Verse 11:[1] Then three thousand men of Judah went (Heb. went down[2]) to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are (Judg. 14:4) rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
[They went down…to the cave of the boulder of Etam] But unto the summit of a rock one does not descend, but rather ascend. Responses: 1. They descended from Judah toward that rock. 2. Or there was an aperture in the rock, in which Samson was dwelling, and into which they descended; for, in verse 13, they made him to go up from the rock: not from the peak of the rock, but from some hollow that was in the rock, whence him, lurking there, they were bringing up (Drusius). They did this so that they might excuse themselves before the Philistines, with Samson delivered to punishment (Junius).
What is this that thou hast done unto us? thou hast by these actions punished not them, as thou intendest; but us, who being under their dominion, are sure to smart for it.
[1] Hebrew: וַיֵּרְד֡וּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת֩ אֲלָפִ֙ים אִ֜ישׁ מִֽיהוּדָ֗ה אֶל־סְעִיף֮ סֶ֣לַע עֵיטָם֒ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לְשִׁמְשׁ֗וֹן הֲלֹ֤א יָדַ֙עְתָּ֙ כִּֽי־מֹשְׁלִ֥ים בָּ֙נוּ֙ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וּמַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ עָ֣שׂוּ לִ֔י כֵּ֖ן עָשִׂ֥יתִי לָהֶֽם׃
[2] Hebrew: וַיֵּרְדוּ.
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Matthew Henry: 'Samson basely betrayed and delivered up by the men of Judah, Judges 15:11. Of Judah were they? Degenerate branches of that valiant tribe! Utterly unworthy to carry in their standard the lion of the tribe of Judah. Perhaps they were disaffected to Samson because he was not of their tribe. Out of a foolish fondness for their forfeited precedency, they would rather be oppressed by Philistines than rescued by a Danite. Often has the church's deliverance been obstructed by such jealousies and pretended points of honour. Rather it was because they stood in awe of the Philistines, and were willing, at any rate, to get them out of their country. If their spirits had not been perfectly cowe…
Hebrew: Concerning the descriptions of moving from place to place, interpreters frequently struggle with the language of "going up" or "went down". Sometimes this language makes perfect sense; other times the language seems to be used improperly. What do you think of the language of "going down" in this verse?