Judges 13:1

King James Version (KJV)

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Delivered them into the hand of the Philistines - It does not appear that after Shamgar, to the present time, the Philistines were in a condition to oppress Israel, or God had not permitted them to do it; but now they have a commission, the Israelites having departed from the Lord. Nor is it evident that the Philistines had entirely subjected the Israelites, as there still appears to have been a sort of commerce between the two people. They had often vexed and made inroads upon them, but they had them not in entire subjection; see Judges 15:11.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

The Philistines have been mentioned as oppressors of Israel in Judges 3:31; Judges 10:7, Judges 10:11; and the Israelite worship of the gods of the Philistines is spoken of in Judges 10:6. But this is the first time that we have any detailed history in connection with the Philistines. They continned to be the prominent enemies of Israel until the time of David.

Forty years - The Philistine dominion began before the birth of Samson Judges 13:5, and was in force during Samson‘s twenty years‘ judgeship Judges 14:4; Judges 15:20. The 40 years are, therefore, about coincident with Samson‘s life.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

Israel did evil: then God delivered them again into the hands of the Philistines. When Israel was in this distress, Samson was born. His parents had been long childless. Many eminent persons were born of such mothers. Mercies long waited for, often prove signal mercies; and by them others may be encouraged to continue their hope in God's mercy. The angel notices her affliction. God often sends comfort to his people very seasonably, when they feel their troubles most. This deliverer of Israel must be devoted to God. Manoah's wife was satisfied that the messenger was of God. She gave her husband a particular account, both of the promise and of the precept. Husbands and wives should tell each other their experiences of communion with God, and their improvements in acquaintance with him, that they may help each other in the way that is holy.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

1. Did evil again. For the chronology of this apostasy and of the Philistine oppression, see pp. 35, 36.

Philistines. They have been briefly mentioned by the author of Judges several times previously (chs. 3:31; 10:7-11). They were, like the Hebrews, invaders and settlers in Palestine. Philistines, in limited numbers, were in the land as early as the time of Abraham (Gen. 21:32). But their major wave of migration into Palestine probably occurred at the beginning of the 12th century b.c. along with that of other non-Semitic tribes from Asia Minor and the Aegean Islands (see p. 27). According to archeological accounts these Peoples of the Sea, as they were called by the Egyptians, were turned back at the gates of Egypt by Ramses III about 1194 b.c. In honor of his success in repelling the invaders, Ramses III built a large temple at Thebes (now called MedÃƒÂ®net-Habu) and covered its walls with pictures of the battle, among them being realistic representations of Philistine warriors. After the defeat of the Peoples of the Sea by the Egyptians part of this migration settled in the maritime plain of Canaan, where they largely adopted the religion, customs, and language of the Canaanites.

The Hebrews called the Philistines Pelishtim, and their territory, Pelesheth, which word, by the evolution of language, became “Palestine.” The Philistines settled chiefly in the five ancient cities of the plain, Ekron, Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and Eglon, which became the centers of the Philistine confederacy. From there the Philistines spread out into the Shephelah, and eventually, during the time of Saul, controlled all western Palestine as far north as the plain of Esdraelon and the Sea of Galilee. From the time of Samson they were the main challengers of the Israelites until they were subjugated by David.

For further information on the Philistines, their origin, and history, see on Gen. 10:14; 21:32; and Vol. II, pp. 27, 33, 34, 47.

Forty years. There has been a question as to whether this period was prior to, or included, the days of Samson and perhaps extended beyond to the battle of Ebenezer in the days of Samuel (1 Sam. 7:13). Samson was born in the early years of the Philistine oppression (PP 560). According to some authorities, this oppression was contemporaneous with the Ammonite oppression and judgeship of Jephthah (see p. 128).

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Cross References

did

in the sight

into the