Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, Judges · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
Verſ. 1. ANd Samſon went down to Timnath, &c.] A citie that was at firſt in the lot of Judah, Joſh. 15.57. and afterward was ſeparated for the tribe of Dan, Joſh. 19.43. but was often (if not alwayes) in the poſſeſſion of the Philiſtines, in the confines of whoſe land it ſtood; and ſo now it ſeems it was.
Verſ. 2. I have ſeen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines, now therefore get her for me to wife.] It was unlawfull for any Iſraelite, much more for a Nazarite, to marry with a daughter of the Philiſtines, Deut. 7.3. but it ſeems Samſon did this not without a ſpeciall warrant from God, either by revelation, or by a ſtrong inſtinct of the ſpirit, which he knew well was of God; as appears, firſt, becauſe it is ſaid verſ. 4. that he ſought an occaſion againſt the Philiſtines; ſecondly, becauſe it is expreſſed there alſo, that his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord; which implies that Samſon knew it well enough: and yet though he had a ſpeciall warrant from God, he would not do it without deſiring the conſent of his parents.
Verſ. 3. Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, &c.] That is, neither amongſt thy kindred, nor amongſt all the people of Iſrael; thus his parents at firſt ſought to diſſwade him from this match becauſe it was againſt the Law of God.
And Samſon ſaid unto his father, Get her for me, for ſhe pleaſeth me well.] In theſe words Samſon might have reſpect to this, that it pleaſed him well to marry with a daughter of the uncircumciſed Philiſtines, becauſe he had a warrant from God thereby to pick a quarrell againſt them; but doubtleſſe he could not intend that his father, by thoſe words of his, ſhould think of any ſuch thing, but onelyonly that he was pleaſed with her perſon, and had thereupon ſet his affection on her; yea it is evident that he did purpoſely conceal this from his parents, that he ſought an occaſion againſt the Philiſtines, leſt that ſhould have made them the more eager to oppoſe him herein. Indeed it is ſtrange, that his godly parents ſhould yield (as we ſee verſ. 5. they did) to make ſuch a match for him with a Philiſtines daughter, onelyonly becauſe he had a mind to her; but godly parents are many times too fond and indulgent to their children, and ſo it ſeems it was with Manoah and his wife.
Verſ. 4. But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord that he ſought an occaſion, &c.] This laſt clauſe many Expoſitours referre to the Lord, to wit, that he ſought an occcaſion againſt the Philiſtines, by ſuffering Samſon thus to fall in love with a daughter of the Philiſtines; but firſt, becauſe if the meaning of theſe words had been, that the Lord ſought an occaſion againſt the Philiſtines, it might as well have been ſaid, that neither Samſon nor his parents knew it, as that his father and his mother knew it not: ſecondly, becauſe it is manifeſt in the ſequel of the ſtory, that Samſon did indeed ſeek an occaſion againſt the Philiſtines, as we may ſee by the riddle he propounded to them at the wedding, and his carefull concealing of that which he did to the lion from his very parents, that ſo the meanning of his riddle might not be known; and eſpecially by that which he ſaid when he addreſſed himſelf to be revenged on the Philiſtines, becauſe his wife was given to another, chap. 15.3. Now ſaith he, ſhall I be more blameleſſe then the Philistines, though I do them a diſpleaſure: as if he ſhould have ſaid, now have I gotten a juſt occaſion to be revenged on the Philiſtines: and thirdly, becauſe Samſon is numbred by the Apoſtle, Heb. 11.32. amongſt thoſe, that by faith did notably ſubdue the enemies of God; which ſeems to imply, that he had a word and warrant from God for it, therefore I rather conceive, that the meaning of theſe words is, that his father and his mother knew not that that it was of the Lord, that he, that is, Samſon ſought an occaſion againſt the Philiſtines: and then it is manifeſt by this place, that Samſon knew that it was Gods will, that by ſeeking a wife amongſt the Philiſtines, he ſhould take ſome occaſion to be revenged on them, though his parents thought not of any ſuch thing. But may ſome ſay, Conſidering that the Philiſtines were of thoſe nations whom God had commanded the Iſraelites utterly to deſtroy, and ſo to take their land into their poſſeſſion; and likewiſe, that the Philiſtines had for many years oppreſſed the Iſraelites, what need was there that Samſon ſhould ſeek any other occaſion againſt them to be revenged on them? Now to this I anſwer, firſt, that it might well be, that the Iſraelites had by covenant ſubmitted themſelves to be in ſubjection to the Philiſtines, and in that regard Samſon was to ſeek an occaſion againſt them, that he might without breach of covenant be revenged on them, and thence it may be, that thoſe words are added immediately upon theſe, for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Iſrael: and ſecondly, that Samſon not being called of God to undertake the reſcuing of the Iſraelites in a publick way out of the power of the Philiſtines, by raiſing up an army againſt them, but being onelyonly appointed in his own perſon to make havock amongſt them, and by that means to weaken their power, and abate their pride; he was in that regard to take occaſion from ſome private perſonall wrong, to ſet upon them.
Verſ. 5. And behold, a young lyon roared against him, &c.] Either therefore Samſon was upon ſome occaſion turned out of the way, or elſe his parents being either before or behind, Samſon was at preſent going alone by himſelf; and thus God encouraged him for thoſe encounters againſt the Philiſtines, which afterwards followed; as David was prepared in the like kind to fight with Goliah, 1. Sam. 17.36. Thy ſervant ſlew both the lyon and the beare: and this uncircumciſed Philiſtine ſhall be as one of them.
Verſ. 6. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, &c.] That is, on a ſudden the Lord by his Spirit did endue him with ſuch an exceeding meaſure of courage and ſtrength, that though he had nothing in his hand, not ſo much as a ſtaff to defend himſelf, yet with his naked hands he ſaid hold on the lion, and rent him as he would have rent a kid; and herein was Samſon a notable type of Chriſt in his victory over the devil, that roaring lion, as S. Peter calls him, 1. Pet. 5.8. that is continually walking about, ſeeking whom he may devoure. As for that which is added in the next words, that he told not his father or his mother what he had done; the reaſon of this might be, leſt it ſhould prove perillous to have the Philiſtines heare of an Iſraelite endued with ſuch admirable proweſſe and ſtrength; but withall it was an argument of Samſons ſingular modeſty, that having performed ſuch a ſtrange and heroicall exploit, he could preſently go away after his parents, and when he overtook them, never ſpake the leaſt word to them of it; and herein too was there ſome ſhadow of that which is related concerning Chriſt, that when he had wrought many miraculous works, did often give charge that there ſhould be no ſpeech of it; as when he had cured a blind man, he ſent him away to his houſe, ſaying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town, Mark 8.26.
Verſ. 8. And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aſide to ſee the carcaſe of the lion, &c.] Having it ſeems formerly concluded the ma…ch between him and the woman of Timnath, he went now thither again to ſolemnize the marriage, his father and his mother as we ſee, verſ. 9. going along with him as formerly, and ſo coming near to the place where he had in his laſt paſſing that way, ſlain the lion, he turned aſide to ſee the carcaſe of the lion; no doubt that the ſight of the lions carcaſe, might affect him the more in the thankfull remembrance of that great mercy of God to him, in enabling him ſo miraculouſly to kill that ravenous beaſt when he flew upon him, and ſo by the providence of God he came to take notice of that, which God intended ſhould be the occaſion of the enſuing quarrell between him and the Philiſtines; for when he came to the place, behold, there was a ſwarm of bees and honey in the carcaſe of the lion, that is, in the bones of the carcaſe as they lay faſtned ſtill together, the fleſh being eaten or dried away, (for otherwiſe a ſwarm of bees would not have ſettled there); and this ſhews, that there was ſome good diſtance of time between his firſt going down with his parents to Timnath to make the match between him and the woman of Timnath, to whom he had taken a liking, and his going now down with them the ſecond time to take her to wife.
Verſ. 11. And it came to paſſe when they ſaw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.] The moſt of Expoſitours by farre, underſtand this place thus, That when the Philiſtines ſaw Samſon, perceiving him to be a man of wonderfull ſtrength, and full of terrour, they brought thirty companions to be with him under pretence of reſpect, and the cuſtome of their marriage ſolemnity, but indeed that they might ſet a guard upon him, leſt he ſhould ſuddenly do them any miſchief. But firſt, becauſe they had ſeen him before, and were not then affraid of him: ſecondly, the Scripture doth not any where make the leaſt mention of any thing extraordinary in Samſons body, or the terrour of his countenance; but aſcribes his ſtrength merely to the coming of Gods ſpirit upon him: and thirdly, Samſon by the guidance no doubt of Gods ſpirit, purpoſely concealed the killing of the lion, that the Philiſtines might not be afraid of him: therefore I think it farre more probable, that the meaning of theſe words is onelyonly this, that when the brides friends and kindred ſaw that Samſon was come to take his wife, they provided thirty young men, according to the cuſtome of thoſe times, as his companions and bridemen, children of the bride-chamber, as they are called, Matt. 9.15. to attend upon him, and to rejoyce with him.
Verſ. 12. And Samſon ſaid unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you, &c.] It was it ſeems the cuſtome of thoſe times by way of exerciſing their wits, eſpecially at feaſts to ſtrive for the maſterie one with another, in point of reſolving dark and intricate queſtions and riddles, whereto ſome apply that, 1. Kings 10.1. that when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, concerning the name of the Lord, ſhe came to prove him with hard queſtions; and ſo hereupon it was that Samſon the firſt day of his wedding feaſt propounded a riddle to his bride-men; however his aim doubtleſſe therein was to take an occaſion of picking a quarrell with the Philiſtines; to which ſome Expoſitours do adde this too, that as Samſon in his marrying with a daughter of the Philiſtines was a type of Chriſt in his calling the Gentiles to be his people, and ſo marrying them to himſelf as his bride and ſpouſe; ſo alſo this riddle propounded by Samſon was a figure of the doctrine of the Goſpel, publiſhed to the world by Chriſt, when the time of the calling of the Gentiles was come, which indeed was a riddle to fleſh and bloud, according to that of the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 1.23. We preach Chriſt crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Gentiles fooliſhneſſe: as concerning the ſeven dayes of the wedding feaſt here mentioned, ſee the note Gen. 29.27. and concerning the thirty change of garments which is a part of the wager propounded by Samſon, ſee the note Gen. 45 22.
Verſ. 14. Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth ſweetneſſe.] The honey which Samſon found in the carcaſe of the lion was the ground of this riddle; but withall we may well think, that meditating by himſelf concerning this obſervable paſſage of Gods providence, in yielding him food to eat out of the carcaſe of that lion that a while before thought to have eaten up him, he called to mind how uſually God is wont after the ſame manner for his children, to bring them good out of evil; & ſo did the rather propound this riddle becauſe it was a notable enigmaticall expreſſion of Gods dealing with his people in this regard. For when Satans temptations, yea the ſinnes of the godly turn to their advantage, what is this but honey out of that roaring lion that ſeeks to devoure us? When the cruell enemies of Gods people are made their friends, or that God turns their malicious practiſes to the furtherance of the Goſpel and the good of the Church, what is this but meat out of the eater? When afflictions, yea death it ſelf yields matter of much ſweet comfort to the godly, and opens a way to a better life for them, what is this but ſweetneſſe drawn forth for them out of the carcaſe, as it were, of their ſtrong enemies. Yea principally did this ſhadow forth that myſterie of the ſweet and ſaving food of our ſouls in the miniſterie of the Goſpel, which we have from Chriſts victorie over hell and death, by his own death, according to that of the Apoſtle, Heb. 2.17. Foraſmuch therefore as the children are partakers of fleſh and bloud, he alſo himſelf likewiſe took a part of the ſame, that through death he might deſtroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil: and that of our Saviour, John 6.51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread he ſhall live for ever, and the bread that I will give is my fleſh, which I will give for the life of the world. The more unexpectedly good comes to us out of evil, the more thankfull his people muſt needs be for it; and therefore God loves to ſtore up comforts, where his people would leaſt expect to find them.
And they could not in three dayes expound the riddle.] And thus it was with the Philiſtines, as it is with all other naturall men in regard of the myſterie of the Goſpel which Chriſt hath publiſhed to the world; they are not able by any wiſdome and endeavours of their own to comprehend it, unleſſe by the ſpirit of God it be revealed to them, according to that of the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 2.14, 15. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the ſpirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſſe unto him, neither can he know them becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned; but he that is ſpirituall judgeth all things.
Verſ. 15. And it came to paſſe that on the ſeventh day they ſaid unto Samſons wife, Entice thy husband, &c.] Two paſſages in this ſtory make it evident, that theſe men ſet the bride on work upon the fourth day, to trie underhand if ſhe could get the meaning of the riddle from him: firſt, becauſe it is ſaid verſ. 14. that they could not in three dayes expound the riddle; which implyes, that ſo long onelyonly of themſelves they tried to find it out, and then began on the fourth day to take another courſe, to wit, to perſwade his wife to get it from him: ſecondly, becauſe it is ſaid, verſ. 17. that ſhe wept before him the ſeven dayes while the feaſt laſted: which ſhews that ſhe began to preſſe her husband about this, before the ſeventh day came. The meaning therefore ſeems to be this, that three dayes they aſſayed of their own heads to find out the meaning of the riddle, but then beginning to ſuſpect themſelves, on the fourth day they perſwaded his wife to ſee if ſhe could fiſh it out of him; but when the ſeventh day came, deſpairing to find it out of themſelves, they came again, and by threatning ſpeeches laboured to terrifie his wife, that ſo ſhe might be conſtrained to uſe all her skill to wring it from him: entice thy husband (ſay they) that he may declare unto us the riddle, leſt we burn thee and thy fathers houſe with fire: Indeed it is not likely that they durſt have proceeded to ſuch an outrage upon ſo weak and triviall a ground, onelyonly they ſpeak this to ſcare the timerous woman, that ſhe might be the more importunate with her husband.
Verſ. 16. Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and ſhall I tell it thee?] Though a wife be nearer to a man then his parents, and therefore may expect from him more freedome in the communication of his ſecrets; yet here Samſon conſiders the reverence that was due to his parents, and the long experience that he had of their faithfulneſſe, in both which reſpects there was more reaſon he ſhould have told it them then her.
Verſ. 17. And ſhe wept before him the ſeven dayes while the feaſt laſted.] This may be meant of the remainder of the ſeven dayes after his companions had ſet her to win it from him, that from that time ſhe wept to the end of the ſeven dayes; yet it is likely, that from the firſt, out of her own deſire to know it, ſhe was importunate with him. See the note above verſ. 15.
Verſ. 18. And he ſaid unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.] Theſe words, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ſeems to implie ſome jealous thoughts in Samſon, of ſome ſecret and unchaſt dealing of the Philiſtines with his wife; whom therefore in regard of her ſuſpected wantonneſſe he calls his heifer; and if ſo it were with Samſon, no marvell though in his jealouſie his ſpirit was ſtirred up with great indignation againſt them. But however, becauſe by plowing the earth is opened, and that diſcovered which was hidden before, as in that regard a man may be ſaid to dig for a ſecret, ſo alſo to plow for it, and ſo the meaning of theſe words may be onelyonly this, that if they had not by the help of his wiſe ſought out and diſcovered the meaning of his riddle, they had never found it out.
Verſ. 19. And he went down to Aſhkelon, and ſlew thirty men of them, &c.] Some Expoſitours have ſought what might be imagined concerning the cauſe why Samſon paſſed over ſo many places where the Philiſtines dwelt, and went to Aſhkelon to fetch this ſpoil, which was ſo farre off from Timnath; as that there was there ſome ſolemne aſſembly of the Philiſtines held, &c. But it ſufficeth us to know that by the Spirit of God he was carried thither, and the cauſe being not expreſſed, why ſhould we enquire after it? As for the ſpoil he took from the Philiſtines he there ſlew, we muſt know, that though they that took upon them the vow of a Nazarite onelyonly for a time, might not come at any dead body, Numb. 6.6. All the dayes he ſeparateth himſelf unto the Lord, he ſhall come at no dead body. And if they were caſually defiled by any ſuch means, they were anew to begin the dayes of their conſecration; yet thoſe that were ſet apart of God to be perpetuall Nazarites, were not it ſeems tyed to theſe things, to wit, becauſe they could not alwayes avoid them. And beſides, what Samſon did, he did by the ſpeciall motion of Gods Spirit; and therefore he made no ſcruple of taking the garments of theſe ſlain men, which he gave to his companions; and under them muſt be comprehended the ſheets or ſhirts alſo mentioned in the bargain they made, verſ. 12.
And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his fathers houſe.] In his anger leaving his wife behind him.
Verſ. 20. But Samſons wife was given to his companion, whom he had uſed as his friend.] That is, one of thoſe his thirtie companions or bridemen mentioned, verſ. 11. Some alſo adde that it was he that was choſen to be the firſt of the bridemen, the next to the bridegroom himſelf, who according to the cuſtome of thoſe times, was called the bridegrooms friend: to which cuſtome they ſay the Baptiſt doth allude, John 3.29. He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, which ſtandeth and heareth him, rejoyceth greatly becauſe of the bridegrooms voice.