- 125-
riddle proved too hard for them. Unwilling to bear the loss incurred by their failure -
each "a tunic" and a "change-garment,"^313 these men threatened Samson's wife and her
family with destruction.
The woman's curiosity had from the first prompted her to seek the answer from her
husband. But now her importunity, quickened by fear, prevailed. Of course, she
immediately told the secret to her countrymen, and Samson found himself deceived and
betrayed by his wife. But this was the "occasion" sought for. Once more "the Spirit of
Jehovah lighted upon Samson." There was not peace between Israel and the Philistines,
only an armed truce. And so Samson slew thirty men of them in Ashkelon, and with
their spoil paid those who had answered his riddle. In his anger at her treachery he now
forsook for a time his bride, when her father, as it were in contempt, immediately gave
her to the first of the "bridegroom's friends."
This circumstance gave "occasion" for yet another deed. Samson returns again to his
wife. Finding her the wife of another, he treats this as Philistine treachery against Israel,
and declares to his father-in-law and to others around:^314 "This time I am blameless
before the Philistines when I do evil unto them."
The threatened "evil" consists in tying together, two and two, three hundred jackals, tail
to tail, with a burning torch between them, and so sending the maddened animals into
the standing corn of the Philistines, which was just being harvested, into their
vineyards, and among their olives. The destruction must have been terrible, and the
infuriated Philistines took vengeance not upon Samson, but upon his wife and her
family, by burning "her and her father with fire." This was cowardly as well as wicked,
upon which Samson "said unto them, If (since) ye have done this, truly when I have
been avenged upon you, and after that I will cease." The result was another great
slaughter. But Samson, knowing the cowardice of his countrymen, felt himself now no
longer safe among them, and retired to "the rock-cleft (rock-cave) Etam" ("the lair of
wild beasts").
Samson's distrust had not been without sufficient ground. Afraid to meet Samson in
direct conflict, the Philistines invaded the territory of Judah and spread in Lehi. Upon
this, his own countrymen, as of old, not understanding "how that God by his hand
would deliver them," actually came down to the number of 3000, to deliver Samson into
the hand of the Philistines. Another parallel this, "afar off," to the history of Him whom
His people delivered into the hands of the Gentiles! Samson offered no resistance, on
condition that his own people should not attack him. Bound with two new cords, he was
already within view of the hostile camp at Lehi; already he heard the jubilant shout of
the Philistines, when once more "the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him." Like
flax at touch of fire, "flowed his bonds from off his hands."^315
(^)