Vv. 1-4 Samson sees a Philistine woman and demands that she be his wife. Even this, which was prohibited by the Israelites, would be used for the good of the Lord. 

• Samson, like all Israelites, was supposed to marry another Israelite as this was to remove the possibility of taking on another nations idols or morals. 

• Samson was also going against custom by choosing for himself a wife, rather than submitting to an arranged marriage. 

• The most poignant part of this section is when Samson declares the Philistine is right in his own eyes. This is reflective of Israel as a whole, each doing what is right in their own eyes. 

  • How is this reflective of our own desires today? 

Vv. 5-9 Samson visits the Philistine woman he intends to marry. On his first visit, he kills a lion. On the second, he ate honey pout of the carcass of the dead lion. 

• Eating out of the dead animal is a violation of the Nazirite vow. This shows that Samson does not take his vow seriously and sets a precedence of a lukewarm attitude. 

Vv. 10-20 Samson puts forth a riddle, a gamble, that if the people answer incorrectly they must give him thirty garments, but if they are correct it is Samson who owes them. They are able to solve the riddle by threatening Samson’s new wife to get the answer and tell them. 

• The word for feast is always used in a party that is heavy with alcohol, another violation of his vow to the Lord. 

• He left the feast and took the lives of thirty men that he may pay off his debt. In the meantime, his wife was given away to another man. What a mess. 

  • This passage is reflective of the twisted desires of the hearts of mankind. What biblical principles may be used to correct the issues we find in this story?