Judges 14
Summary for Judg 14:1-15:17: 14:1–15:20 a Samson’s choice to marry a Philistine woman was the Lord’s means (14:4 b) of beginning to confront the Philistine challenge (see 13:5 c). One thing led to another, punctuated by three occasions when the Spirit came powerfully upon him (14:6 d, 19 e; 15:14 f). Throughout these events, Samson was a powerful but flawed hero. 14:1 g Timnah was probably about four miles down the valley of Sorek from Mahaneh-dan, at the intersection of the Israelite and Philistine territories.14:2 h Samson’s choice of a bride was informed only by his pleasure in her appearance. Intermarriage was a significant mark of covenant infidelity (Josh 23:12-13 i), but God is able to work through human sinfulness.
14:3 j The epithet pagan (literally uncircumcised) was regularly applied to Philistines, who, unlike many nations in the Middle East, did not practice any form of circumcision.
Summary for Judg 14:5-6: 14:5-6 k Samson was first explicitly empowered by the Spirit (cp. 13:25 l) when he was attacked by a lion.
14:11 m The reason for thirty ... companions is not clear (cp. 2 Sam 23:13 n). Companions, a word that normally means “friends,” may lend a touch of irony here (Judg 14:12-20 o).
14:12 p Riddles were common tests of skill or a form of entertainment that usually employed double meanings. Despite some evidence for bees building hives in the bodies of dead animals, there was no apparent way to crack the mystery apart from knowing what Samson knew.
Summary for Judg 14:14-19: 14:14-19 q Israel’s hero, like Sisera, was defeated by a woman (4:21 r; see study note on 8:20-21).
14:18 s It was common to answer a riddle with another riddle. In this case, the Philistines used a similar poetic couplet, not to reveal all they knew, but simply to win the contest.
14:19 t Samson kept his side of the deal (cp. 1 Sam 18:20-27 u). He apparently returned home without consummating his marriage, which traditionally would have happened at the end of the seven days of feasting.
14:20 v According to some ancient customs, giving the bride to the best man, even if the marriage was not consummated, was forbidden. The father’s action appears to have been treacherous (cp. 15:2-3 w, 6 x).
Judges 15
15:1 y Wheat harvest came at the end of May; how long this was after the wedding feast is not known. There was some precedent for a bride’s remaining in her parents’ home for a few months before moving to the groom’s home, while allowing conjugal visits.15:2 z The father may have thought that his daughter had been abandoned (see study note on 14:20). The father’s offer of the younger sister might have been an attempt to remedy his own treachery.
Summary for Judg 15:3-5: 15:3-5 aa In revenge, Samson devastated the harvest of grain, wine (vineyards), and cooking oil (olive groves).
Summary for Judg 15:6-10: 15:6-10 ab The chain of revenge was complicated (cp. 9:7-21 ac). First, Samson took revenge on the community of Philistines, not on his in-laws. Next, the Philistines accepted that Samson was a victim of injustice (see study note on 14:20) and took revenge on Samson’s in-laws, which then led Samson to avenge his in-laws by attacking the Philistines. It all triggered a potential war with Israel. God was beginning to rescue Israel through Samson (13:5 ad; cp. 1 Sam 7:3 ae).
15:11 af Completely missing what might have been a divine opportunity to throw off Philistine oppression, the tribe of Judah showed itself ready to continue living under foreign occupation. We can only wonder what might have happened if the Judeans had been fully committed to the Lord’s covenant, which provided for them to take the land and drive out the inhabitants (see study note on 1:1).
15:12 ag promise that you won’t kill me: Samson’s superhuman abilities might have been limited to use against the enemies of Israel; he broke these ropes only after the Spirit of the Lord came upon him (15:14 ah).
15:13 ai New ropes were stronger, more pliable, and less brittle than older ones.
Summary for Judg 15:14-15: 15:14-15 aj Both Samson and the Judeans seem to have been satisfied with this relatively small victory and did not follow up by overthrowing Philistine oppression. This failure reflects Israel’s declining confidence in God’s promises.
15:16 ak Like other warrior-heroes (e.g., Moses, Deborah, and David), Samson celebrated his victory in poetry, a short couplet that combines colorful speech with wordplay. “Lehi” (15:9 al) and jawbone are the same Hebrew word (lekhi), as are heaps and donkey (Hebrew khamor).
• piled them in heaps! Or made donkeys of them.
15:18 am Samson cried out to the Lord, as he feared dying of thirst and falling prey to the defeated pagans (literally uncircumcised ones; see study note on 14:3). Samson twice prayed deep and passionate prayers, once when he feared being attacked, and once when he was attacking others (16:28-30 an).
15:20 ao Though this summary formula is repeated in 16:31 ap, its occurrence here indicates that Samson’s period as judge was effectively over (cp. 10:2 aq, 3 ar; 12:7 as). He had done little more than show Israel the potential of rescue; the Philistines still dominated the land.
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