Samson’s vengeance on Philistines Judges 15:1-20 Lesson 16

Samson’s Vengeance It was harvest time when wheat was being gathered (possibly in May or early June) Samson decides to go visit his wife A young goat was a gift to present to her Upon arrival he wanted to go into her room Her father said you can’t go in, I thought you hated her when you left. I gave her to your friend as a wife

Samson’s Vengeance Take her younger sister She is more beautiful anyway Now Samson was very angry Now I have the right to get even with the Philistines I will harm them this time Samson blamed this development on the Philistines They cheated to find out his riddle

Samson’s Vengeance Samson goes out and catches 300 foxes He tied them together in pairs and fastened a torch between their tails and lit the torch He turned the animals loose in the standing grain fields They ran very fast through the grain fields Vineyards and olive groves burned also

Samson’s Vengeance The Philistines were very upset When they inquired, “Who did this”? They answered it was Samson but they were afraid to tackle him Instead they went to the Timnite’s house and burned him and his daughter This made Samson even more angry Samson said now I will not stop until I get my revenge on you

Samson’s Vengeance He attacked them and slaughtered many Samson goes to a cave in the rock of Etam This was located between the Negeb and the hill country of Judah 1Cron. 4:32 The Philistines were now ready to fight the entire army of Israel over Samson’s conduct They came and camped in Judah’s territory Judah ask, “Why have you come to fight”

Etam

Samson’s Vengeance We have come to take Samson prisoner We plan to do to him as he did to us Judah was afraid to fight the Philistines 3000 from Judah went to the cave in Etam They told Samson what was happening Do you not realize that the Philistines rule over us? What have you done to us?

Samson’s Vengeance Samson said, “I treated them the way they treated me”. The men from Judah said, “ We have come to tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines”. Samson agreed on one condition: Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves. They agreed not to kill Samson but only tie him up and deliver him to the Philistines

Samson’s Vengeance He allowed them to bind him with 2 new ropes, and they led him up from the cave to the camp of the Philistines. As they approached Lehi where they were camped the Philistines began to shout with joy. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson and he broke the ropes and slew a thousand Philistines with the Jawbone of a donkey that was lying nearby

Samson’s Vengeance After the slaughter he threw away the jawbone The place is called Ramath-Lehi or Jawbone Hill Samson was very thirsty and cried out to God, “You have given me a great victory, but now must I die of thirst and fall into the hands of the Philistines”?

Samson’s Vengeance V.19But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day. Enhakkore means fountain of springs In other words the spring kept flowing in this place Samson judged Israel 20 years

Samson takes away the gates Judges 16:1-3 Samson goes to Gaza to see a harlot The men of Gaza were sure they had him now. Hurry close and lock the gates. At sunrise we will be ready to catch him Samson did not wait until sunrise He left at midnight and found the gates locked, so he took the gates and carried them to the hilltop toward Hebron

Samson takes away the gates Judges 16:1-3 Enormous strength would be required to take the gates and post from the ground and carry them like he did. With the weight of the gate on him, he could easily be followed. Those waiting in ambush never heard Samson during the night They thought he would stay all night at the harlot’s house

Samson takes away the gates Judges 16:1-3 3And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron. It could be el Montar which lies east of Gaza to the southeast Some think it was close to Hebron

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 Samson met another woman whose name was Delilah She lived in the valley of Sorek it was located in the Shephelah, or the series of hills and valleys on the western flanks of the hill country of Judah. The Philistines heard how Samson was infatuated with Delilah The leaders came to Delilah and told her to persuade Samson to tell you the source of his great strength

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 We need to know so we can bind him and oppress him Find out and we will give you 1100 pieces of silver They certainly knew Samson’s strength was not natural Delilah seems to go along with their schemes Joshua 13:3 tells us there were five lords of the Philistines also 1Sam. 6:4

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 The rulers from Ashdod, Gath, Ekron, Ashkelon, and Gaza each promised Delilah 1100 pieces of silver Delilah would have been a wealthy woman if she could find out the answer She went right to work on Samson Tell me why you are so strong and how can you be bound

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 Samson replied: Bind me with 7 new bow strings never dried and I will be weak The Philistines brought 7 bow strings as he said and she tied him up then cried the Philistines have come to take you Samson broke them like threads Next he told her 7 green withes which was made from the sinew of animals That was not the right answer either

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 Samson seemed to be playing along as in a game or contest She increased her pleading, you are mocking me and lied to me. Tell me the truth. Use new ropes that have never been used to tie me up and I will become weak Delilah said the Philistines are coming, so Samson jumped up breaking all the ropes

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 You have done nothing but make fun of me Weave the seven locks of my head with the web, then I will be weak Even though she wove it into cloth then cried out the Philistines are upon you Samson jumped up as nothing was there How can you love me and treat me like this

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 Finally Samson told her the secret: My hair has never been cut because I have been a Nazirite from my mother’s womb If I were shaven, I would become weak like other men Delilah knew he had told her the truth She let him sleep in her lap and cut his hair as he slept She cried Samson the Philistines are upon you

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 Samson arose as before but quickly realized he had no strength and that Jehovah had departed from him The Philistines seized him and put out his eyes and took him to Gaza. They put him in shackles and made him grind in the prison house They failed to notice his hair grew back

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 Samson renewed his vow to God and he was given his strength back when he prayed to God The Philistines had a great feast to celebrate having caught Samson Our god has delivered Samson into our hand They lingered long at the wine and many were drunk

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 They cried out, bring out Samson so he could entertain them Some versions use the words “making sport” 16:25 These words usually refer to dancing Samson was placed between the pillars of the temple He told the lad to let him feel the pillars so he could lean against them

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 The house was full of people about 3000 men and women on the roof Samson prayed to Jehovah to just this once more, give me strength to avenge the Philistines for my two eyes Placing his hands on the pillars said let me die with the Philistines He broke the pillars and killed more at his death than during his lifetime

3000 on roof

Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31 The men from Dan came and took Samson’s body and buried him between Zorah and Estaol in the burying place of Manoah his father. Samson judged Israel for 20 years We now leave Judges and skip Ruth We will take the stories of Eli and Samuel this coming Lords day this is taken from 1 Samuel

Etam Samson’s burial place