Samson’s vengeance on
Philistines Judges 15:1-20
Lesson 16
Samson’s Vengeance
• It was harvest time when wheat was being
gathered (possibly in May or early June)
• Samson decides to go visit his wife
• A young goat was a gift to present to her
• Upon arrival he wanted to go into her room
• Her father said you can’t go in, I thought
you hated her when you left.
• I gave her to your friend as a wife
Samson’s Vengeance
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Take her younger sister
She is more beautiful anyway
Now Samson was very angry
Now I have the right to get even with the
Philistines
• I will harm them this time
• Samson blamed this development on the
Philistines
• They cheated to find out his riddle
Samson’s Vengeance
• Samson goes out and catches 300 foxes
• He tied them together in pairs and
fastened a torch between their tails and lit
the torch
• He turned the animals loose in the
standing grain fields
• They ran very fast through the grain fields
• Vineyards and olive groves burned also
Samson’s Vengeance
• The Philistines were very upset
• When they inquired, “Who did this”?
• They answered it was Samson but they
were afraid to tackle him
• Instead they went to the Timnite’s house
and burned him and his daughter
• This made Samson even more angry
• Samson said now I will not stop until I get
my revenge on you
Samson’s Vengeance
• He attacked them and slaughtered many
• Samson goes to a cave in the rock of Etam
• This was located between the Negeb and the
hill country of Judah 1Cron. 4:32
• The Philistines were now ready to fight the
entire army of Israel over Samson’s conduct
• They came and camped in Judah’s territory
• Judah ask, “Why have you come to fight”
Etam
Samson’s Vengeance
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We have come to take Samson prisoner
We plan to do to him as he did to us
Judah was afraid to fight the Philistines
3000 from Judah went to the cave in Etam
They told Samson what was happening
Do you not realize that the Philistines rule
over us?
• What have you done to us?
Samson’s Vengeance
• Samson said, “I treated them the way they
treated me”.
• The men from Judah said, “ We have
come to tie you up and hand you over to
the Philistines”.
• Samson agreed on one condition: Swear
to me that you will not kill me yourselves.
• They agreed not to kill Samson but only tie
him up and deliver him to the Philistines
Samson’s Vengeance
• He allowed them to bind him with 2 new
ropes, and they led him up from the cave
to the camp of the Philistines.
• As they approached Lehi where they were
camped the Philistines began to shout with
joy.
• The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson
and he broke the ropes and slew a
thousand Philistines with the Jawbone of a
donkey that was lying nearby
Samson’s Vengeance
• After the slaughter he threw away the
jawbone
• The place is called Ramath-Lehi or Jawbone
Hill
• Samson was very thirsty and cried out to
God, “You have given me a great victory, but
now must I die of thirst and fall into the hands
of the Philistines”?
Samson’s Vengeance
• V.19But God clave an hollow place that was in
the jaw, and there came water thereout; and
when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and
he revived: wherefore he called the name
thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this
day.
• Enhakkore means fountain of springs
• In other words the spring kept flowing in this
place
• Samson judged Israel 20 years
Samson takes away the gates
Judges 16:1-3
• Samson goes to Gaza to see a harlot
• The men of Gaza were sure they had him
now. Hurry close and lock the gates.
• At sunrise we will be ready to catch him
• Samson did not wait until sunrise
• He left at midnight and found the gates
locked, so he took the gates and carried
them to the hilltop toward Hebron
Samson takes away the gates
Judges 16:1-3
• Enormous strength would be required to
take the gates and post from the ground
and carry them like he did.
• With the weight of the gate on him, he
could easily be followed.
• Those waiting in ambush never heard
Samson during the night
• They thought he would stay all night at the
harlot’s house
Samson takes away the gates
Judges 16:1-3
• 3And Samson lay till midnight, and arose
at midnight, and took the doors of the gate
of the city, and the two posts, and went
away with them, bar and all, and put them
upon his shoulders, and carried them up to
the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
• It could be el Montar which lies east of
Gaza to the southeast
• Some think it was close to Hebron
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• Samson met another woman whose name
was Delilah
• She lived in the valley of Sorek it was
located in the Shephelah, or the series of
hills and valleys on the western flanks of
the hill country of Judah.
• The Philistines heard how Samson was
infatuated with Delilah
• The leaders came to Delilah and told her
to persuade Samson to tell you the source
of his great strength
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• We need to know so we can bind him and
oppress him
• Find out and we will give you 1100 pieces
of silver
• They certainly knew Samson’s strength
was not natural
• Delilah seems to go along with their
schemes
• Joshua 13:3 tells us there were five lords
of the Philistines also 1Sam. 6:4
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• The rulers from Ashdod, Gath, Ekron,
Ashkelon, and Gaza each promised
Delilah 1100 pieces of silver
• Delilah would have been a wealthy woman
if she could find out the answer
• She went right to work on Samson
• Tell me why you are so strong and how
can you be bound
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• Samson replied: Bind me with 7 new bow
strings never dried and I will be weak
• The Philistines brought 7 bow strings as
he said and she tied him up then cried the
Philistines have come to take you
• Samson broke them like threads
• Next he told her 7 green withes which was
made from the sinew of animals
• That was not the right answer either
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• Samson seemed to be playing along as in a
game or contest
• She increased her pleading, you are mocking
me and lied to me. Tell me the truth.
• Use new ropes that have never been used to
tie me up and I will become weak
• Delilah said the Philistines are coming, so
Samson jumped up breaking all the ropes
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• You have done nothing but make fun of me
• Weave the seven locks of my head with the
web, then I will be weak
• Even though she wove it into cloth then
cried out the Philistines are upon you
• Samson jumped up as nothing was there
• How can you love me and treat me like this
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• Finally Samson told her the secret: My hair
has never been cut because I have been a
Nazirite from my mother’s womb
• If I were shaven, I would become weak
like other men
• Delilah knew he had told her the truth
• She let him sleep in her lap and cut his
hair as he slept
• She cried Samson the Philistines are upon
you
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• Samson arose as before but quickly
realized he had no strength and that
Jehovah had departed from him
• The Philistines seized him and put out his
eyes and took him to Gaza.
• They put him in shackles and made him
grind in the prison house
• They failed to notice his hair grew back
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• Samson renewed his vow to God and he
was given his strength back when he
prayed to God
• The Philistines had a great feast to
celebrate having caught Samson
• Our god has delivered Samson into our
hand
• They lingered long at the wine and many
were drunk
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• They cried out, bring out Samson so he
could entertain them
• Some versions use the words “making
sport” 16:25
• These words usually refer to dancing
• Samson was placed between the pillars of
the temple
• He told the lad to let him feel the pillars so
he could lean against them
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• The house was full of people about 3000
men and women on the roof
• Samson prayed to Jehovah to just this
once more, give me strength to avenge
the Philistines for my two eyes
• Placing his hands on the pillars said let me
die with the Philistines
• He broke the pillars and killed more at his
death than during his lifetime
3000 on roof
Samson’s death Judges 16:4-31
• The men from Dan came and took
Samson’s body and buried him between
Zorah and Estaol in the burying place of
Manoah his father.
• Samson judged Israel for 20 years
• We now leave Judges and skip Ruth
• We will take the stories of Eli and Samuel
this coming Lords day this is taken from 1
Samuel
Samson’s burial
place
Etam