Book of Judges Review Part Five (Chapters 13-17)

Chapter 13
The Angel of the LORD announces the birth of Samson to Manoah's wife.

(Judges 13:1): Life in Israel at the time of Samson's birth. Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD. The LORD sold them into the hands of the Philistines for 40 years.

The tribe of Dan: By this time in Israel’s history, the tribe of Dan had mostly moved to the northern region of Israel near the Lebanon border. They had captured a city called Laish and renamed it Dan after their tribal leader. Few Dainties remained behind, and most of them lived on the border of the tribe of Dan and Judah. The Philistines were a fierce force to defeat. Dan decided not to conquer the Philistines, but instead they decided to mix and mingle with them. They blended the two religions, intermarried and formed alliances with the Philistines. This displeased God, but the Israelites were not concerned about the decay of their society.

(Judges 13:2-3): The Angel of the LORD appears to Manoah's wife.

(Judges 13:4-5): Special instructions regarding the child to come. Samson is to be a Nazirite from the moment of his conception. His mother is to observe special instructions. She is not to drink wine or strong drink nor eat anything unclean. Samson will also follow these instructions and in addition, he is not to cut his hair. Samson’s job is to begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.

(Judges 13:6-7): Manoah's wife reported the appearance of the Angel of the LORD to her husband.

The Angel of the LORD announces the birth of Samson to Manoah
(Judges 13:8-14): The Angel of the LORD reconfirms the words spoken before. In verse eight, we find Manoah praying to God to send this prophet back to them so they could be taught what was to be done with the child.

The mysterious man shows up again a second time. As like the previous time, the angel of God appears to the unnamed wife of Manoah. She races to fetch her husband. Manoah comes and greets the man. Manoah asks the question that was at the forefront of his mind--what are we to do with this child? The man of God did not answer Manoah's question, but gives the same instructions as the first time.

(Judges 13:15-18): Manoah offers the Angel of the LORD a meal; the Angel of the LORD will only accepts an offering. Manoah realizes he has received the full oracle from the prophet. He then offers the standard Middle Eastern hospitality and requests that the man stay with them for a while and be honored with a special meal. The angel of the LORD said to Manoah, "Though you detain me, I will not eat your food." Manoah asks the angel of the LORD His name. The angel says, “Why do you ask me my name, seeing it is wonderful?”

Wonderful: This word means full of wonder, incomprehensible, full of awe. It is a divine attribute and is the word pille in Hebrew.

(Judges 13:19-21): The Angel of the LORD displays His authority to Manoah and his wife. Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering and offered it on the rock of the LORD. Manoah's offering was acceptable to the LORD. With Manoah and his wife standing looking on, suddenly this being melded into the flames. He then shot upwards into the sky and vanished. That was the final clue. Manoah and his wife fell on their face to the ground in fear and awe. They both finally grasped just who this being was. It was neither a man or an angel. It was God.

(Judges 13:22-23): The reaction of Manoah and his wife. Manoah believes they are going to die because they have seen God. Manoah’s wife reassures Manoah after God showed them all these signs and wonders, God is not going to kill them.

(Judges 13:24-25): Samson born, and the Holy Spirit comes upon him.

Chapter 14
SAMSON'S FIRST FAILED MARRIAGE

(Judges 14:1-3): Samson demands a Philistine wife. Samson goes down to Timnah. He sees a Philistine woman. She looks good in Samson’s eyes. He tells his parents to get her as a wife for him.

(Judges 14:4): God's will behind the scenes of Samson's desire to marry a Philistine woman.

(Judges 14:5-9): Samson slays a lion and eats some wild honey. Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came as far as the vineyards of Timnah. A lion comes roaring toward Samson. The Spirit of the LORD comes upon Samson. Samson slays the lion. When Samson returns to take the Philistine woman, he returns back to the body of the lion cub. Behold, there is a swarm of bees and honey in the cavity of the lion cub. Samson eats some honey and scoops up some for his parents.

 The feast and the riddle
(Judges 14:10-11): Samson hosts a "bachelor party" for Philistine friends. In verse ten, we are told that the marriage ceremony began when Samson's father went down to greet Samson's bride-to-be. We are told a banquet was served.

(Judges 14:12-14): Samson poses a riddle concerning the lion and the honey. The bridegroom does his duty to entertain the guests. Samson offers a riddle. And to go along with it, he offers a wager: if the thirty male guests can decipher the answer, Samson promises to buy them thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes.

The riddle: Out of the eater came something to eat. And out of the strong came something sweet. This riddle is referring to the lion Samson killed, and the honey the bees formed inside it. But who could have ever guessed such a thing? This is nothing in which logic, deductive reasoning or cleverness could ever solve. One had to be there at the lion incident to have any idea what Samson was talking about. Solving such a so-called riddle is impossible.

(Judges 14:15-18): Samson's Philistine wife extracts the answer to the riddle from Samson and tells it to the Philistines. Samson's wife weeps before him during the entire feast. Samson gives in. He tells his Philistine finance the riddle. The woman tells her comrades the answer. Samson becomes furious his finance divulged the riddle’s answer the the wedding guests.

(Judges 14:19-20): Samson's anger and revenge. The Spirit of the LORD came mightily on Samson. Samson slew 30 men and took their garments to give to the Philistine wedding guests. Samson storms off. Samson’s betrothed is given to another man.


Chapter 15

(Judges 15:1-3): Samson's rage at discovering his wife is given to another man.
Samson shows up at his bride’s home with a goat. Samson was not allowed to enter the bride’s tent. Samson is offered the bride’s younger sister for a wife.



(Judges 15:4-5): Samson strikes out against the Philistines by burning their crops. Samson takes revenge by tying up 300 jackals. He lit the jackals on fire. The jackals ignited the Philistines field.

(Judges 15:6-7): The Philistines retaliate by killing Samson's wife and family.

(Judges 15:8): Samson repays the Philistines for the murder of his wife. Samson went on another random killing spree. He killed any Philistine who came across his path. Then, Samson left Philistia and went to a cave called the rock of Etam.

(Judges 15:9-13): The Philistines camp in Judah. Judah asks why the Philistines are there. Judah sends 3,000 men to the rock of Etam to bind Samson and deliver him to the Philistines. Judah binds Samson with two new ropes.

(Judges 15:14-17): Samson uses the jawbone of a donkey to kill a thousand Philistines. The Spirit of the LORD comes mightily upon Samson. Samson uses a jawbone of a donkey to slay 1,000 Philistines.

(Judges 15:18-20): God provides for Samson miraculously. Samson becomes thirsty. God provides Samson with a spring of water.


Chapter 16
Samson and Delilah
(Judges 16:1-3): Samson and the harlot at Gaza. Samson visits a harlot in Gaza. The Gazites find out about Samson’s visit and lie in wait for Samson. Samson takes the city gates and walks up a hill where he deposits them on a road which leads to Hebron.

(Judges 16:4-5): Delilah agrees to betray Samson. The five lords of the five Philistine cities meet with Delilah and offer her 1100 pieces of silver each if Delilah can figure out where Samson’s great strength lies.

(Judges 16:6-9): Samson lies to Delilah about the source of his strength. Samson begins a lying spree. Samson tells Delilah if he is bound with seven fresh cords, he will become weak like any other man. Samson is bound, and he is able to snap off the cords.

(Judges 16:10-12): Samson lies to Delilah about the source of his strength for a second time. Samson next tells Delilah if he is bound with new ropes, he will become weak. He is bound and again snaps the ropes.

(Judges 16:13-15): Samson lies to Delilah about the source of his strength for the third time. Samson next says if his hair is bound in a weaver’s loom, he will be weak. His hair is tied up in a weaver’s loom, and again, Samson is able to break away from the weaver’s loom.

(Judges 16:16-19): Samson finally betrays the source of his strength. Delilah presses Samson daily about the source of his great strength. Samson finally tells her he is a Nazirite, and his strength lies in his seven locks of hair. Delilah summons the Philistine leaders and has Samson sleep on her lap. Samson’s locks are cut off while he is sleeping.

(Judges 16:20): Samson is seized by the Philistines.

(Judges 16:21-22): Samson's Philistine imprisonment. Samson’s eyes are gouged out by the Philistines. They bring him to Gaza where he sits at a hand mill and grinds grain all day long. Samson lives his life utterly humiliated. During this time, Samson repents and turns back to God. (Samson’s hair begins to grow.)

(Judges 16:23-25): Samson is mocked by his enemies. The Philistines gather to have a large celebration. Everyone was in high spirits and sent to have Samson entertain them.

(Judges 16:26-31): Samson's bittersweet death. Samson is brought to the festival. He asks the young boy who is guiding him if he can rest his hands on the pillars of the building. Samson in one last act, pushes the pillars from their bases and causes the building to collapse. There were 3,000 men and women looking on the event from the roof. Samson killed more on the day of his death than during all the other times he fought the Philistines. Samson’s family comes and buries Samson.


Chapter 17
Micah makes a shrine for idols
(Judges 17:1-2): Micah returns a large amount of stolen silver to his mother. A man named Mikayahu (who is like God) steals 1100 pieces of silver from his mother. The mother utters a curse against the person who stole her money. The man returns the money and his name is changed to Micah (who is like…God is dropped from the name). Micah received a blessing from his mom to off-set the curse she uttered.

(Judges 17:3-4): Micah's mother directs that some of the money be used to make an image to be used in worship. Micah’s mom says she will dedicate the 1100 pieces of silver to make an idol to God. Instead, she uses only 200 pieces of silver to make an idol.

(Judges 17:5): Micah establishes an elaborate worship service. Micah has a shrine and makes his son a priest for the family.

Micah hires an unscrupulous Levite
(Judges 17:6-8): An opportunistic Levite looking for employment. A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah comes to Ephraim looking for employment. The man finds Micah’s house.

(Judges 17:9-11): Micah hires the Levite. Micah offers the Levite a job which includes 10 pieces of silver a year, living accommodations and a suit of clothes.

(Judges 17:12-13): A false consecration and a false confidence. Micah consecrates the Levite as a priest. Micah has no authority to do this. The Levite has no authority to be a priest since the priests must come from Aaron’s line. The Levite is not a descendant of Aaron. Micah nows believes the LORD will prosper him now that he has a Levite as a priest.