And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
The people of Gaza were told, 'Samson has come here.' So they surrounded the area and set up an ambush for him all night at the city gate. They stayed quiet through the night, saying, 'When morning comes and it's light, we'll kill him.'
The people of Gaza discovered Samson was in their city and planned to trap and kill him at dawn when he tried to leave.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during the period when Israel had no king and was ruled by judges like Samson. Gaza was one of the five major Philistine cities, and the Philistines were Israel's main enemies at this time. City gates were the main entry and exit points of ancient walled cities, making them perfect places for ambushes since travelers had to pass through them.
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