New American Standard Bible 1995

Back to Reader

Judges

16

:

3

Now Samson lay until midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts and pulled them up along with the bars; then he put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain which is opposite Hebron.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Now Samson a deliverer of Isr. Noun H8123 שִׁמְשֹׁון֮ shim·sho·vn
lay to lie down Verb H7901 וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב vai·yish·kav
until as far as, even to, up to, until, while Prepostion H5704 עַד־ ad-
midnight, half Noun H2677 חֲצִ֣י cha·tzi
and at midnight half Noun H2677 בַּחֲצִ֣י ba·cha·tzi
he arose to arise, stand up, stand Verb H6965 וַיָּ֣קָם vai·ya·kam
and took hold to grasp, take hold, take possession Verb H270 וַיֶּאֱחֹ֞ז vai·ye·'e·choz
of the doors a door Noun H1817 בְּדַלְתֹ֤ות be·dal·to·vt
of the city city, town Noun H5892 הָעִיר֙ ha·'ir
gate a gate Noun H8179 שַֽׁעַר־ sha·'ar-
and the two two (a card. number) Noun H8147 וּבִשְׁתֵּ֣י u·vish·tei
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

posts a doorpost, gatepost Noun H4201 הַמְּזוּזֹ֔ות ham·me·zu·zo·vt,
and pulled to pull out or up, set out, journey Verb H5265 וַיִּסָּעֵם֙ vai·yis·sa·'em
them up along with Prepostion H5973 עִֽם־ im-
with the bars; a bar Noun H1280 הַבְּרִ֔יחַ hab·be·ri·ach,
then he put to put, place, set Verb H7760 וַיָּ֖שֶׂם vai·ya·sem
them on his shoulders shoulder, shoulder blade, side Noun H3802 כְּתֵפָ֑יו ke·te·fav;
and carried to go up, ascend, climb Verb H5927 וַֽיַּעֲלֵם֙ vai·ya·'a·lem
them up to the top head Noun H7218 רֹ֣אשׁ rosh
of the mountain mountain, hill, hill country Noun H2022 הָהָ֔ר ha·har,
Analysis:

Mountain often represents Government and power in the Jewish mind set. 

which who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֖ר a·sher
is opposite upon, above, over Prepostion H5921 עַל־ al-
Hebron. "association, league," a city in S. Judah Noun H2275 חֶבְרֹֽון׃ chev·ro·vn.
Analysis:
Read more about: Hebron

Locations

Hebron

HEBRON (1)he'-brun (chebhron, "league" or "confederacy"; Chebron): One of the most ancient and important cities in Southern Palestine, now known to the Moslems as el Khalil (i.e. Khalil er Rahman, "the friend of the Merciful," i.e. of God, a favorite name for Abraham; compare James 2:23). The city is some 20 miles South of Jerusalem, situated in an open vall... View Details

Put

PUTput (puT; Phoud, in Genesis and Chronicles, variant for Genesis Phout, for Chronicles, Phouth):1. Renderings:In consequence of the identification at the time, the prophets have "Libya" (Libues), except Nab 3:9, where the Greek renders the word as phuge, "flight." The Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) has "Phut," "Phuth," and in the Prophets "Li... View Details

People

Put

a son of Ham, also his desc. and their land

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 Now Samson lay until midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts and pulled them up along with the bars; then he put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain which is opposite Hebron.
King James Bible Now And Samson lay until till midnight, and at midnight he arose at midnight, and took hold of the doors of the city gate of the city, and the two posts posts, and pulled them up along went away with the bars; then he them, bar and all, and put them on upon his shoulders shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the mountain which an hill that is opposite before Hebron.
Hebrew Greek English Now Samson lay until midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts and pulled them up along with the bars; then he put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain which is opposite Hebron.