GRINDING in the prison house was performing the task of a menial slave, of course. If we are to suppose Samson working at a hand mill, then there was a spice of that kind of humiliation in his labor which consisted in degrading the mighty hero to the place and character of a woman: a thing in which the ancient Orientals, like every other people of imperfect civilization, greatly delighted. Illustrations of this point are to be derived abundantly from the old Greek writers, unmistakable in character. But it is more probable that Samson was degraded to the state of a beast, and made to turn such a mill as that alluded to in, say, Luke 17:22It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. (Luke 17:2): that is, a mill usually turned by asses or mules. It is quite in accordance with the known treatment of captives in the ancient east, to harness them like beasts, and make them turn a mill or windlass, or perform any labor of draft or burden.
The prison house, in this case, was probably the open court surrounded by the prison buildings, such as is still to be seen in the east. —Professor Isaac PL. Hall.
To disable a rival, not to mention an enemy (as here) by boring out his eyes, has ever been a common expedient in the East. Even today it is not unknown. In Persia, it is said by competent witnesses, children of royal blood are accustomed to a kind of game of blindfold whose ostensible purpose is to familiarize them with possible future blindness of the sort. We need not go outside the Bible to find other illustrations, but, if we wish, there are many others to be found, both in sculpture, and in ancient writings. Nor is it so very long ago that the thing was known among the Western nations. —Professor Isaac W. Hall.