Judges 16:21

Authorized King James Version

But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וַיֹּֽאחֲז֣וּהוּ
took
to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)
#2
פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים
But the Philistines
a pelishtite or inhabitant of pelesheth
#3
וַֽיְנַקְּר֖וּ
him and put out
to bore (penetrate, quarry)
#4
אֶת
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
#5
עֵינָ֑יו
his eyes
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
#6
וַיּוֹרִ֨ידוּ
and brought him down
to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); cau
#7
אוֹת֜וֹ
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
#8
עַזָּ֗תָה
to Gaza
azzah, a place in palestine
#9
וַיַּֽאַסְר֙וּהוּ֙
and bound
to yoke or hitch; by analogy, to fasten in any sense, to join battle
#10
בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם
him with fetters of brass
copper, hence, something made of that metal, i.e., coin, a fetter; figuratively, base (as compared with gold or silver)
#11
וַיְהִ֥י
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
#12
טוֹחֵ֖ן
and he did grind
to grind meal; hence, to be a concubine (that being their employment)
#13
בְּבֵ֥ית
house
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
#14
הָֽאֲסיּרִֽים׃
bound, i.e., a captive

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The historical context of the biblical period relevant to this book's composition provides crucial background for understanding this verse. The historical and cultural milieu of the biblical world informed the author's theological expression and the audience's understanding. The the cultural context of the biblical world would have shaped how the original audience understood divine revelation. Archaeological and historical evidence reveals Archaeological discoveries continue to illuminate the historical context of biblical texts.

Questions for Reflection

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