‘ Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there, and there were on the roof three thousand men and women who watched while Samson made sport.'
This was a special occasion and it is stressed that the temple was dangerously packed. The crowded roof, with the crowds peering over to watch Samson, was probably already affecting the temple's structure, especially when he was led to the pillars and they had to lean over to see him. Everyone was there to see him, including the five great Tyrants of Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gath and Gaza.
“Men and women.” The mixing of the sexes like this was not a Semitic custom, but was well accepted in Crete from where the Philistines came.
“Three eleph.” Three large groups. The number is probably a rough approximation, based on divisions of the crowd. An ‘eleph' is a large group.