Judges 16

• Vv. 1-3 An interesting side story of a different woman and an incredible feat of strength. According to Jewish texts outside of Scripture, some describe Samson as this absolute giant, with shoulders 30 meters wide and strength to pick up two mountains and rub them together. The gates he lifts are judged most likely to be two stories high with posts deep in the ground. The place where he carried them, if taken literally, is 30-40 miles away. 

  • Why is this story here? It may be here to tell one of the many stories of Samson from Jewish culture. This one, in particular, shows how Samson was unstoppable. Even though he was at a disadvantage and in enemy territory, he walked out with the city gates and placed them on a mountain where all could see. 

• Vv. 4-9 Samson falls in love with a woman named Delilah. The lords of the Philistines convince her to learn of where Samson gets his strength for the price of some silver coins. The first test of the seven bowstrings fails easily. 

  • Delilah means feeble. This often refers to a person who is physically weak, but in this case it most likely is descriptive of her lack of strong character. 

  • The lords of the Philistines came to her, showing that Samson has become a national crisis for the Philistines. 

• Vv. 10-14 The next two tests fail just as easily as the first. Delilah is pressing harder and harder to learn what is the source of his strength, while Samson is closer to folding as he speaks that it may have to do with his hair. 

• Vv.15-22 Delilah keeps pressing, and Samson finally folds to her, just as he had done with his wife. He pours out his heart, and she turns him over to the Philistines. The Lord has left Samson, and the Philistines overtake him, gouging his eyes out. Samson’s hair begins to regrow, foreshadowing what is to come.  

• Vv. 23-31 The Philistine lords throw a drunken party to celebrate the defeat of Samson and to make sacrifice to their god. Samson is brought out that they may mock him. But it proved to be their doom, as they placed him between two pillars holding up the roof of the building they were all in. Samson called on the Lord one final time, and Samson was granted the strength to knock down the building, killing all those inside. 

How has the character of the judges been different from the first to the last?

What is the significance of Samson’s eyes being gouged out?

How, if at all, does Samson’s story represent Jesus’?