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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Judges 14:1–9. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here, I. Samson, under the extraordinary guidance of Providence, seeks an occasion of quarrelling with the Philistines, by joining in affinity with them - a strange method, but the truth is Samson was himself a riddle, a paradox of a man, did that which was really great and good, by that which was seemingly weak and evil, because he was designed not to be a pattern to us (who must walk by rule, not by example), but a type of him who, though he knew no sin, was made sin for us, and appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh, that he might condemn and destroy sin in the flesh, Rom 8:3.
1.As the negotiation of Samson's marriage was a common case, we may observe,
(1.)That is was weakly and foolishly done of him to set his affections upon a daughter of the Philistines; the thing appeared very improper. Shall one that is not only an Israelite, but a Nazarite, devoted to the Lord, covet to become one with a worshipper of Dagon? Shall one marked for a patriot of his country match among those that are its sworn enemies? He saw this woman (Jdg 14:1), and she pleased him well, Jdg 14:3. It does not appear that he had any reason to think her wise or virtuous, or in any way likely to be a help-meet for him; but he saw something in her face that was very agreeable to his fancy, and therefore nothing will serve but she must be his wife. He that in the choice of a wife is guided only by his eye, and governed by his fancy, must afterwards thank himself if he find a Philistine in his arms.
(2.)Yet it was wisely and well done not to proceed so much as to make his addresses to her till he had first made his parents acquainted with the matter. He told them, and desired them to get her for him to wife, Jdg 14:2. Herein he is an example to all children. Conformably to the law of the fifth commandment, children ought not to marry, nor to move towards marrying, without the advice and consent of their parents; those that do (as bishop Hall here expresses it) wilfully unchild themselves, and exchange natural affections for violent. parents have a property in their children as parts of themselves. In marriage this property is transferred; for such is the law of the relation that a man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave to his wife. It is therefore not only unkind and ungrateful, but very unjust, to alienate this property without their concurrence; whoso thus robbeth his father or mother, stealing himself from them, who is nearer and dearer to them than their goods, and yet saith, It is no transgression, the same is the companion of a destroyer, Pro 28:24.
(3.)His parents did well to dissuade him from yoking himself thus unequally with unbelievers. Let those who profess religion, but are courting an affinity with the profane and irreligious, matching into families where they have reason to think the fear of God is not, nor the worship of God, let them hear their reasoning, and apply it to themselves: "Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or, if none of our tribe, never a one among all thy people, never an Israelite, that pleases thee, or that thou canst think worthy of thy affection, that thou shouldest marry a Philistine?" In the old world the sons of God corrupted and ruined themselves, their families, and that truly primitive church, by marrying with the daughters of men, Gen 6:2. God had forbidden the people of Israel to marry with the devoted nations, one of which the Philistines were, Deu 7:3.
(4.)If there had not been a special reason for it, it certainly would have been improper in him to insist upon his choice, and in them to agree to it at last. Yet their tender compliance with his affections may be observed as an example to parents not to be unreasonable in crossing their children's choices, nor to deny their consent, especially to those that have seasonably and dutifully asked it, without some very good cause. As children must obey their parents in the Lord, so parents must not provoke their children to wrath, lest they be discouraged. This Nazarite, in his subjection to his parents, asking their consent, and not proceeding till he had it, was not only an example to all children, but a type of the holy child Jesus, who went down with his parents to Nazareth (thence called a Nazarene) and was subject to them, Luk 2:51.
2.But this treaty of marriage is expressly said to be of the Lord, Jdg 14:4. Not only that God afterwards overruled it to serve his designs against the Philistines, but that he put it into Samson's heart to make this choice, that he might have occasion against the Philistine. It was not a thing evil in itself for him to marry a Philistine. It was forbidden because of the danger of receiving hurt by idolaters; where there was not only no danger of that kind, but an opportunity hoped for of doing that hurt to them which would be good service to Israel, the law might well be dispense with. It was said (Jdg 13:25) that the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times, and we have reason to think he himself perceived that Spirit to move him at this time, when he made this choice, and that otherwise he would have yielded to his parents' dissuasives, nor would they have consented at last if he had not satisfied them it was of the Lord. This would bring him into acquaintance and converse with the Philistines, by which he might have such opportunities of galling them as otherwise he could not have. It should seem, the way in which the Philistines oppressed Israel was, not by great armies, but by the clandestine incursions of their giants and small parties of their plunderers. In the same way therefore Samson must deal with them; let him but by this marriage get among them, and he would be a thorn in their sides. Jesus Christ, having to deliver us from this present evil world, and to cast out the prince of it, did himself visit it, though full of pollution and enmity, and, by assuming a body, did in some sense join in affinity with it, that he might destroy our spiritual enemies, and his own arm might work the salvation.
II.Samson, by a special providence, is animated and encouraged to attack the Philistines.
That being the service for which he was designed, God, when he called him to it, prepared him for it by two occurrences: -
1.By enabling him, in one journey to Timnath, to kill a lion, Jdg 14:5, Jdg 14:6. Many decline doing the service they might do because they know not their own strength. God let Samson know what he could do in the strength of the Spirit of the Lord, that he might never be afraid to look the greatest difficulties in the face. David, who was to complete the destruction of the Philistines, must try his hand first upon a lion and a bear, that thence he might infer, as we may suppose Samson did, that the uncircumcised Philistine should be as one of them, Sa1 17:36.
(1.)Samson's encounter with the lion was hazardous. It was a young lion, one of the fiercest sort, that set upon him, roaring for his prey, and setting his eye particularly upon him; he roared in meeting him, so the word is. He was all alone in the vineyards, whither he had rambled from his father and mother (who kept the high road), probably to eat grapes. Children consider not how they expose themselves to the roaring lion that seeks to devour when, out of a foolish fondness for liberty, they wander from under the eye and wing of their prudent pious parents. Nor do young people consider what lions lurk in the vineyards, the vineyards of red wines, as dangerous as snakes under the green grass. Had Samson met with this lion in the way, he might have had more reason to expect help both from God and man than here in the solitary vineyards, out of his road. But there was a special providence in it, and the more hazardous the encounter was,
(2.)The victory was so much the more illustrious. It was obtained without any difficulty: he strangled the lion, and tore his throat as easily as he would have strangled a kid, yet without any instrument, not only no sword nor bow, but not so much as a staff or knife; he had nothing in his hand. Christ engaged the roaring lion, and conquered him in the beginning of his public work (Mat 4:1, etc.), and afterwards spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing over them in himself, as some read it, not by any instrument. He was exalted in his own strength. That which added much to the glory of Samson's triumph over the lion was that when he had done this great exploit he did not boast of it, did not so much as tell his father nor mother that which many a one would soon have published through the whole country. Modesty and humility make up the brightest crown of great performances.
2.By providing him, the next journey, with honey in the carcase of this lion, Jdg 14:8, Jdg 14:9. When he came down the next time to solemnize his nuptials, and his parents with him, he had the curiosity to turn aside into the vineyard where he had killed the lion, perhaps that with the sight of the place he might affect himself with the mercy of that great deliverance, and might there solemnly give thanks to God for it. It is good thus to remind ourselves of God's former favours to us. There he found the carcase of the lion; the birds or beasts of prey, it is likely, had eaten the flesh, and in the skeleton a swarm of bees had knit, and made a hive of it, and had not been idle, but had there laid up a good stock of honey, which was one of the staple commodities of Canaan; such plenty there was of it that the land is said to flow with milk and honey. Samson, having a better title than any man to the hive, seizes the honey with his hands. This supposes an encounter with the bees; but he that dreaded not lion's paws had no reason to fear their stings. As by his victory over the lion he was emboldened to encounter the Philistine-giants, if there should be occasion, notwithstanding their strength and fierceness, so by dislodging the bees he was taught not to fear the multitude of the Philistines; though they compassed him about like bees, yet in the name of the Lord he should destroy them, Psa 118:12. Of the honey he here found,
(1.)He ate himself, asking no questions for conscience' sake; for the dead bones of an unclean beast had not that ceremonial pollution in them that the bones of a man had. John Baptist, that Nazarite of the New Testament, lived upon wild honey.
(2.)He gave to his parents, and they did eat; he did not eat all himself. Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, and no more, Pro 25:16. He let his parents share with him. Children should be grateful to their parents with the fruits of their own industry, and so show piety at home, Ti1 5:4. Let those that by the grace of God have found sweetness in religion themselves communicate their experience to their friends and relations, and invite them to come and share with them. He told not his parents whence he had it, lest they should scruple eating it. Bishop Hall observes here that those are less wise and more scrupulous than Samson that decline the use of God's gifts because they find them in ill vessels. Honey is hone still, though in a dead lion. Our Lord Jesus having conquered Satan, that roaring lion, believers find honey in the carcase, abundant strength and satisfaction, enough for themselves and for all their friends, from that victory.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
Now Samson, approved by such signal tokens from above, turned his thoughts as soon as he grew up, to marriage; whether this was that he abhorred those vague and licentious desires in which young men are wont to indulge, or that he was seeking an occasion of releasing the necks of his countrymen from the power of the hard yoke of the Philistines. Wherefore going down to Timnath, (this is the name of a city situated in those parts where the Philistines then dwelt,) he beheld a maiden of a pleasing form and beautiful countenance, and he besought his parents, by whoso company he was supported in his journey, to ask her for him in marriage. But they, not knowing that his intention, either, if the Philistine refused her to him, to be more fierce against them, or, if they assented, to remove their disposition to injure their subjects; and since from such a connexion a certain equality and kindliness of intercourse would naturally grow, or, on the other hand, if any offence were given, this desire of revenge would be more vehement, deemed that this maiden ought to be avoided as a foreigner. But after they had vainly attempted to change the purpose of their son by urging upon him these lawful objections, they of their own accord acquiesced in his desire.
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Summary
Judges 14:2 records Samson's immediate and unconventional demand to his parents for a Philistine woman from Timnath to be his wife. This pivotal declaration sets the stage for the unfolding narrative of Samson's life, highlighting the tension between personal impulse and covenantal obligation, and initiating the series of events through which God would paradoxically begin to deliver Israel from Philistine oppression, despite Samson's flawed choices and the societal norms he challenges.
Context
Literary Context
Judges 14:2 immediately follows the divine announcement of Samson's miraculous birth and Nazarite vow in Judges 13. The narrative swiftly transitions from the theological significance of his calling to the practical realities of his personal choices. This verse marks the beginning of Samson's active engagement with the Philistines, not through direct military confrontation as a judge, but through personal relationships that become catalysts for conflict. It establishes a pattern in Samson's life, driven by his own desires and encounters, which God uniquely uses to achieve His purposes against Israel's oppressors. The subsequent verses immediately reveal God's sovereign hand in Samson's seemingly disobedient choice, stating explicitly that "it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines" (Judges 14:4).
Historical & Cultural Context
The period of the Judges (approximately 12th-11th centuries BCE) was characterized by a decentralized Israelite society, marked by cycles of apostasy, oppression by surrounding nations, and subsequent deliverance through divinely appointed judges. The Philistines, a powerful maritime people, occupied the southwestern coastal plain of Canaan and were a persistent threat to Israel. Timnath was a Philistine city located in the Shephelah, a strategically important border region between Israelite and Philistine territories. Marriage customs in ancient Israel typically involved parental arrangement, with a strong emphasis on endogamy—marrying within the Israelite community or tribe—to preserve covenant purity and tribal identity. Intermarriage with foreign peoples, especially those practicing idolatry, was explicitly forbidden by Mosaic Law (e.g., Deuteronomy 7:3-4). Samson's request, therefore, was a significant cultural and religious transgression, challenging both parental authority and foundational covenant stipulations.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully introduces several recurring themes central to the Book of Judges and Samson's narrative. Firstly, it highlights the tension between Human Desire and Divine Will. Samson's choice is driven by what he "sees" and desires, rather than explicit divine command or the wisdom of his parents, foreshadowing a pattern where his personal impulses often dictate his actions, leading to both triumphs and tragedies. Secondly, it confronts the theme of Covenant Purity and Intermarriage. The Mosaic Law strictly forbade intermarriage with nations like the Philistines to prevent Israel from falling into idolatry and losing its unique identity as God's chosen people. Samson's request directly challenges this foundational principle, setting up a conflict with the covenant. Thirdly, and most profoundly, the narrative introduces the theme of God's Sovereignty in Human Choices. Despite Samson's seemingly disobedient desire, the text explicitly reveals a deeper divine purpose at play, demonstrating how God can mysteriously work through human decisions, even flawed or disobedient ones, to accomplish His ultimate plan of deliverance for His people, as further elaborated in Judges 14:4. Finally, the verse touches upon Parental Authority, as Samson, despite his unconventional request, still seeks his parents' involvement in the marriage process, acknowledging their traditional role, even if he is pushing against their expected boundaries.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
The verb "seen" (H7200, רָאָה, râʼâh) highlights the visual nature of Samson's attraction. It suggests an immediate, perhaps superficial, desire based on physical appearance, rather than a considered choice rooted in spiritual compatibility or covenant faithfulness. This emphasis on what is "seen" often contrasts with divine perspective in biblical narratives, where God "sees" the heart (e.g., 1 Samuel 16:7). Here, it underscores Samson's human-centric, rather than God-centric, motivation.
The imperative verb "get" (H3947, לָקַח, lâqach) is a direct and forceful command from Samson to his parents. While it reflects the ancient Near Eastern custom of parental arrangement in marriage, Samson's use of it here is an assertive demand, indicating his strong will and expectation of compliance. This word underscores his agency and determination to pursue his desire, even if it defied traditional and covenantal norms, placing his parents in a difficult position.
The mention of "Philistines" (H6430, פְּלִשְׁתִּי, Pᵉlishtîy) is crucial, as it immediately identifies the woman as belonging to a people explicitly forbidden for intermarriage by Mosaic Law (e.g., Deuteronomy 7:3-4). This ethnic identifier instantly flags Samson's request as a transgression against the covenant, setting up the central conflict between his personal desire and God's commands, and foreshadowing the tumultuous relationship he will have with this oppressive nation.
Verse Breakdown
"And he came up, and told his father and his mother,"
This opening clause establishes Samson's immediate action after encountering the woman. The phrase "came up" (H5927, ʻâlâh) could simply mean he returned home, or it could imply a journey from Timnath (which was geographically lower than some Israelite settlements) to his parents' residence in Zorah. The act of "telling" (H5046, nâgad) his parents signifies his acknowledgement of their traditional role in marriage arrangements, even as he presents them with an unprecedented and challenging request, indicating a degree of respect for their authority, albeit within the context of his own strong will.
"and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines:"
Here, Samson explicitly identifies the woman's origin and ethnicity. The mention of "Timnath" (H8553, Timnâh) places her within Philistine territory, underscoring the foreign and potentially hostile nature of her background. The phrase "daughters of the Philistines" (H1323, bath + H6430, Pᵉlishtîy) directly confronts the Mosaic prohibition against intermarriage, setting up the immediate conflict with covenant law and parental expectations. His declaration "I have seen a woman" (H7200, râʼâh + H802, ʼishshâh) again emphasizes the visual basis of his desire.
"now therefore get her for me to wife."
This is Samson's direct demand, a forceful imperative. The "now therefore" (וְעַתָּה, wĕ‘attāh) indicates a logical conclusion drawn from his "seeing" and desiring. It is a command rather than a humble request, demonstrating Samson's strong will and perhaps a youthful impulsiveness that overrides conventional wisdom and divine law. This command places his parents in a difficult position, caught between their son's desire and their understanding of God's covenant.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices that enrich its meaning and foreshadow future events. Foreshadowing is prominent, as Samson's impulsive desire for a Philistine woman sets the stage for a life characterized by personal gratification and problematic relationships that ultimately lead to his downfall, even as they serve God's larger purposes. There is also a strong element of Irony, particularly when read in conjunction with Judges 14:4, which reveals that Samson's seemingly disobedient choice is, paradoxically, part of God's plan to "seek an occasion against the Philistines." This creates a dramatic tension between human agency and divine sovereignty. Furthermore, the verse presents a clear Contrast between Samson's personal desire and the established covenantal law, highlighting the ongoing struggle of Israel to maintain its distinct identity and faithfulness to God amidst the allure of foreign cultures.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Judges 14:2 serves as a stark illustration of the tension between human desire and divine will, a recurring theme throughout biblical narrative. Samson, a Nazarite set apart from birth for God's special purpose, immediately demonstrates a propensity for choices driven by personal attraction rather than covenant fidelity. This highlights a fundamental human struggle: the inclination to follow what is pleasing to the eye or the flesh, even when it contradicts God's revealed commands. Yet, the broader narrative of Samson, and indeed the entire Book of Judges, powerfully demonstrates God's sovereignty, His ability to work through imperfect, disobedient, and even rebellious individuals to accomplish His redemptive purposes. Samson's desire for a Philistine woman, though seemingly a transgression, becomes the very means by which God instigates conflict with the Philistines, beginning the process of Israel's deliverance. This does not condone disobedience but rather magnifies God's immense grace and His mysterious ways of bringing about His will, even from human folly.
Reflection and Application
Samson's impulsive declaration in Judges 14:2 offers profound insights for contemporary believers. It challenges us to critically examine the source and nature of our desires. Are our choices primarily driven by immediate gratification, superficial attraction, or cultural conformity, or are they rooted in a deep understanding and submission to God's revealed will and wisdom? While God's sovereignty means He can redeem even our flawed decisions, this does not excuse willful disobedience. Instead, it underscores the importance of discerning God's voice, seeking wise counsel from godly mentors and community, and aligning our wills with His. Samson's story reminds us that true strength and effectiveness in God's service come not from personal power or charisma, but from humble obedience and a heart yielded to divine purpose, even when that path contradicts our natural inclinations or societal pressures. Our desires, when submitted to God, can be purified and directed towards His glory, leading to a life of greater fruitfulness and faithfulness.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was Samson allowed to marry a Philistine woman if the Law forbade intermarriage?
While the Mosaic Law explicitly prohibited intermarriage with foreign nations (e.g., Deuteronomy 7:3-4), the narrative in Judges 14:4 provides a crucial theological explanation: "But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines." This verse reveals God's sovereign hand at work, using Samson's seemingly disobedient desire as a divinely orchestrated means to initiate conflict with the Philistines, who were oppressing Israel. It does not imply that God condoned the breaking of His law for its own sake, but rather that He can powerfully overrule and utilize human choices, even flawed ones, to achieve His greater redemptive purposes. God's ultimate goal was to deliver Israel, and in Samson's case, His method involved working through the very circumstances that arose from Samson's personal inclinations.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Samson, as a judge and deliverer, foreshadows Christ in his role as a savior of his people, yet his life is marked by profound human weakness and disobedience. Judges 14:2, with Samson's self-willed desire for a Philistine woman, starkly contrasts with the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ. While Samson pursued his own desires, often leading to personal and national complications, Christ perfectly submitted His will to the Father's, even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). Samson's story, where God works through his flawed choices to deliver Israel from the Philistines, points to the ultimate divine paradox: God's perfect plan of salvation for humanity was accomplished through the apparent weakness and suffering of His Son (1 Corinthians 1:25). Jesus is the true and perfect Judge, the ultimate Deliverer, who did not succumb to worldly desires but perfectly fulfilled God's covenant, not by breaking it, but by embodying and fulfilling its righteous demands on our behalf, ultimately conquering sin and death for His people (Hebrews 4:15). Samson's initial step into a forbidden relationship, paradoxically used by God, ultimately points to Christ, who, though without sin, became sin for us, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).