doing, and knew also for what cause he did it, they sent their rulers to Timnath, and burnt his former wife, and her relations; who had been the occasion of their misfortunes.

When Sampson had slain many of the Philistaes, in the plain country, he dwelt at Etam; which is a strong rock of the tribe of Judah. For the Philistines at that time made an expedition against that tribe. But the people of Judah said, they did not act justly with them, in inflicting punishments upon them, while they paid their tribute; and this only on account of Sampson's offences. They answered, that in case they would not be blamed themselves, they must deliver up Sampson, and put him into their power. So they, being desirous to exculpate themselves, came to the rock with three thousand armed men, and complained to Sampson of the bold insults he had made upon the Philistines; who were men able to bring calamity upon the whole nation of the Hebrews; and they told him, they were come to take him, and to deliver him up to them, and put him into their power. So they desired him to bear this

willingly. Accordingly when he had received assurance from them upon oath, that they would do him no other harm than only to deliver him into the enemy's hands,, he came down from the rock, and put himself into the power of his countrymen. Then did they bind him with two cords, and lead him on, in order to deliver him to the Philistines, and when they came to a certain place, which is now called the Jaw Bone, on account of the great action there performed by Sampson; though of old it had no particular name; the Philistines, who had pitched their camp not far off, came to meet them with joy and shouting; as having done a great thing, and gained what they desired. But Sampson brake his bonds asunder, and catching up the jaw bone of an ass, that lay at his feet, he fell upon his enemies, and smiting them with his jaw bone slew a thousand of them ;* and put the rest to flight in great disorder.†

Upon this slaughter, Sampson was too proud of what he had performed, and said that this did not come to pass by the assistance of God, but that his success was to be ascribed to his own courage,

It is alluded to proverbially more than once by Lycophron, and seems to have been well known in Greece. He makes Cassandra represent Ulysses as a man both of cunning and mischief, and styles him very properly youroupis, a fox with a fire-brand at his tail; for wherever he went, mischief followed, v. 344. Suidas also takes notice of this custom, when he speaks of a kind of beetle which the Boeotians named Tipha. They imagined that if to this they were to fasten some inflammable matter, it would be easy to set any thing on fire. He adds, that this was sometimes practised with foxes. Bryant's Observations, p. 154.

The Caliph Vathek being under the necessity, when on his travels, of lighting torches, and making extraordinary fires to protect himself and his attendants from the fury of the wild beasts that were ready to make an attack on them, set fire to a forest of cedar that bordered on their way. Accidents of this kind in Persia are not unfrequent. Hist. of Caliph Vathek, p. 250. "It was an ancient custom with the kings and great men to set fire to large bunches of dry combustibles, fastened round wild beasts and birds; which being then let loose, the air and earth appeared one great illumination; and as those terrified creatures naturally fled to the woods for shelter, it is easy to conceive that conflagrations would often happen, which must have been peculiarly destructive." Richardson's Dissert. p. 185. This circumstance reminds us of the destruction occa

the Philistines. In Psalm lxxxiii. 14, there is a reference to one of these fires, though arising from another cause. Homer, II. ii. 455. B.

See also

Setting aside the various interpretations which have been given of this expression, the Editor of Calmet's Dictionary proposes to illustrate it by the following extract: "It appears probable from the following circumstances, that the exercise of wrestling, as it is now performed by the Turks, is the very same that was anciently used in the Olympic games. For, besides the previous covering of the palestra with sand, that the combatants might fall with more safety, they have their pellowan bashee, or master wrestler; who, like the aywvoderns of old, is to observe and superintend the jura palæstra, and to be the umpire in all disputes. The combatants, after they are anointed all over with oil, to render their naked bodies the more slippery, and less easily to be taken hold of, first of all look one another sted. fastly in the face, as Diomede or Ulysses does the palladium upon antique gems. They then run up to, and retire from, each other several times, using all the while a variety of antic and other postures, such as are commonly used in the course of the ensuing conflict: after this prelude they draw nearer together, and challenge each other, by clapping the palms of their hands, first upon their own knees or thighs, then upon each other, and afterwards upon the palms of their respective antagonists. The challenge being thus given, they immediately close in and struggle with each other, striving with all their strength, art, and dexterity, (which are often very extraordinary,) which shall give his antagonist a fall, and become the conqueror. During these contests I have often seen their arms, legs, and thighs, so twisted and linked together, that they have both fallen together, and left the victory dubious, too difficult sometimes for the pellowan bashee to decide." Shaw's Trav. p. 217.

Do not these well deserve the description of leg and thigh men, or shoulder and thigh men? The name seems to be taken from their very attitudes, and correctly to express them. If this idea be admitted, it cannot be difficult to understand the above cited expression. B.

and vaunted himself, that it was out of dread of him that some of his enemies fell, and the rest ran away, upon his use of the jaw bone. But when a great thirst came upon him, he considered that human courage is nothing, and bare his testimony that all is to be ascribed to God; and besought him, that he would not be angry at any thing he had said, nor give him up into the hands of his enemies; but afford him help under his affliction, and deliver him from the misfortunes he was under. Accordingly God was moved with his entreaties, and raised him up a plentiful fountain of sweet water, at a certain rock. Whence it was that Sampson called the place* the Jaw Bone, and so it is called to this day.

After this fight Sampson held the Philistines in contempt, and came to Gaza, and took up his lodging in a certain inn. When the rulers of Gaza were informed of his coming thither, they seized upon the gates, and placed men in ambush about them, that he might not escape without being perceived: but Sampson, who was acquainted with their contrivances, arose about midnight, and ran by force upon the gates, with their posts, and beams, and the rest of their wooden furniture; and carried them on his shoulders, to the mountain that is over Hebron ;† and there laid them down.

However, he at length transgressed the law of his country; and altered his own regular way of living, and imitated the strange customs of foreigners; which thing was the beginning of his miseries. For he fell in love with a woman that was a harlot among the Philistines : her name was Delilah, and he lived with her. So those that administered the public affairs of the Philistines came to her, and persuaded her to attempt a discovery of that strength, by which Sampson became unconquerable to his enemies. Accordingly when they were drinking, and had the like conversation together, she pretended to admire the actions he had done; and contrived to get out of him by subtilty by what means he so much ex

* This fountain, called Leti, or the Jaw Bone, is still in being, as travellers assure us; and was known by this very name in the days of Josephus; and hath been known by the same name in all past ages. See Antiq. VII. 12. the Annals of Glycas, and the itinerary of Antoninus; ap. Reland, Palestin. tom. II. p.

celled others in strength. Sampson, in order to delude Delilah, (for he had not yet lost his senses,) replied, that if he were bound with seven such green withes of a vine, as might still be wreathed, he should be weaker than any other man. The woman said no more then; but told this to the rulers of the Philistines, and hid certain of their soldiers in ambush within the house; and when he was disordered in drink, and asleep, she bound him, as fast as possible, with the withes; and then, upon her awakening him, she told him, some of the people were upon him; but he brake the withes, and endeavoured to defend himself, as though some of his enemies were really upon him. Now this woman, in the constant conversation Sampson had with her, pretended, that she took it very ill that he had such little confidence in her affection, that he would not tell her what she desired; as if she would not conceal what she knew it was for his interest to have concealed. However, he deluded her again, and told her, that if they bound him with seven cords, he should lose his strength. And when, upon doing this, she gained nothing, he told her the third time, that his hair should be woven into a web; but the truth was not yet discovered. At length, however, Sampson, upon Delilah's entreaty (for he was doomed to fall into some affliction,) was desirous to please her, and told her, that God took care of him; and that he was born by his providence, and therefore he suffered his hair to grow; God having charged him never to cut it,§ and thence his strength was according to the increase and continuance of his hair. When she had learned thus much, and had deprived him of his hair, she delivered him up to his enemies, when he was not strong enough to defend himself. So they put out his eyes, and bound him, and had|| him led about among them.

But in process of time Sampson's hair grew again. And there was a public festival among the Philistines, when the rulers, and those of the most eminent characters, were feasting together. Now the room wherein they were had its roof supported

¶ Some persons have asserted, that no building sufficiently capacious to receive so great a number of people could be con. structed so as to rest chiefly upon two pillars. But this is a mistake; for Pliny (Nat. Hist. lib. xxxv. cap. 15,) mentions two theatres built by C. Curio, (who was killed in the civil wars, on Cæsar's side,) which were made of wood, and so extensive as (according to his mode of writing) to hold all the Roman people. They were contrived with such art, that each of them depended upon one hinge. This caused Pliny to censure the madness of the people, who would venture into a place for their pleasure, where they sat tam infida instabilique sede, on such an uncer