Judges 14

Judges 14

Samson’s story begins with him searching for a wife. The Philistines were still ruling over Israel at this time, and Samson had not been set up as the new judge yet. But the problem that seems to arise in the opening verses of Judges 14 is that he is searching for a Philistine wife. Instead of finding someone from his own group of people, which is what his parents would have preferred, Samson sought for one from the Philistines. What his parents did not know was that this was the Lord’s plan. This arrangement would help Samson’s attempts to over throw the Philistines. But the reason this seems like such a problem I think comes from the way that Samson requested this woman. Instead of clarifying that this was from God, Samson told his father that he wanted her because “she was right in his eyes.” After what Manoah and his wife had been through prior to Samson’s birth, they would have more than likely believed that it was God’s plan if Samson had just old them that.


Samson’s questionable ways continue as he prepares to go and get his new wife. On the way it seems as if he is doing just as God would have him do for God gives him the strength to kill a lion that was about to attack. He killed the lion and saved his family. Then, on the way back home with his new wife, he scoops out some honey from the dead body of the lion (where some bees had been) and eats it. Furthermore, he gives some to his parents. There were laws in Israel about not touching dead bodies. So not only did Samson break this law, but he also tricked his parents into doing the same by not being straightforward with them. Of course, they did not question where Samson got the honey, but why would they think it came from somewhere that was considered unclean, especially after knowing what great plans God had for him?

Next, Samson wrote a riddle that explained what he had done, but he did not share the answer with anyone. This caused his wife’s people to become angry with him. They wanted to solve the riddle, and to do so, they manipulated his wife to manipulate him into giving them the answer so that they could receive his reward. Samson ended up telling his wife the answer, and she in turn told her people. They then went to Samson with the answer, and he was bound to do as he had promised. However, he refused to uphold his end of the deal because of the way in which they found out the answer. God gave him the strength to kill these men for their evil deeds.

The story of Samson and the story of his parents are rather confusing. Samson was supposed to be a man of God, the next judge of Israel. He was called to be a Nazirite but was not living up to that calling. He did things as he wanted them done and did not always consult God first. Yet when he was in times of trouble, God helped him out in order to protect him. Why would God help out someone who was trying to live their life on their own strength with what seemed to be not much concern for God? Furthermore, his father had struggled with his faith in Judges 13, questioning God’s promises, yet God still came through for him in allowing Samson to be born. Ultimately, God had bigger plans. He was not going to allow Manoah’s and Samson’s mistakes to mess up His plans. He was still going to deliver Israel from their enemies as He had promised, and He was still going to use Samson.

Yet even that seems unfair, would God not be rewarding Samson, even with Samson seeming to have no concern for Him? This question will be answered in the next two chapters, but for the time understand this: It may seem as if people get away with their sins at times. That does not mean that they will not endure consequences. God promises that there will be consequences for sins. Even if it seems unfair to us when we see people “getting off the hook,” we must continue to follow God’s commands. They will suffer the consequences eventually, and instead of worrying about what they are doing, we should be more concerned about our own obedience. Even more importantly, we should reach out to those people, and show them how God would have them live.

Matt