Judges 16:25
And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
Cross-reference
In Judges 19:6, the father uses the identical phrase 'let your heart be merry' — a direct verbal parallel to the Philistines' merry hearts.
In Judges 19:9, the same phrase 'that your heart may be merry' appears again, reinforcing the verbal link.
In Judges 9:27, the Shechemites feast and revile Abimelech in a temple, similar to Philistines feasting before Samson's destruction.
Hebrews 11:36 lists mocking and chains as part of the faithful's suffering — exactly what Samson endures here.
Matthew 27:39-44 has Jesus mocked as unable to save himself — similar to Samson, who appears powerless but will bring deliverance.
Matthew 27:29 shows soldiers mock Jesus as a king — paralleling the Philistines making sport of Samson, Israel's judge.
Matthew 26:67 shows Jesus mocked and struck by captors — a parallel to Samson being made sport of by the Philistines.
Micah 7:8-10 echoes this: 'Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise' — directly paralleling Samson's situation.
Proverbs 24:17 warns against rejoicing when an enemy falls — exactly what the Philistines do here as they mock Samson.
Psalm 69:12 says 'I was the song of the drunkards' — exactly the situation of Samson being made sport by merry drunkards.
Psalm 35:16 mentions 'hypocritical mockers in feasts' — directly mirrors the feast setting where Samson is mocked.
Psalm 35:15 depicts enemies rejoicing in David's adversity — parallel to Philistines rejoicing over Samson's capture and making sport.
Job 30:9 says 'I am their song, a byword' — directly parallel to Samson being made sport as an object of ridicule.
In 2 Samuel 13:28, Absalom plans to kill Amnon when his heart is merry with wine — same phrase and context of violence.
Proverbs 24:18 warns that gloating may cause God to spare the enemy — but here the Philistines' gloating precedes God's judgment through Samson.
Psalm 80:6 laments that enemies laugh at Israel — echoing the mockery Samson endures from the Philistines.
Isaiah 57:4 rebukes those who mock and stick out tongues — similar to the Philistines' mocking of Samson.
Matthew 26:68 has the guards mock Jesus' prophetic identity — similar to the Philistines mocking Samson, God's chosen judge.