JUDGES 15-16

Judges 15:1-11 This was a substantial gift, indicating that Samson was serious about reconciling with his wife.

15:4 The story of the 300 foxes is bordering on the absurd, should this be taken literally?

See the increasing multiples of 3 in 15:11 below. The Hebrew word can mean “jackal” instead; they hunt in packs and are easier to trap in large numbers. This incident starts a cycle of increasing revenge – the only motive in mind for both the Philistines and Samson. This was the reason that God instituted the cities of refuge, so that the tribes would not destroy themselves through feuds.

15:11 The same comment as above: 3,000 men is absurd. We have a much more densely populated area, and getting 3,000 men to join together would be completely impossible.

It has been proposed that the 3,000 men was a standing militia located on the border. It may also be translated “three contingents” (about 75 men). That number matches the number of Philistines killed in

15:16 There is a pun between “heap” and “donkey” – same Hebrew word. The New International Dictionary of the Old Testament paraphrases, “With a donkey's jawbone I have made donkeys of them.”

Judges 15:18-19

15:18 The first prayer Samson makes is a personal complaint. Similar to the Jews in the Wilderness.

15:19 The locations of the cities mentioned (Lehi and Etam) are unknown. But this verse would make little sense if they were not still present at the time of writing.

Judges 16:1-4

16:1 It may bother some people that God's chosen man is visiting a prostitute, but remember that there is only one hero in the Bible, and that is God. All of God's chosen people possess human flaws.

16:3 He escapes from Gaza here but is in captivity there in v. 21. Also note the similarity of Samson taking hold of two posts in v. 3 and being placed between two posts in v. 25.

16:4 Delilah is probably a Philistine, but the text doesn't say so. The name may be related to the Arabic word for a flirt.

Judges 16:10-17 Samson seems to be rather dense if he continues to fall for Delilah's inquisitions.

However, he is only playing with her the first three times. It is only much later that he gives in. “If you are flirting with a Delilah, believing you can keep sin in bound, let me warn you that you are playing with a lion.” (Gary Inrig) “He is moved much more by powerful urges than by rational thought and careful planning” This is the first woman Samson is said to have loved. “This love blinded him to the dangers involved, and eventually led to his being literally blinded.”

“She knows that Samson is the kind of person who is aroused by danger rather than repelled by it.”(New International Commentary on the Old Testament) Verses 16-17 show that she has been browbeating him for some time to wear him down. There is the suggestion that deep down Samson wanted to shed his special identity and be like any other man, especially since he enjoyed mixing with the Philistines, not always fighting with them. That came about only when the Spirit of God overpowered him.

16:13 Web and pin are parts of a loom.

13:21 Usually women and slaves ground at the mill.

Judges 16:25-30  

16:25, 27 The “performing” was probably some form of mocking, such as forcing him to perform dances or songs, doing strongman acts, asking him riddles to solve, dressing him like a mock judge, etc. This would be quite similar to the soldiers mocking Jesus with a crown of thorns, blindfolding him and hitting him, etc.

16:26, 29 The first Philistine temple excavated had central pillars only a few feet apart. It was built with wooden beams sitting on stone bases. The number of people on the roof (balcony) would have made the building unstable.

16:27. There is an escalation from 30 killed in 14:19, 300 (foxes) in 15:4, 1,000 in 15:15, and 3,000 in this verse. Remember that it is the Spirit rushing on Samson that led to victory, not Samson's own strength.

16:28 Samson's second prayer to God is for revenge. The first prayer was for life; second one is for death.

16:30a There may be meaning to the fact that this was accomplished by his might rather than the Spirit of God.

16:30b This is the opposite of Jesus. A type in reverse.