Judges 15:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Samson said to them, "This time I shall be innocent in regard to the Philistines, when I do them harm."

NIV: Samson said to them, "This time I have a right to get even with the Philistines; I will really harm them."

NASB: Samson then said to them, 'This time I will have been blameless regarding the Philistines when I do them harm.'

CSB: Samson said to them, "This time I will be blameless when I harm the Philistines."

NLT: Samson said, 'This time I cannot be blamed for everything I am going to do to you Philistines.'

KJV: And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.

NKJV: And Samson said to them, “This time I shall be blameless regarding the Philistines if I harm them!”

Samson's would-be father-in-law explained that he gave away Samson's bride to another man (Judges 15:1–2). That might not have been entirely legal; Samson wasn't aware and seems not to have been repaid any bride-price which had been paid. Her father was not completely unreasonable, however. He assumed Samson had abandoned the woman, leaving her vulnerable and socially destitute (Judges 14:20). Now that Samson has returned, the man offers Samson his younger daughter. We're not sure what reputation Samson had at this point, but it's possible he was already known as a brawling, violent man (Judges 14:10–11).

Despite this attempt at making peace, Samson seems to immediately reject marrying the younger sister. All that matters is something he wanted has been denied (Judges 14:1–3). He believes he has been thoroughly mistreated. First his bride betrayed him by revealing his unfair secret (Judges 14:14–17). Then, her father swindled him by giving her to a rival after the wedding had already taken place.

Samson's vengeful nature is demonstrated in the fact that he doesn't merely explode in anger. Rather, he says something deeply ominous. After the first treachery, he took the time to travel to another city and kill thirty Philistines (Judges 14:19). The comment he makes here is doubly concerning. First, it suggests Samson felt his prior killing of Philistine men was unjust. Second, it suggests that he plans to bring mayhem once again.

When considering these events, it's crucial to recall the Lord's plan for Samson's life. He has been set aside to "begin to save" Israel from Philistine oppressors (Judges 13:5). His volatile nature is meant to provoke a conflict which will eventually end in Israel's rescue (Judges 14:4). That Samson seems motivated purely by revenge, not piety, doesn't change that aspect of God's plan. Now that Samson feels personally offended by the Philistine people, he is ready to cause destruction.

Judges 15:1–8 follows some unspecified time after the scandalous events of the previous chapter. After Samson stormed out of his wedding feast, the bride's father gave her to someone else. Samson responds to this news by torching Philistine crops. They respond by burning his former bride and her father alive. Samson viciously retaliates, then hides. This leads to another confrontation between Israel and the Philistines.

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).