Judges 13-14

CHAPTER 13:
Judge #12: Samson (Dan)
           Verse 1: Samson is a contemporary of Jephthah as indicated by the description in this verse of the Philistine oppression. While Jephthah is dealing with the Ammonites on the western border, the Philistines are attacking Israel from the eastern coast which is  where they had conquered and settled some time before Israel began their campaign of possessing the promised land. (Joshua 13:2-3)
 
            Verses 2-5: Unlike the other judges, Samson was divinely chosen and predestined before his birth to lead and deliver Israel. As with Gideon, it’s the preincarnate Jesus Christ that appears to Manoah’s wife. (v.3) The son that they will soon conceive is to be reared as a Nazarite, according to the law of Moses. (Numbers 6:2) That means that he will abstain from anything that is made from the vine, especially wine or any other form of alcohol. (Numbers 6:3-4) Nor will he be allowed to cut his hair (Numbers 6:5) or have any contact with a corpse. (Numbers 6:6-7) Those who take the Nazarite vow are separated unto the LORD as holy, and, therefore, if he were to be drunk or come in contact with a corpse it would make him unclean.
            It’s important to note that this vow is designed to be temporary, related only to specific spiritual discipline or work. Samson is the only one mentioned in scripture to whom this vow was to be taken for his whole life.
 
           Verses 6-16: When Manoah’s wife tells her husband of the angel’s visit and prophecy, he is understandably skeptical, and he asks God to send the messenger once more. (v.8) God agrees, but Manoah’s wife is again alone when the angel returns. (v.9) But this time she runs to fetch Manoah, and he asks the angel of the LORD more details about their yet-to-be-born son. (v.10-12) The angel repeats what He told Manoah’s wife (v.13-14), and then Manoah asks the angel to stay while he and his wife prepare a young goat for the angel to eat. (v.15) But the preincarnate Christ tells Manoah that He will not eat the meat, which could possibly signify the broken relationship between God and Israel at this time. The reason for this presumption is that we have already seen in Abraham’s encounter with God that the LORD ate the meal Abraham and Sarah prepared for Him and the angels that accompanied Him. (Genesis 18:7-8) Therefore, if Christ will not partake of the meal that Manoah and his wife prepare, it must be some other reason. The fact that Israel is currently in a state of broken covenant with God provides the most reasonable explanation for why the angel of the LORD refuses the offering.
            Instead of a meal, the angel tells Manoah that he may offer up a burnt offering unto the Lord. (v.16) The author of Judges tells us that Manoah and his wife did not understand that this man was, in fact, God Himself. This is further proof that the use of the description in the OT “the angel of the LORD” refers to the preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ in the form and likeness of a man.
 
            Verses 17-23: Manoah then asks the angel for His name, that they might know whom to thank and worship when His prophecy comes to pass. (v.17) Christ’s response is the same as it was with Jacob when he fought with the LORD: “Why askest thou thus after my name…?” (v.18) (Genesis 32:29) The word “secret” here, translated into English from the original Hebrew word “pâlîy”, means “wonderful”, which is the same word used by Isaiah in his messianic prophecy. (Isaiah 9:6) The name “wonderful” speaks of the supernatural acts of God, especially those on behalf of His chosen people.
            But Manoah and his wife still don’t comprehend that they are in the presence of God. Manoah prepares the young goat and then offers it up on the altar as a burnt offering. (v.19) What the angel does next demonstrates His name. As the fire rises from the altar, consuming the flesh of the goat, the LORD ascends to heaven within the flames, and only then does Manoah and his wife realize with Whom they have been speaking. (v.20-21)
             Because of this, Manoah is convinced that they will both die, for no one can live who has seen the face of God. (v.22) Gideon had the same realization and resulting awe and fear. (Judges 6:22) But Manoah’s wife reassures her husband, just as God had reassured Gideon. If the LORD had desired to kill them, He wouldn’t have accepted their burnt offering, nor would he given them a prophecy that He knew would never come to pass. (v.23)
 
            Verses 24-25: The Hebrew word for Samson, “shimshôn”, means “like the sun”. The LORD is with him from the moment of his conception, and he grows to be a strong and vibrant man, worthy of the position of judge for which God has predestined and chosen him.

CHAPTER 14:
           Verses 1-4: Here we see the first seeds of Samson’s downfall. His greatest weakness is a lack of self control. He sees a beautiful woman of the Philistines, and rather than obey the Lord by not marrying a heathen, he demands of his parents that they arrange his marriage to this daughter of Israel’s enemy. (v.2) His parents, of course, object, but Samson is stubborn and proud, and he refuses to heed their wise counsel. (v.3) Samson’s character is summed up well in his response: “…Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.” He impulsively gives in to the lusts of his eyes, his flesh, and his pride with no thought of the consequences or regard for God’s commandments. Yet God works all of this into His divine plan. Verse 4 confirms the sovereignty of God, specifically how God uses Samson’s lack of self-control and poor choices to bring judgment against the Philistines who are currently oppressing His people.
 
            Verses 5-9: Samson and his parents journey to Timnath to see his future bride and arrange the marriage. While there, Samson is confronted by a lion whom he slays with his bare hands. (v.5-6) The only reason Samson can do this is because the Spirit of the LORD is upon him. (v.6) The incident occurs when Samson is absent from his parents, and he doesn’t tell them about it. Sometime later, Samson discovers that bees have made a home in the carcass of the lion, and he violates his Nazarite vow by taking honey from the hive within the dead animal’s belly. (v.8) Even worse, he gives some of it to his parents without telling them where he got it, causing them to sin as well! (v.9)
 
            Verses 10-20: As was custom in the cultures of the ANE, the wedding is divided into two phases: a period of betrothal before the actual marriage ceremony. This is why the woman of Timnath is referred to here as Samson’s wife even though the actual wedding ceremony has not yet taken place. As part of the betrothal ritual, Samson hosts a great feast for his future bride which is attended by thirty Philistine men whom his parents have rounded up for him. (v.10-11)
            During the feast, Samson poses a riddle to the men, promising them new garments and clothing if they can solve it within seven days, which is the traditional length of time for these types of festivities in the ANE. (v.12) However, if the men fail to guess the answer, then they must give Samson thirty garments and clothing. (v.13) The riddle is simple: “…Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.” For three days, the Philistines try to guess the answer, but they fail. (v.14) Finally, on the seventh day, they coerce Samson’s bride-to-be, threatening to burn down her father’s house and possessions if she doesn’t cooperate. (v.15) The bride begs Samson, claiming that he doesn’t truly love her if he won’t tell her the answer to the riddle. Samson retorts, “I have not told my father nor my mother, shall I tell it thee?” (v.16) But she won’t let up, and the feast continues for another week, with the bride-to-be hounding Samson day and night. (v.17) He finally gives in and tells her the answer which she immediately relays to the Philistine guests.
            The answer is “What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion?” (v.18) Samson knows that it was his bride which gave them the answer, and, in his anger, he journeys to Ashkelon where he slays thirty Philistine men. From their spoil he gives the garments to his wedding guests. (v.19) His anger at being betrayed causes him to also break off the engagement to the daughter of Timnath, and he and his parents return home. The woman is given to one of the other men that attended the betrothal feast. (v.20)
 
           God uses Samson to bring about judgment against the Philistines in Ashkelon, even though Samson is acting out of his own selfish pride and anger. Samson’s actions here, of course, are an act of war against the Philistines, which leads to a cycle of back-and-forth retaliation from either side, as we’ll see in the remaining chapters of this account. Through it all, God remains in complete control, and Samson eventually frees his people, just as God intended before Samson was even conceived.