Judges

Judges Chapter 14

Judges 14:1 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.

Timnath was the same place that the incident with Judah and Tamar, the daughter in law of Judah, took place. This story is in Genesis Chapter 12-14.

We today may think it strange that a son would ask his father and mother to get him a wife after seeing a woman he liked but that kind of stuff went on. Even though God used Samson to deliver his people anyway, this was against the law God sent by Moses. Marrying the women from the nations outside of the tribes of Israel were forbidden because those nations worshipped idols and did things that were evil. Deuteronomy chapter 7 and Exodus chapter 34 warned against this.

Exodus 34:12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:
13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:
14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.
17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.

This was a good law because it protected them from the demonic influence that accompanies idolatry. Yet in God's mercy like in the story of Ruth from Moab and Rahab of Jericho. Those two women came to know the God of Israel and even became part of the lineage of Christ. This shows that the gospel that was to come through Christ will save even the heathen that turn to the Lord.

Judges 14:3 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.

I would react the same way if one of my sons wanted to marry someone who didn't know the Lord and had no interest in believing the gospel and living for God.

Judges 14:5 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 against 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.

The lion was known as the strongest of beasts. Samson in himself was not strong but under the power of the Lord's spirit coming upon him he ripped the lion apart like it was nothing. Why he didn't tell his parents, we don't know.

Judges 14:7 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 sheets and thirty change of garments:
13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets 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.

By this time Samson was married and put forth a riddle to challenge them to try to figure it out. Samson seemed to enjoy these types of games.

Judges 14:15 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?

The men that Samson challenged to solve the ridle threatened his wife if she did not give them the secret about the riddle.

Judges 14:16 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 seven 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.

Samson figured out that it was his wife that betrayed his trust.

Judges 14:19 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, 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.

To pay his debt that he had previously promised the companions, he went in the land of the Philistines and killed thirty men to pay the dept. Later his wife's father gave his daughter to one of his companions thinking Samson hated her for betraying him.

The women of today would probably think it strange that women could be bought, sold and given away in some civilizations. To me it seems that after the coming of Jesus, those who embraced His teachings and believed in Him for salvation started to show respect and honor to women. Jesus certainly did. There were exceptions to this among those that claimed to know Christ Jesus but in their works they denied Him; but for the real believers in truth, godly women enjoyed the infilling of the Holy Spirit and were respected and honored just as well as men. I would even say that those who claim to be believers in Jesus and are unkind to their wives are not who they say they are. DC

Judges Chapter 15