Judges 16:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Douay-RheimsHebrew (Masoretic text)

He went also into Gaza, and saw there a woman, a harlot, and went in unto her.
Douay-Rheims

וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ שִׁמְשׁ֖וֹן עַזָּ֑תָה וַיַּרְא־שָׁם֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה זוֹנָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֖א אֵלֶֽיהָ׃
Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Ambrose of Milan

4th centuryChurch Father

Following these occurrences and the conflict with the Philistines, Samson, oblivious to the timidity of his fellow Israelites and contemptuous of the might of the foe, journeyed to Gaza, a city within Philistine territory, and stayed at an inn there.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.

Josh 15:47Azotus with its towns and villages. Gaza with its towns and villages, even to the torrent of Egypt, and the great sea that is the border thereof.
Ezra 9:1And after these things were accomplished, the princes came to me, saying: The people of Israel, and the priests and Levites have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, and from their abominations, namely, of the Chanaanites, and the Hethites, and the Pherezites, and the Jebusites, and the Ammonites, and the Moabites, and the Egyptians, and the Amorrhites.
Ezra 9:2For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and they have mingled the holy seed with the people of the lands. And the hand of the princes and magistrates hath been first in this transgression.
Gen 38:16And going to her, he said: Suffer me to lie with thee: for he knew her not to be his daughter-in-law. And she answered: What wilt thou give me to enjoy my company?
Gen 38:18Juda said: What wilt thou have for a pledge? She answered: Thy ring and bracelet, and the staff which thou holdest in thy hand. The woman therefore at one copulation conceived.
Gen 10:19And the limits of Chanaan were from Sidon as one comes to Gerara even to Gaza, until thou enter Sodom and Gomorrha, and Adama, and Seboim even to Lesa.