Judges 14:1-20
1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared againsta him.
6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheetsb and thirty change of garments:
13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheetsc and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?
16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
17 And she wept before him the sevend days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
18 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
19 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil,e and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
20 But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
Judges 14:1. Timnath, situate in mount Ephraim, often taken and retaken in successive wars. To form a matrimonial connection with the Philistines, or with any of the idolatrous nations, was a violation of the Jewish law. Exodus 34:16. But truly, as Ovid says, Amor est cæcus, love is blind.
Judges 14:5. A young lion roared against him. To kill a lion placed a man among the first of heroes. He, like Hercules, mostly wore the skin as a proud trophy of victory. Old Æneas says, that he threw a vest around his neck, and covered his shoulders with a tawny lion's skin.
Latos humeros subjectáque colla Veste super, fulvique insternor pelle leonis. ÆN. 50. 2. 5:721.
Judges 14:8. After a time, when the air had dried the skeleton, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase, the mouth, or breast of the lion. Bochart mentions swarms of bees settling in tombs, and in human skulls, and forming their combs. Hieroz, part. 2. lib. 4. cap. 10.
Judges 14:12. I will put forth a riddle. The human kind were not in that age come to maturity of intellect. Xenophon, in his Cyropædia, (travels of Cyrus,) represents that prince as diverting himself with his generals, by each in his turn putting forth a riddle. Antiquity abounds with examples, that the heathens, merry in their feasts, diverted themselves with riddles and tales. Thirty sheets. Many of the ancients wore a sheet of cloth knit at the corners, and thrown over the left shoulder, leaving the right arm free for action. Leurs habits sont aisés à faire; car, dans ce doux climat, on ne porte qu'une pièce d'étoffe fine et légère, qui n'est point taillée, et que chacun met à longs plis autour de son corps pour la modestie, lui dormant la forme qu'il veut. Telem. livre 8.
Judges 14:18. Plowed with my heifer, a delicate adage to designate an inconstant woman. See Jezebel's character, in 1 Kings 21. He who betrays the truth, under whatever threats, forfeits the confidence of society.
REFLECTIONS.
We now enter on the chequered life and heroic deeds of this extraordinary man. He was raised up of God, an interior scourge to the Philistines, that they might be so humbled and awed by the signal exertions of his strength, as to leave the Israelites in quiet and repose. And he was graciously raised up in an age when the spirit of his country was broken; when they were disarmed, and in servitude; when the tribes were disunited in their councils; and when Eli the highpriest had no spirit to reform religion, or to direct the operations of the people. Hence Samson's mission differed from the mission of Barak, and Gideon. It was singular; and his vengeance on the enemy was so conducted as not to involve his helpless country in the blame.
The first effusions of his noble soul were love, and love solely guided by passion and inclination. It was so impetuous as not to be restrained by the prohibitions of the law, nor by the dissuasions of his parents. Deuteronomy 7:3; Exodus 34:16. He had seen a beauty, and that had fettered his soul, which could not be held by any other bond. He never once thought how a Nazarite of Israel could live with a heathen wife destitute of virtue, nor how his soul could be saved in attending the festivals of Philistia. ‘Love is blind;' and surely to him the adage was applicable in the extreme.
Scarcely had this Nazarite forced his conscience in the violation of his vows, scarcely had he tasted the mutual joys of a pagan compact, or indulged in the pleasures of a sensual feast, than all his joys are changed into treasons, anguish, tears and divorce. Going from Timnath to Ashkelon, his anger disdaining all fear, he slew thirty men, and brought the plighted raiment to his faithless friends. He returned to his parents, taking nothing back but the reproaches of a wounded mind. And if Samson, mighty Samson in some sort, lost all interest in the divine favour at a Philistine feast; who has grace to bear a carnal marriage, and to keep a pure conscience in a profane festival? If this was impossible for Samson, what can our weakness expect from marriages and festivals with the wicked but total destruction? Learn then, oh my soul, to shelter thy feeble faith from gazing on carnal beauty, and from rioting at the unhallowed board.
Let us fix our eye on this hero, with regard to his return. He enters his father's house destitute of wife, companion, and money. Hear how he afflicts his parents by the sad tale, that he had now realized their remonstrance, and found in Philistia, beauty to be corruption, and faith to be perjury. See how restless and dissatisfied he is with himself. Instead of enjoying the Elysium of delight, promised by impetuous passions, his breast is torn with blasted hopes, his family is pierced with grief and fear, and all good men now regard him as an apostate from the true religion. Happy, that God did not forsake him, but that he yet had hope in the omnipotent arm.
Mark well, how providence took occasion from the errors of Samson to punish Philistia, and so far to relieve Israel. That God often brings good out of evil, and takes occasion from the crimes of men to do his people the greatest good, not only the sacred writings, but all history abound with examples. This is among the most astonishing mysteries of providence; and it should lead us to study the ways of God, and to place unlimited confidence in his care. The lawless passions of our Henry 8. led to a breach with Rome, and greatly accelerated the reformation of religion in this united kingdom. Equally so, the ingratitude of Maurice of Saxony, towards the emperor of Germany, led to the protection of the Lutheran church. But because providence takes advantage of the crimes of men to do good, let no man presume that crimes are pleasing to God. Let us never do evil that good may come. Wicked men sin with evil views; and God will punish them as he punished Assyria with the rod of his anger, and the staff of his indignation. So Isaiah has exemplified the subject: Isaiah 10:5.