The Lion and the Riddle
Judges 14
Judges 14
Judges 14. Samson was the the first perpetual Nazarite in scripture, and as to his purpose he is a type of Christ, although he cannot really be said to be a type of Christ. Rather, it would seem that Samson is a type of the church here in this world as a representation of Christ, and called to be separate from the world in devotion to Him. Samson failed in his Nazariteship, just as the Church has failed in her separation from the world. There is a very noticeable moral progression in the chapter: Samson goes down to Timnah, he associates with the Philistines, he touches defilement secretly, his Nazariteship becomes compromised, natural relationships are used against him, and the chapter ends in division and anger. Nevertheless, Samson stands, a single man, against the Philistines. If the days of Gideon’s three hundred men were grim, this day is darker still. Not even his parents had an inkling of his planned assault on the Philistines.
Samson Goes Down to Timnah (14:1-9)
CHAPTER 14
1 And Samson went down to Timnathah, and saw a woman in Timnathah of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 And he went up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnathah of the daughters of the Philistines; and now take her for me as wife. 3 And his father and his mother said to him, Is there no woman among the daughters of thy brethren, and among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the Philistines, the uncircumcised? And Samson said to his father, Take her for me, for she pleases me well. 4 And his father and his mother did not know that it was of Jehovah, that he was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel. DARBY
vv.1-4 Timnah and the Philistine Woman. It is a sorrowful discovery to find that Samson, the perpetual Nazarite, when come of age and free to make his own choices, first seeks a woman from a people who were the enemies of Israel, which was against the Word of God (Deut. 7:3-4). A Nazarite was not forbidden to marry, but how disastrous for one sworn to complete devotion to God to seek a companion that was an unequal yolk (2 Cor. 6:14). It says “Samson went down”, and so he did, not merely geographically down, but morally down too. Timnah means ‘a portion’, and it was claimed by the Philistines, though it rightfully belonged to Israel (Joshua 19:43). He was intent on having this Philistine woman who “pleased him well” (vv.3,7). This was the first of three Philistine women that Samson was involved with (see also Judges 16:1,4. His parents protest, questioning whether he could not find a single woman in their tribe or nation not to his liking. He shows his self-will; “get her for me, for she pleases me well”. However, Samson was not merely driven by lust. Unbeknownst to his parents, he was seeking opportunity to strike against the Philistines. This was not of himself, but the prompting was of Jehovah, although Samson’s motives were muddled. In this we see God’s sovereignty.
5 And Samson went down, and his father and his mother, to Timnathah; and they came to the vineyards of Timnathah. And behold, a young lion roared against him; 6 and the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he rent it as one rends a kid, and nothing was in his hand. And he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done. 7 And he went down and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 8 And he returned after a time to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion; and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the carcase of the lion, and honey; 9 and he took it out in his hands, and went on, and ate as he went. And he came to his father and to his mother, and gave them, and they ate; but he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. DARBY
vv.5-9 The Lion and the Honey. Samson’s parents acquiesced after protesting against his decision. Was it was right for them to go down with him? Many times Christian parents compromise to please their children who have strayed from the path of faithfulness. They too “went down”. However, there are times when the parents must accept that what is taking place as ultimately the Lord’s permissive will, and say like Paul’s companions, “The will of the Lord be done” (Acts 21:14). As Samson was on his way down, a lion “roared against him”. In scripture, a lion often represents Satan, “your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion” (1 Pet. 5:8). Satan not only presents himself as a serpent, which Jesus faced in the wilderness temptation, but also as a roaring lion, which met Him in Gethsemane and at the cross (Psa. 22:13). If the devil cannot beguile us, he seeks to frighten us. We must therefore “resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). He meets Christ in the believer: the One who has already defeated him! The Nazarite character is what is needed to face the enemy, though Samson was not in the good of it. Yet the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him. This is remarkable given the path of self-will the young man was on. His victory over the lion was a secret between himself and God. After visiting the Philistine woman, who pleased Samson well, he took a second journey down to take the woman. On the second visit Samson found the swarm of bees and honey. This is a picture of the fruit of Christ’s victory on the cross. Honey speaks of natural sweetness, and Samson did not refrain from reaching into the dead carcass of the lion (forbidden to a Nazarite) and taking honey with both hands. He kept his defilement a secret, which was both a kind of dishonesty, but the secrecy also allowed him to use the incident as the basis of his later riddle.
Samson’s Riddle and the Slaughter of Thirty Philistines (14:10-20)
10 And his father went down to the woman, and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. 11 And it came to pass when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions, and they were with him. 12 And Samson said to them, Let me now propound a riddle to you; if ye clearly explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty shirts, and thirty changes of garments. 13 But if ye cannot explain it to me, then shall ye give me thirty shirts, and thirty changes of garments. And they said to him, Propound thy riddle, that we may hear it. 14 And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days explain the riddle. DARBY
vv.10-14 The Feast and the Riddle. Samson made a feast, likely to celebrate his betrothal to the Philistine woman. We do not read a word of Samson drinking, though he provided the feast. It was a slippery slope to begin down. At the feast, thirty Philistine companions attended, and Samson challenged them to answer a riddle, at the cost of “thirty shirts, and thirty changes of garments.” The riddle must have occurred to him after the discovery of honey in the carcass of the lion; “Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness.” The paradox of an “eater” providing food, and a “strong”, ferocious animal providing sweetness, is a profound contrast. The lion is a type of Satan, the enemy of our souls, and the power he wields (death). Yet God is above Satan, and defeats him; Samson being a failing type of Christ. The honey represents the spiritual blessings, sweetness, and nourishment that comes to believers through Christ’s death and triumph over Satan.1
15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Persuade thy husband, that he may explain to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye invited us to impoverish us, — is it not so? 16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not. Thou hast propounded the riddle to the children of my people, and hast not explained it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not explained it to my father nor my mother, and shall I explain it to thee? 17 And she wept before him the seven days, while they had the feast. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that he explained it to her, for she pressed him. And she explained the riddle to the children of her people. 18 And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey, And what stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If ye had not ploughed with my heifer, Ye had not found out my riddle. DARBY
vv.15-18 The Betrayal of Samson. The Philistines new Samson’s weakness. They went to the woman, and threatened her and her father’s house. She could have gone to Samson for protection. But instead, she betrayed him. In the end, the enemy robbed Samson of his secret: a picture of how the world attempts to rob the believer of his communion with God. Yet there was no loss of strength yet. The soul who is robbed of communion can go on for a time, but eventually the strength will be taken away. Yet this Nazarite was not a peace during this feast: his new wife was begging him, applying tears, accusation, etc. to have him tell her the riddle, for the purpose of betraying him. In the matter of the riddle, the Philistines were triumphant. Yet Samson assured them that their victory was ill-gotten by contact with his betrothed. Nevertheless, in this way God intervened, and Samson never ended up marrying the woman of Timnath.
19 And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew of them thirty men, and took their spoil, and gave the changes of garments unto them that explained the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house. 20 And Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had made his friend. DARBY
vv.19-20 Samson’s Victory over the Philistines, and Departure. Samson did provide thirty changes of garments… but killed thirty Philistines to get them. It was a blow to the Philstines, although they had taken Samson’s secret. The believer who allies himself with the world cannot be at peace with the world. Why? Because he is not of the world. God was over all these circumstances, including Samson’s failure, using it to deliever His people. Samson’s betrothed was given to his companion (another Philistine). This may have been a grevious blow to Samson, but it was really the grace of God in delivering him from a yoke that He would not support.
- Yet did he propose a most instructive riddle, which set forth justly the then condition of the people of God. In that image we have the enemy in great power, but God infinitely above him, able as well as seeing fit to use the least worthy vessel of His power, and out of the slain enemy to furnish the sweetest refreshment. How triumphantly has it been done in Christ our Lord, but in how different a way! Absolutely immaculate Himself, He was made sin for us, that we might become God’s righteousness in Him who for us by death annulled him that had the power of death, and gave us out of that defeat our unfailing comfort. Bright contrast between Samson and the man that overthrew Satan on that cross where He Himself reached the very climax of weakness! For He won by no external strength but by suffering. He was crucified in weakness, but rose in the power of God; but there, instead of folly, instead of shame, instead of unhallowed alliance with the enemies of God, how does unsullied perfection shine in Him of whom we boast! – W. Kelly. Lectures on Judges.