Judges 15:4 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes— Samson was moved to take a wife from the Philistines, in order to find occasion against them: such occasions are seldom long wanting where marriages of this kind are contracted between persons of different countries, different religions, or different interests. Samson had sufficient cause for that resentment which he executed, as we read in this and the following verses. 1. Some have thought it difficult to believe, that Samson could get together so great a number of foxes; but it should be remembered, First, That these creatures were, and at this time are extremely numerous in Judea; insomuch that several places had their names from them; see Joshua 15:28; Joshua 19:42. 1 Samuel 13:17 and they are spoken of very commonly in Scripture as thus numerous. See Song of Solomon 2:15. Psalms 63:10-11. Secondly, Under the name of foxes may be comprehended creatures nearly resembling that animal, called thocs, which go together in herds, so that two hundred have been seen in company together. Thirdly, It will not appear so incredible, that Samson should collect so many foxes, when we recollect from the Roman history, that Sylla produced at the shews which he gave the Roman people, one hundred lions, Caesar four hundred, Pompey near six hundred, and others innumerable different animals. Fourthly, If the sacred historian had said that Samson caught these three hundred foxes in one day, or one night, the difficulty might be greater; but, possibly, he might employ a month or more in the accomplishment of this design, and have been assisted in it by his servants, neighbours, and friends. These animals were caught in nets, and on account of their length of tail were most proper for his purpose. 2. These observations seem sufficiently to justify the present version; we must not, however, omit to mention, that another has been offered, though we apprehend it will not stand the test of critical inquiry. It is proposed to render the words, now translated three hundred foxes, by three hundred sheaves of corn; to support which, it is to be observed, that instead of shualim in the Hebrew, we should read schealim, which properly signifies sheaves: and that זנב zanab, which we translate tail, signifying the end, or utmost part of any thing, we may, according to this version, suppose that Samson set fire to three hundred standing shocks of corn, by laying two sheaves between each shock to make a communication, and by putting fire to those intermediate sheaves. See Mr. Chais on the passage, where the reader will find a refutation of this criticism.