What does Judges 15:11 mean?
Judah sends a large contingent to the place where Samson is known to be hiding. This landmark is referred to as "the cleft of the rock of Etam." In Hebrew, the same word can mean "thousands" or "divisions," or "clans." Judah either sent several thousand men, or several divisions of men, to meet Samson. Either would be outrageously more than would be needed to arrest any normal man. Apparently, Samson has become famous for his ferocious strength.The men of Judah did not know why the Philistine army had been staged against them (Judges 15:9–10), but they did know the damage Samson could do. When the Philistines said they only wanted Samson and they would go, the people of Judah agreed to turn Samson over to them. Instead of seeing a chance to follow a deliverer into battle against their oppressors, the men of Judah sought only to keep the peace as subjects of the Philistines. This is the reason God chose such an unorthodox man to become a "judge (Judges 2:16–19): Israel and Philistia were both complacent, and God intended to disrupt that false peace (Judges 13:5; 14:4).
The Israelites ask Samson if he misunderstands the political reality of their time: The Philistines are in charge. It's their country. They wonder why he's brought wrath down on them. Samson's response echoes any battle between young children: they started it. In fact, Samson claims that he's only done to them what they did to him. This is a classic self-deception tied to revenge and retribution. More importantly, it's not true. However, Samson's self-destructive personal vendetta is the tool used by God to spark this conflict.