for he had denied her three times. If she persisted in that line of questioning, he would realize that the princes of the Philistines were conspiring with her. Therefore she asked only about the source of his strength, as though she wished merely to understand his nature and disposition, not to know how he might be bound.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:17:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:17:1)

**ויגד.** נפתה כיונה פותה ויגד לה שתי השאלות: א) במה כחו גדול, שהוא ע"י הנזירות, ב) במה יאסר שהוא אם יגולח,

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And he told.** He was enticed like a simple dove and told her both matters: (a) wherein his great strength lay — namely, through his Nazirite status; and (b) by what he might be bound — namely, if he were shaven.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:17:2
[Malbim on Judges 16:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:17:2)

והנה בפעמים הראשונים אמר **והייתי כאחד האדם**, ועתה אמר **והייתי ככל האדם**, כי נשמר מלדבר שקר ואמר כאחד האדם, היינו כאדם המיוחד בגבורה (שמבואר אצלי שמלת אחד הנסמך לה"א הידיעה מורה על הדבר המיוחד כמו אחד ההרים וכדומה) ועתה אמר ככל האדם, החלשים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
In the earlier instances he said, **“and I shall be like one of men,”** but now he said, **“and I shall be like any man.”** For he was careful not to speak falsehood and therefore said “like one of men,” meaning like a particular man distinguished for strength (as I have explained that the word “one,” when connected to the definite article, denotes something distinctive, as in “one of the mountains,” and the like). But now he said “like any man,” that is, like ordinary, weak men.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:18:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:18:1)

**ותרא דלילה כי הגיד לה את כל לבו.** זה ראתה במה שהגיד לה עתה שתי השאלות במה כחו גדול ובמה יאסר, שאם היה רוצה לשקר היה מגיד רק במה כחו גדול, שבזה אף אם תגלח אותו ויהיה כחו גדול גם אחר הגלוח, לא היה שקרן כי יצוייר שכחו גדול ע"י הנזירות, ולא יוסר הכח ע"י הגלוח, אחר שלא התגלח מדעתו ולא חלל נזירותו ברצון, והוא אמר אם גולחתי בפעל שמשמע אף ע"י אחרים, וע"כ **ותשלח ותקרא לסרני פלשתים לאמר עלו הפעם וכו'** כי בפעם הקודם לא עלו כנ"ל.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart.** She recognized this because he now answered both questions — wherein his strength lay and by what means he might be bound. For had he intended to deceive her, he would have told her only wherein his strength lay; in that case, even if she shaved him and his strength remained afterward, he would not be a liar, for it could be said that his strength derived from his Nazirite status and would not be removed by shaving, since he had not shaved of his own will nor willfully profaned his Nazirite vow. Yet he said, “if I be shaved,” in a form implying even if done by others. Therefore, **she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, ‘Come up this time,’** for on the previous occasion they had not come up, as mentioned above.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:22:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:22:1)

**ויחל שער ראשו לצמח.** אמר בפעל הכבד על שצמחו במהירות שלא כדרך הרגיל, שאם לא כן יקשה איך לא נזהרו פלשתים לגלחו מפקידה לפקידה בידעם שכחו תלוי בשערותיו, ועל זה אמר כאשר גולח רצה לומר תיכף אחר הגלוח התחילו לצמח.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And the hair of his head began to grow.** It uses the intensive form of the verb to indicate that it grew rapidly, not in the usual manner; otherwise it would be difficult to understand how the Philistines were not careful to shave him repeatedly, knowing that his strength depended on his hair. Therefore it says, “when he was shaved” — meaning, immediately after the shaving it began to grow.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:23:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:23:1)

וסרני פלשתים וכו' ויראו אותו העם וכו': רצה לומר הסרנים עשו זבח מצד שהוא אויבם, והעם הללו על ג' דברים:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And the lords of the Philistines… and the people saw him…** That is to say, the lords offered a sacrifice because he was their enemy, while the people praised (their god) for three reasons:


###### Malbim on Judges 16:23:2
[Malbim on Judges 16:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:23:2)

א) שהוא **אויבם**,

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(a) That he was **their enemy,**


###### Malbim on Judges 16:23:3
[Malbim on Judges 16:23:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:23:3)

ב) **מחריב ארצם** ששרף שדותיהם,

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(b) That he was the **destroyer of their land,** for he had burned their fields,


###### Malbim on Judges 16:23:4
[Malbim on Judges 16:23:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:23:4)

ג) **שהרבה בם חללים**, משא"כ אל הסרנים לא עשה הרעות האלה. (**ולשמחה** מקור במשקל ליראה את ה'):

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And they struck them at Bezek.** At first the camps went out with their commanders and arrayed themselves around Bezek, and there they struck ten thousand men. And when it says “at Bezek,” it means around Bezek, as in: “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho” (Joshua 5).



(“Adoni-Bezek” the first time is accented on the last syllable [milra], and this indicates that the yod is not additional; rather, the yod strengthens the name, as is found in Scripture. But the second and third occurrences of “Adoni-Bezek” are accented on the penultimate syllable [mil‘el], which is a sign that the yod is additional — for by then he was no longer a lord.)


###### Malbim on Judges 16:25:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:25:1)

**ויאמר אליה:** השיב שלא דבר כזבים כלל, רק ששכח תנאי בדבריו:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And he said to her:** He answered that he had not spoken falsely at all, but had merely omitted a condition in his words.


###### Malbim on Judges 16:29:1
[Malbim on Judges 16:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Malbim%20on%20Judges/r/16:29:1)

**ויסמך.** מבואר אצלי בחבורי התורה והמצוה (ע"ס תורת כהנים) שיש הבדל בין שען ובין סמך. שהסמיכה הוא בכל כחו כמו שאמר חז"ל סמיכה בכל כחו בעינן, והשעינה הוא קצת גופו ולכן להנער אמר **ואשען עליהם**, ובאמת **ויסמך בכל כחו.**

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
**And he leaned.** I have explained in my work *Torah ve-haMitzvah* (on Torat Kohanim) that there is a distinction between “to lean” (sha‘an) and “to press/lean with support” (samak). “Semikhah” implies with all one’s strength — as the Sages said, “semikhah requires all one’s strength” — whereas “sha‘inah” indicates only part of one’s weight. Therefore to the lad he said, **“and I will lean upon them,”** but in fact **he pressed with all his strength.**