Judges 14:1-20 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Judges 14:1-20. Today we begin the story of Samson, one of the most tragic characters in all the Bible. There are many lessons we can learn from Samson’s life. Let’s go!
Judges 14:1-3 (NIV)
1 Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman.
2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”
3 His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.”
On verses 1-3: Notice that the first recorded words from Samson’s mouth are about him being so intent on doing something that was against God’s commands for Israel (Deuteronomy 7:3-4) and how he wouldn’t be swayed or persuaded otherwise. Unlike Gideon who grew from immaturity to a more mature faith, Samson’s entire life it seems would unfortunately be characterized by this kind of me-centered attitude.
Judges 14:4 (NIV)
4 (His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)
On verse 4: Does verse 4 mean that God wanted Samson to marry the Philistine woman? No. What it means is that God would find a way to use Samson’s poor choice for God’s good purposes, even though his choice was contrary to God’s commands. That’s how sovereign God is. By choosing his own way, Samson would not be nearly as blessed as if he had chosen God’s way. Still, in His sovereignty God will make sure that His will is done in the end, one way or the other.
Judges 14:5 (NIV)
5 Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him.
On verse 5: As a Nazirite, Samson was not to touch wine or other fermented drink. Here while Samson is near the vineyards of Timnah, where grapes are harvested and where wine is made, a lion attacks him. While Samson didn’t do anything wrong per se by going to the vineyards of Timnah, it’s interesting that Samson was attacked in that very place. Likewise, Satan is described as a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). We need to be careful, especially when we are in situations where we might be tempted to compromise our faith, to resist the enemy.
Judges 14:6-9 (NIV)
6 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done.
7 Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.
8 Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at the lion’s carcass. In it was a swarm of bees and some honey,
9 which he scooped out with his hands and ate as he went along. When he rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.
On verses 6-9: Another requirement from Samson’s Nazirite vow was that Samson was not to touch a dead body (Numbers 6:6). It is safe to assume that Samson’s parents would have taught him this repeatedly. Yet here is Samson snacking on honey which he got from a dead lion that he had killed. These verses show us two things: first, Samson’s incredible God-given strength, as shown in his ability to rip apart a lion with his own two hands (v6). Second, we see Samson once again disregarding the calling God had on his life.
Judges 14:10 (NIV)
10 Now his father went down to see the woman. And Samson made a feast there, as was customary for bridegrooms.
On verse 10: It seems to me that Samson had a father who was vocal and present in Samson’s life. Even when his father did not approve of Samson’s choice for a wife, his father Manoah still went down to see the woman. His father seems to have been available to Samson if Samson wanted. Unfortunately, Samson was not open to seeking any help or advice from his father.
Judges 14:11-12 (NIV)
11 When he appeared, he was given thirty companions.
12 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.
13 If you can’t tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they said. “Let’s hear it.”
14 He replied, “Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet.” For three days they could not give the answer.
15 On the fourth day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?”
16 Then Samson’s wife threw herself on him, sobbing, “You hate me! You don’t really love me. You’ve given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.” “I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother,” he replied, “so why should I explain it to you?”
17 She cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people.
18 Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” Samson said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.”
On verses 10-18: Samson loved to play games. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have fun and being light hearted. However, when you combine Samson’s penchant for playing games with his tendency to entrust himself to strangers with questionable character, the result would spell trouble in Samson’s life.
Also, notice the lack of transparency on both sides between Samson and his new bride. Neither one of them seemed to let the other in on what was really going on, so they end up fighting each other when they could have fought together as a team. It takes trust and transparency for a team to thrive.
Judges 14:19-20 (NIV)
19 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of their belongings and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he went up to his father’s house.
20 And Samson’s wife was given to the friend who had attended him at his wedding.
On verses 19-20: Samson was used to using his brute strength to bail himself out of trouble that he had gotten himself into. We see him doing that here. Samson uses the strength that God had given him not to serve God but to serve his own self-centered purposes. To pay a gambling debt, Samson kills 30 Philistines, strips them of their clothes and gives those clothes to his wedding guests.
Also, ignoring his marriage commitment, he returns home alone and abandons his newly wedded wife, who is given to someone else.
In just 20 verses, we’re already noticing some issues and warning signs when it comes to Samson’s character. No matter how talented or gifted you are, it’s your character that will determine the direction your life heads in. Since all of us have been given tremendous strengths and talents from God, let’s combine them with a humble heart that is committed to loving and serving God. Only then will we be wise, faithful stewards of what God has given us.
Father, to the extent that I have any of these unhealthy tendencies that Samson displays, please help me. Please help me to spot those cracks in my character that need attention. Please give me wisdom to know how to deal with those cracks so I can avoid unnecessary trouble for me and for those around me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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