JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 14:1 TIMNAH was approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Jerusalem. Archaeologists believe it was a thriving city during the time of the judges. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 14:2 UNCIRCUMCISED PHILISTINES. Israelites were forbidden to marry unbelieving foreigners (Exodus 34:16; Deuteronomy 7:3). Also, Samson’s demand for a wife (Judges 14:2) was against the tradition of marriages being arranged by the parents (Genesis 24:1; Genesis 38:6). she is ri... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 14:4 IT WAS FROM THE LORD. Despite Israel’s unfaithfulness and Samson’s selfish life, God would use Samson for his own purposes. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 14:6 THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD RUSHED UPON HIM. The OT speaks many times of God’s Spirit acting upon individuals, usually to empower them for some service for the people of God. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 14:8 CARCASS OF THE LION. Samson’s contact with the dead lion violated his Nazirite vow (see Judges 13:5). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 14:10 The Hebrew word for FEAST implies a dinner that includes alcohol, another violation of Samson’s Nazirite vow (see Judges 13:5). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 14:15 FOURTH DAY. The Hebrew text has “seventh day” (compare v. Judges 14:18); the esv reading is based on Greek and Syriac versions (see esv footnote). The difference is only one letter in Hebrew, which could easily have been miscopied by a scribe in an early manuscript. “Four... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 14:18 IF YOU HAD NOT PLOWED WITH MY HEIFER. This may have been a saying in Samson’s time (heifers were occasionally used for plowing; see Deuteronomy 21:3). Here it is a coarse reference to their use of Samson’s wife. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); fo... [ Continue Reading ]