Judges 15:19

KJV

But God clave an hollow place that [was] in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which [is] in Lehi unto this day.

KJV (with Strong's)

But God {H430} clave {H1234} an hollow place {H4388} that was in the jaw {H3895}, and there came {H3318} water {H4325} thereout; and when he had drunk {H8354}, his spirit {H7307} came again {H7725}, and he revived {H2421}: wherefore he called {H7121} the name {H8034} thereof Enhakkore {H5875}, which is in Lehi {H3896} unto this day {H3117}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Then God made a gash in the crater at Lechi, and water came out. When he had drunk, his spirit came back; and he revived. This is why the place was called 'Ein-HaKorei [the spring of him who called], and it is there in Lechi until now.

Berean Standard Bible

So God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned, and he was revived. That is why he named it En-hakkore, and it remains in Lehi to this day.

American Standard Version

But God clave the hollow place that is in Lehi, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore the name thereof was called En-hakkore, which is in Lehi, unto this day.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Judges 15:19 recounts a pivotal moment of divine intervention following Samson's monumental victory over the Philistines. Exhausted and facing imminent death from extreme thirst, Samson cried out to God. In a miraculous display of power and provision, God split open a hollow place within the very jawbone that Samson had used as a weapon, causing life-giving water to gush forth. Samson drank, was immediately revived, and named the spring Enhakkore, "the spring of him who called," establishing a lasting memorial to God's faithful response to his desperate plea.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse immediately follows Samson's incredible, divinely empowered slaughter of a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey in [Judges 15:14-17](/judges/15-14-17 "Judges 15:14-17 - Samson's Victory at Lehi"). The preceding verse, [Judges 15:18](/judges/15-18 "Judges 15:18 - Samson's Prayer for Water"), captures Samson's desperate cry to the Lord, acknowledging his utter dependence despite his recent superhuman feat. The narrative brilliantly juxtaposes Samson's immense physical strength and triumph with his sudden, profound vulnerability to a basic human need: thirst. This highlights that even the most powerful individuals are utterly dependent on God for sustenance and life, shifting the focus from Samson's might to God's ultimate provision. The naming of the place, Enhakkore, serves as an etiological explanation, cementing the memory of this miracle within the ongoing narrative of Israel's judges.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The book of Judges describes a tumultuous period in Israel's history, characterized by cycles of apostasy, oppression by foreign powers (like the Philistines), and God raising up deliverers. Samson operated in a time when the Philistines were a dominant force, often raiding Israelite territory. Water was, and remains, a precious commodity in the arid climate of ancient Israel. Springs and wells were vital for survival, and their miraculous appearance was a clear sign of divine favor and intervention. The location, Lehi (meaning "jawbone"), was likely a known landmark, and the miraculous spring would have been a significant local feature, serving as a tangible reminder of God's power and Samson's story for generations. This miracle would have reinforced the belief in Yahweh as the God who provides, even in the most desolate circumstances.
* **Key Themes:** Judges 15:19 powerfully encapsulates several recurring themes within the book of Judges and the broader biblical narrative. It is a profound demonstration of **Divine Provision and Miraculous Intervention**, showcasing God's ability to supply life-sustaining needs in the most unexpected and supernatural ways, turning an instrument of death (the jawbone) into a source of life. This act underscores **God's Faithfulness to His Covenant and His Chosen Ones**, even when His servants, like Samson, are deeply flawed and often act impulsively. God hears Samson's desperate plea, illustrating the **Power of Prayer** and God's responsiveness to the cries of His people in their weakness, a truth echoed in [Jeremiah 33:3](/jeremiah/33-3 "Jeremiah 33:3 - Call to Me and I Will Answer"). Furthermore, the immediate physical and spiritual **Revival and Restoration** Samson experiences highlights God's capacity to renew and invigorate, not just physically but also inwardly, reminding us that God's strength is made perfect in human weakness, as seen in [2 Corinthians 12:9](/2_corinthians/12-9 "2 Corinthians 12:9 - God's Power in Weakness").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **clave (Hebrew, _bâqaʻ_):** This primitive root signifies a forceful rending, breaking, or splitting open. As seen in the parting of the Red Sea ([Exodus 14:16](/exodus/14-16 "Exodus 14:16 - Moses Parts the Red Sea")) or the splitting of rocks to bring forth water ([Psalm 78:15](/psalms/78-15 "Psalm 78:15 - God Splits Rocks in the Desert")), its use here emphasizes the supernatural and violent nature of God's action. It denotes a direct, powerful intervention to create a source of water where none should naturally exist, particularly from a bone.
* **Enhakkore (Hebrew, _ʻÊyn haq-Qôwrêʼ_):** This proper noun literally means "fountain of One calling" or "spring of the caller." The name itself serves as a perpetual memorial, directly linking the miraculous spring to Samson's desperate cry to God in [Judges 15:18](/judges/15-18 "Judges 15:18 - Samson's Prayer for Water"). It highlights the cause-and-effect relationship between Samson's prayer and God's immediate, life-saving response, ensuring that future generations would remember the divine provision.
* **revived (Hebrew, _châyâh_):** This primitive root means "to live," whether literally or figuratively, and causatively, "to revive." It encompasses the full restoration of life, strength, vitality, and well-being after extreme exhaustion or near-death. The text implies not just physical rehydration but a renewal of Samson's inner spirit and resolve, signifying a holistic restoration by God's grace, bringing him back from the brink.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"But God clave an hollow place that [was] in the jaw, and there came water thereout;":** This clause immediately establishes divine agency ("But God"). The miracle is attributed directly to God, who "clave" (violently split open) a hollow place within the very jawbone that Samson had just used to slay a thousand men. This is an extraordinary act, turning an instrument of death into a source of life, demonstrating God's power to create sustenance from the most unlikely and even grotesque sources. The water's immediate appearance underscores the supernatural nature of the event.
* **"and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived:":** This describes the immediate and profound effect of the water. Samson's near-fatal dehydration is instantly reversed. The phrase "his spirit came again" indicates a complete restoration, not just physical rehydration but a renewal of his inner vitality and strength, pulling him back from the brink of death and restoring his full vigor.
* **"wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which [is] in Lehi unto this day.":** This final clause explains the naming of the spring and its lasting significance. Samson names the place "Enhakkore," meaning "the spring of him who called," directly commemorating his desperate prayer and God's faithful answer. The phrase "unto this day" is a common biblical idiom, indicating that the spring and its name served as a perpetual physical memorial and testimony to this miraculous event for generations, reinforcing the truth of God's intervention.

#### Literary Devices
Judges 15:19 is rich with **Irony**, perhaps its most striking literary device. The jawbone of a donkey, an instrument of death and destruction in Samson's hands, is miraculously transformed by God into a source of life-giving water. This subversion of expectation powerfully highlights God's sovereign power to use ordinary, even macabre, objects for extraordinary, redemptive purposes. The narrative also employs **Etiology**, explaining the origin of the place name "Enhakkore" and its connection to Samson's desperate cry and God's response, thereby embedding the miracle within the geographical and historical memory of Israel. **Symbolism** is evident in the water itself, which universally represents life, purification, and refreshment, here signifying divine provision and spiritual renewal. The entire event is a profound **Miracle**, a direct divine intervention that defies natural laws, serving to underscore God's active involvement in the lives of His people and His ability to provide in impossible circumstances.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This miraculous provision of water for Samson profoundly illustrates God's sovereign care and responsive nature, even towards His flawed servants. It teaches that God is not limited by human weakness or the scarcity of resources; He can bring forth life and provision from the most unexpected and seemingly impossible sources. The event serves as a powerful reminder that true strength and survival ultimately come from acknowledging one's utter dependence on God and crying out to Him in humility. God's faithfulness to His promises and His willingness to sustain His chosen instruments for His purposes, despite their personal failings, demonstrates that His grace often extends beyond human merit. The naming of the spring ensures that this act of divine provision becomes a permanent testimony, a "stone of help" reminding future generations of God's power to hear and answer.

* [Exodus 17:6](/exodus/17-6 "Exodus 17:6 - Water from the Rock at Horeb")
* [Psalm 78:15-16](/psalms/78-15-16 "Psalm 78:15-16 - God Provides Water in the Wilderness")
* [Isaiah 41:17-18](/isaiah/41-17-18 "Isaiah 41:17-18 - God Provides for the Needy")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Judges 15:19 offers profound encouragement for believers facing their own moments of exhaustion and desperation. Just as Samson, after a mighty victory, found himself utterly depleted and on the verge of death, so too can we, even after significant spiritual or personal triumphs, encounter profound weakness and need. This verse reminds us that our greatest moments of vulnerability are often precisely when God desires to demonstrate His power and provision most clearly. It calls us to emulate Samson's desperate, humble cry to God, recognizing that our ultimate source of strength, refreshment, and revival is not found in our own abilities or resources, but solely in Him. God delights in turning our impossible situations into testimonies of His miraculous intervention, providing "water" from the most unlikely "jawbones" of our lives, transforming despair into renewed hope and vitality. We are invited to trust that when we are parched and depleted, God is able to open up springs of life in our wilderness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life do you feel most depleted or "thirsty" right now, physically, emotionally, or spiritually?**
* **How does Samson's vulnerability after a great victory challenge your understanding of strength and dependence on God?**
* **What "jawbones"—unlikely or even negative circumstances—might God be able to use to bring refreshment and provision into your life?**
* **How can you cultivate a habit of crying out to God in your moments of deepest need, trusting in His miraculous provision?**

### FAQ
**Why did God choose to provide water from the jawbone specifically, rather than another source?**

Answer: God's choice to provide water from the very jawbone Samson had just used to defeat the Philistines ([Judges 15:15](/judges/15-15 "Judges 15:15 - Samson Slays a Thousand")) is a powerful demonstration of divine irony and sovereignty. It emphasizes that God is not bound by conventional means; He can use anything—even an instrument of death—to bring forth life. This act underscores His complete control and His ability to turn the most unlikely circumstances into a display of His power and provision. It also serves as a direct, undeniable sign to Samson that this was indeed God's doing, directly linked to his recent miraculous victory.

**What is the significance of the name "Enhakkore" and its lasting presence "unto this day"?**

Answer: The name "Enhakkore" (meaning "fountain of him that called" or "spring of the caller") is highly significant because it permanently links the miraculous provision of water to Samson's desperate prayer in [Judges 15:18](/judges/15-18 "Judges 15:18 - Samson's Prayer for Water"). It serves as an etiological marker, explaining the origin of a geographical feature and ensuring that the memory of God's responsive faithfulness would endure. The phrase "unto this day" indicates that the spring was still known by this name when the book of Judges was written, testifying to the historical reality and lasting impact of God's intervention for generations of Israelites. It became a tangible memorial of God hearing and answering the cry of His servant.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The miraculous provision of water for Samson in Judges 15:19 offers a profound foreshadowing of Christ, the ultimate source of living water. Samson's physical thirst and desperate cry for life-giving water, provided supernaturally from an unlikely source, mirrors humanity's deeper spiritual thirst for salvation and renewal. Jesus, as the true [Rock from which living water flows](/1_corinthians/10-4 "1 Corinthians 10:4 - Christ as the Spiritual Rock"), declares in [John 7:37-38](/john/7-37-38 "John 7:37-38 - Jesus Offers Living Water") that "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink." He is the one who offers water that, once drunk, will cause a person "never to thirst again" ([John 4:14](/john/4-14 "John 4:14 - Jesus Offers Living Water to the Samaritan Woman")). Just as Samson's spirit was revived by physical water, believers are spiritually revived and given new life by the Holy Spirit, which Jesus pours out. The jawbone, an instrument of death, becoming a source of life points to Christ's death on the cross, which, though an instrument of suffering, became the ultimate source of eternal life and spiritual refreshment for all who believe. In Christ, our deepest spiritual thirst is quenched, and our spirits are eternally revived.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Isaiah 44:3

For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

Genesis 45:27

And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

Psalms 34:6

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard [him], and saved him out of all his troubles.

Exodus 17:15

And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:

1 Samuel 30:12

And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk [any] water, three days and three nights.

Isaiah 40:26

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these [things], that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that [he is] strong in power; not one faileth.

Genesis 30:30

For [it was] little which thou hadst before I [came], and it is [now] increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?