Samson’s parents brought him up just as the LORD instructed, and the LORD blessed Samson and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir within him. One day when he was in the town of Timnah, a Philistine woman caught his attention and he fell in love with her. He told his father that he had to get her for him. His father asked him, “Why must you take a pagan Philistine woman for a wife. Can’t you find a bride among the Israelite women?” But Samson insisted on the Philistine woman. What Samson’s father didn’t realize, was that the LORD’s hand was in this to create an opportunity to work against the Philistines.
On their way down to Timnah, Samson was attacked by a lion and the Spirit of the LORD was upon him and he ripped apart the jaws of the lion with his bare hands, killing the lion. His parents, who had gone with him didn’t see the attack and Samson didn’t tell them. In Timnah, Samson talked with his bride to be as his parents started making plans for the wedding.
On his way back to Timnah for his wedding, Samson turned off of the path to see where he had killed the lion. In its carcass, a swarm of bees had made honey. Samson scooped up a handful of honey to eat. He gave his mother and father some honey, but didn’t tell them where he got it. In Timnah, Samson had a great party to celebrate his marriage, and his in-laws invited thirty young men to attend and celebrate with him. Samson then gave his guests a riddle; if they solved it within the seven day celebration, then Samson would give each of his thirty companions a new linen robe and a set of festive clothing; if they didn’t solve it then they would have to give Samson thirty linen robes and thirty sets of festive garments. They agreed. The riddle was this;
“Out of the one who eats came something to eat;
out of the strong came something sweet.”
When they could not solve the riddle after the fourth day, they threatened Samson’s wife, if she didn’t get the answer for them. They threatened to burn down her father’s house with her in it! After many tears and being relentless for the answer, Samson told her. She explained it to the men. On the seventh day of the celebration, just before sunset, they came to Samson with the answer:
“What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?”
Judges 14:18 ESV And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" And he said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle."
Samson was furious, and the Spirit of the LORD fell upon him and he went to Ashkelon and killed thirty men and took theirs robes and clothing and fulfilled his bet with the thirty men. Then he went back to his father’s house and his wife was given in marriage to his best man.
Judges 14:19-20 ESV And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father's house. (20) And Samson's wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.
After some days had past, and it was harvest season; Samson took a lamb to his wife, but her father would not let him in. When he found out that his wife had been given to his best man, Samson’s anger turned to rage.
Judges 15:1-3 ESV After some days, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife with a young goat. And he said, "I will go in to my wife in the chamber." But her father would not allow him to go in. (2) And her father said, "I really thought that you utterly hated her, so I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister more beautiful than she? Please take her instead." (3) And Samson said to them, "This time I shall be innocent in regard to the Philistines, when I do them harm."
Remember it was harvest time and the whole year’s income was in the fields. Samson caught 300 foxes and tied their tails together in pairs with a torch; lit the torches and let the foxes run through all of the fields of the Philistines. He burned all of the grain, including the cut sheaves along with all of the vineyards and olive orchards. All was destroyed!
When the Philistines found out that Samson had done this because of his father-in-law giving away his bride; they went down to her house and burned to death the woman and her family. Then Samson vowed his vengeance on the Philistines for what they had done to his wife.
Judges 15:4-7 ESV So Samson went and caught 300 foxes and took torches. And he turned them tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails. (5) And when he had set fire to the torches, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines and set fire to the stacked grain and the standing grain, as well as the olive orchards. (6) Then the Philistines said, "Who has done this?" And they said, "Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he has taken his wife and given her to his companion." And the Philistines came up and burned her and her father with fire. (7) And Samson said to them, "If this is what you do, I swear I will be avenged on you, and after that I will quit."
Then the Philistines retaliated against the Israelites. The 3,000 men of Judah confronted Samson and told him that they were going to bind him and turn him over to the Philistines, but they promised him that they would not do him any harm. Samson made them swear not to attack him themselves. So they handed Samson over to the Philistines, bound with two new ropes.
Then the Spirit of the LORD was upon Samson and he broke his bonds as it they were paper. Finding the jawbone of a recently killed donkey, he took it and slew 1,000 men.
Judges 15:11-16 ESV Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, "Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?" And he said to them, "As they did to me, so have I done to them." (12) And they said to him, "We have come down to bind you, that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines." And Samson said to them, "Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves." (13) They said to him, "No; we will only bind you and give you into their hands. We will surely not kill you." So they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock. (14) When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands. (15) And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men. (16) And Samson said, "With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey have I struck down a thousand men."
After this exhausting battle, Samson was very thirsty and cried out to the LORD and the LORD caused water to gush out from a hollow in the ground. Then Samson judged Israel for the next twenty years, during the time that the Philistines dominated the land.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am here to accomplish your will for my life. Even when things look like they are against me, you have a plan for my life. Help me to trust you LORD in all things, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Copyright © 2006, 2011 Thomas C. Blake
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