Monday, October 08, 2007

Judges 16



Samson begins seeing a harlot in Gaza. The men of Gaza want to ambush him, but he is too strong (tearing down gates, etc.). The men lords of the Philistines find out about Delilah and offer her money for the secret of his strength. Just like with his wife, he is able to hold to her pressure for so long (he tells her several lies - that 7 fresh bowstrings, new ropes, or weaving his hair into a web and fastened them with a pin). Finally, she wears him down by continually vexing him with complaints, and he tells her, "No razor has touched my head, for I have been consecrated to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaved, my strength will leave me, and I shall be as weak as any other man" (17). While he is sleeping, she cuts his hair off, mistreats him, and when he wakes up he is taken to prison where he is put to grinding which must have been miserable since his source of strength had been taken away).

The lords of the philistines make Samson play the buffoon for them for a sacrifice festival for the god Dagon. They station him between two columns and since his hair grew back in prison, he tears them down, killing himself and in one swoop, more than he had killed in his lifetime. He judged for 20 years.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Samson went to the port of Gaza and met a prostitute. The Philistines who lived in Gaza thought they'd ambush Samson at the city gate the next morning when he left. He left at midnight, saw them hiding, tore off the city gates, and carried them to the top of the nearest hill that faced Hebron (his home).
Then he met Delilah. The Philistine rulers offered her money to reveal how Samson might be captured. She begged him to tell her the secret of his strentgh. Twice he said that fresh ropes will drain his strength. While he slept, she tied him up and called the Philistines. She'd yell "the Philistines are upon you" and he'd quickly snap the ropes (like thread) and escape.
Samson then tells her that if she weaves his hair into a fabric on the loom, that will subdue him. Again a failed capture. He then tells her the truth that if his hair is shaved, he will be weak as any man. Again, while he slept, Delilah called a barber to cut his hair, calls out the Philistine alarm, and he is captured.

The Philistines gouge out his eyes and take him to prison in Gaza. They call a celebration to commemorate Samson's capture. The main party was at the temple of their god. They brought Samson out of prison to perform. Samson asked his servant to "put him where he can feel the pillars that support the temple". All the Philistine rulers were there on the roof (about 3 thousand). Samson prayed for God to give him strength once more (his hair had grown back in prison) so he could have revenge for his eyes. God returned his strength, Samson pushed out the support pillars and the entire temple was destroyed with everyone in it (including Samson). His family brought him back to be buried in the cave with his father, Manoah.

Samson wasn't very careful in choosing a wife. It doesn't say specifically but I think Delilah was a Philistine, at the very least a traitor if she was an Israelite. A "good" wife would have supported him and helped defend and protect him; told Samson that the Philistines were trying to bribe her. He'd have killed them instantly.