Judges 15:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

NIV: Samson led Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

NASB: So he judged Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

CSB: And he judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

NLT: Samson judged Israel for twenty years during the period when the Philistines dominated the land.

KJV: And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

NKJV: And he judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

The writer of Judges ends both this section and the following section about Samson's life by saying that he judged (Judges 2:16–19) for twenty years during the era of the Philistines. Despite selfishness, lust, and arrogance, Samson was God's instrument during this time in Israel's history. The Lord's purpose for him was to be an agent of disruption, shattering the Philistine's sense of comfortable control over Israel (Judges 14:4). Each "judge" of Israel had a different type of service, and Scripture doesn't hint at what Samson did during his tenure, other than the events explicitly recorded.

Samson's term as a judge did not end with Israel's freedom from oppression under the Philistines. His role was only to "begin" that process (Judges 13:5). During this time, approximately 1069–1049 BC, Israel grew stronger, but did not break out from under their enemies. Those who came later—such as the judge and prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 7:11–14)—would finish the job.

The following chapter shows that Samson never overcame his moral failures. Whatever he learned from his vendetta against the Philistines didn't dampen his weakness for women, or make him more resistant to their manipulations. This makes him one of the most frustratingly complicated figures in the entire Bible. There is no doubt his life was marred by sin and stupid decisions, yet there is likewise no doubt that he served to further God's will in that moment.

Judges 15:9–20 describes the result of a Philistine incursion meant to capture Samson. The Israelites in Judah hand Samson over when he volunteers to have his hands tied with new rope. However, when he sees the Philistine forces, Samson is empowered by God's Spirit. He snaps his restraints and attacks. Using only jawbone of a donkey, he slaughters the enemy troops and shouts out a clever poem about his victory. God then answers Samson's plea for water.

Samson returns to Timnah to visit his bride, after leaving in a rage when she spoiled his unfair riddle. Her father thought Samson had abandoned her, so she was given to another man. Samson responds by tying animals to torches and setting them loose in Philistine wheat fields. He also burns the harvested crops and olive orchards. The Philistines kill Samson's former bride and father-in-law in retaliation. Samson's vengeance ensues. When the men of Judah turn Samson over to a Philistine army the Lord's Spirit empowers him. Samson slaughters the enemy soldiers with the jawbone of a donkey, and God rescues him from thirst with a miraculous spring of water.

Judges 15 describes a cycle of retribution which continues to spiral from the events of the previous chapter. This results in a Philistine army attempting to capture and kill Samson. Instead, God empowers him to kill masses of the enemy with only a donkey's jawbone. This furthers the Lord's intent to disrupt Philistine control over Israel (Judges 13:5). It does not seem to alter Samson's carnal nature, as his weakness for women continues in the following chapter.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).