Judges 15 · Verse 8

Judges 15:8

And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
Judges 15:8, King James Version

Judges 15:8 in other translations

BSBAnd he struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter, and then went down and stayed in the cave at the rock of Etam.
WEBHe struck them hip and thigh with a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cave in Etam’s rock.
ASVAnd he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Etam.
YLTAnd he smiteth them hip and thigh--a great smiting, and goeth down and dwelleth in the cleft of the rock Etam.
DARBYAnd he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter. And he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the cliff Etam.
BBEAnd he made an attack on them, driving them in uncontrolled flight, and causing great destruction; then he went away to his safe place in the crack of the rock at Etam.
WebsterAnd he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter. And he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.

What does Judges 15:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. smote them hip and thigh--a proverbial expression for a merciless slaughter. he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam--rather went down and dwelt in the cleft--that is, the cave or cavern of the cliff Etam.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 He smote them hip and thigh - This also is variously understood; but the general meaning seems plain; he appears to have had no kind of defensive weapon, therefore he was obliged to grapple with them, and, according to the custom of wrestlers, trip up their feet, and then bruise them to death. Some translate heaps upon heaps; others, he smote horsemen and footmen; others, he wounded them from their legs to their thighs, etc., etc. See the different versions. Some think in their running away from him he kicked them down, and then trod them to death: thus his leg or thigh was against their hip; hence the expression. The top of the rock Etam - It is very likely that this is the same place as that mentioned 1Chr 4:32; it was in the tribe of Simeon, and on the borders of Dan, and probably a fortified place.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 15:1-8

Samson kills a thousand of the Philistines with a jaw-bone. (9-17) His distress from thirst. (18-20) Verses 1-8 When there are differences between relations, let those be reckoned the wisest and best, who are most forward to forgive or forget, and most willing to stoop and yield for the sake of peace. In the means which Samson employed, we must look at the power of God supplying them, and making them successful, to…

Read the full comment on Judges 15:1-8 →

Judges 15:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּ֨ךְvai.Yakhand he struckH5221
אוֹתָ֥ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
שׁ֛וֹקShoklegH7785
עַל\־'al-withH5921
יָרֵ֖ךְya.RekhthighH3409
מַכָּ֣הma.Kaha defeatH4347
גְדוֹלָ֑הge.do.LahgreatH1419
וַיֵּ֣רֶדvai.Ye.redand he went downH3381
וַיֵּ֔שֶׁבvai.Ye.shevand he dweltH3427
בִּסְעִ֖יףbis.'Ifin [the] cleft ofH5585
סֶ֥לַעSe.la'[the] rock ofH5553
עֵיטָֽם\׃\ \ס'ei.TamEtamH5862

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 15:8

  • Isaiah 25:10

    For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.

  • Isaiah 63:6

    And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

  • Isaiah 63:3

    I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 25:10; 63:3,6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 15:7

    And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.

  • Judges 15:8

    And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.

  • Judges 15:9

    Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.

Read all of Judges 15

Judges 15:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		E hiriólos pierna y muslo con gran mortandad; y descendió, y fijóse en la cueva de la peña de Etam.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il les frappa d’un grand coup, à leur casser bras et jambes. Et il descendit, et habita dans une caverne du rocher d’Étam.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er schlug sie, Schenkel samt Hüfte, und richtete eine große Niederlage unter ihnen an. Und er ging hinab und wohnte in der Kluft des Felsens Etam.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Percussitque eos ingenti plaga, ita ut stupentes suram femori imponerent. Et descendens habitavit in spelunca petræ Etam.