14 He hath come unto Lehi—and the Philistines have shouted at meeting him—and the Spirit of Jehovah prospereth over him, and the thick bands which 'are' on his arms are as flax which they burn with fire, and his bands are wasted from off his hands, 15 and he findeth a fresh jaw-bone of an ass, and putteth forth his hand and taketh it, and smiteth with it—a thousand men. 16 And Samson saith, 'With a jaw-bone of the ass—an ass upon asses—with a jaw-bone of the ass I have smitten a thousand men.' 17 And it cometh to pass when he finisheth speaking, that he casteth away the jaw-bone out of his hand, and calleth that place Ramath-Lehi;
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 15:14-17
Commentary on Judges 15:9-17
(Read Judges 15:9-17)
Sin dispirits men, it hides from their eyes the things that belong to their peace. The Israelites blamed Samson for what he had done against the Philistines, as if he had done them a great injury. Thus our Lord Jesus did many good works, and for those the Jews were ready to stone him. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, his cords were loosed: where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and those are free indeed who are thus set free. Thus Christ triumphed over the powers of darkness that shouted against him, as if they had him in their power. Samson made great destruction among the Philistines. To take the bone of an ass for this, was to do wonders by the foolish things of the world, that the excellency of the power might be of God, not of man. This victory was not in the weapon, was not in the arm; but it was in the Spirit of God, which moved the weapon by the arm. We can do all things through Him that strengtheneth us. Seest thou a poor Christian, who is enabled to overcome a temptation by weak, feeble counsel, there is the Philistine vanquished by a sorry jaw-bone.