Lesson #19 - Reign of the Judges


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Gospel Doctrine Lesson #19 - The Reign of the Judges

Judges 2;4;6–7;13–16

http://lh5.ggpht.com/cIZQnGarF1FobGJH48O-10AGgxfHkjuTL0JT6hr0tEsRcKdsQPHIlfLKpnKJXhjZrgaWy1fxE9lggvjES7Ki2mF8bLLfWM0U9-pgdbhXKfP5s7E

Samson - Destroying the Philistine Temple http://i1.squidoocdn.com/resize/squidoo_images/-1/draft_lens9573001module85428401photo_1266468682Judges_coloring_pages2.jp

Background: Joshua led the children of Israel in their first forays and battles in the Promised Land. After several years of fighting, some land had been conquered, but it was far short of the lands God had promised Israel. The lands intended for Israel stretched to the river Euphrates, beyond the Hittite empire and into Assyria. However, at the death of Joshua, very little of the land had been conquered by Israel (see Joshua 13). Prior to Joshua’s death, much of the nearby land had been divided by lot to the Tribes of Israel, and those tribes were expected to drive out the inhabitants prior to inhabiting the lands. Joshua’s last warning and counsel was for Israel to choose God and follow him, and in doing so they would successfully conquer the land before them.

Israel Ignores Joshua’s Counsel

Judges 1

While some Israelites, such as Caleb were faithful in driving out the wicked inhabitants of the land, and possessing the inheritance completely, most of Israel failed to obey God’s command.

Presumably through the chief priest’s Urim and Thummim, Israel asks who should go against the Canaanites first to obtain their land. Judah is told to go to battle. Judah took the warriors of Simeon along. They slaughtered the Canaanites and Perizzites in the area, killing ten thousand men in the city of Bezek alone. In a Shakespearean irony, we find Judah capturing the local king, they cut off his thumbs and big toes, something this king was renowned for doing previously to 70 kings he had captured in battle. The story notes they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. According to Judges, Judah had taken the city and set it on fire. While the city was in Judah’s area, the tribe of Benjamin seems to have taken the city, allowing the Jebusites to remain therein (1:21). This differs from Joshua 15:63 that states Judah dwelt at Jerusalem with the Jebusites, whom they could not dislodge from the area.

Next, the house of Joseph, made of Ephraim and half the tribe of Manasseh, went into the mountains to gain their lands. They first went to claim the city of Bethel (House of God), where Abraham and Jacob both offered sacrifice, and Jacob built an outdoor temple to God.

Once the tribes had obtained some choice possession in their lands, they seemed content to stop and farm the land:

27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants ....but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.

29 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants...but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.

31 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants ...:

32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.

33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants.... became tributaries unto them.

34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:

35 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.

Why slay the people you conquer, when you can collect tributary taxes from them? Israel was expected to work the land for themselves, alone, and reap the harvest given of God. Instead, they chose to allow the Canaanites and others to dwell among them in order to enrich themselves from slave labor.

No sooner was Joshua dead, and Israel was already ignoring the path God commanded them. It seemed easier to make peace and accept the tribute from people who now feared them, than to make continual war for several years. Yet this would soon show to be short-sighted, as the enemy within is worse than the enemy without.

The Party’s Over

Judges 2

It took less than a generation for the problems to occur.

1 And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

5 And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the Lord.

Here we have an angel, not descending from heaven, but coming up from Gilgal! The word “angel” means messenger, and can equally mean a heavenly messenger as well as a mortal messenger. It seems that God sent a prophet to Israel to tell them they were now going to suffer the consequences of their poor choices.

The word, “Bochim” comes from the Hebrew “to weep”. Because they did not listen to God and destroy the inhabitants of the land, they would now suffer under the hands of those inhabitants.

The generation of Israel that entered into the land, who remembered Moses and Joshua, eventually died. The covenants that were made in crossing Jordan were now well in the past, and soon forgotten:

The Canaanite gods - Baalim

Judges 2

10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim.

Baalim is the plural form of the word Ba’al, which means Master or Lord. So Israel served the gods of the land. Ba’al was the main Canaanite god, who had various versions, depending on the locality. Previously, the Israelites struggled with Baal-Peor and went after the harlots at his temple. Now, well within Canaanite lands, they will discover the many faces of Ba’al, and find there is an enticing version for each Israelite to chase after.

.Ba’al was originally a Phoenician god. The Phoenicians were believed to be Sea People that came to the area from the islands around Greece. By the time Israel showed up, Ba’al took upon himself other abilities. In previous lessons, we discussed the ancient Semitic belief that the chief god, El Elyon/Elohim had 70 divine sons, each given a land and people to rule over. Jehovah was given Israel as the most important kingdom. The Canaanites were originally ruled by a god named Yam. He was the god of oceans and rivers. However, Yam was eventually eliminated as a local god when the Phoenicians showed up and the worship of Ba’al replaced Yam. Later, Jehovah would note this radical change in gods among the Canaanites by stating:

9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

11 I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. (Isaiah 43) http://scriptures.lds.org/isa/43

It isn’t that there are no other gods, but that Jehovah is Israel’s one and only God. Never was there a God before him in Israel, and he would never be replaced, as we see in the case of Yam and Ba’al.

One key form Ba’al takes is that of the Canaanite god Hadad. Hadad was a son of El Elyon. According to Canaanite tradition, Hadad was the “the lord over the assembly of gods on the holy mount of Heaven” or in El Elyon’s divine council. He was to Canaan what Jehovah was to Israel - the chiefest and divine son of God, given the most important people on earth to lead and bless. In the book of Judges, we see the battle that goes on between the two gods, as each seems to gain strength from the devotion of their followers. Jehovah will not bless Israel when they sin. If they are worshiping Ba’al, then let Ba’al bless them! Instead, we find that their worship of Ba’al strips them of Jehovah’s blessings, and in the end Israel becomes enslaved not only to Ba’al but Baal’s people, as well.

Who is our Lord, Master, Baal?

Today with our modern outlook, we can sometimes think how stupid Israel was forgetting their own God, who provided such huge miracles as in Egypt, the Red Sea, and in providing them water and manna in the desert for forty years. Yet we often are as blind to the gods around us, who entice us to forget our God and his previous miracles in our lives.

I received my patriarchal blessing, a special personal revelation given by a patriarch of the LDS Church in 1976. The patriarchs give blessings, even as Jacob blessed his children, and as Moses blessed the tribes of Israel. In talking with my patriarch, prior to the blessing, he shared with me a life changing experience he had had as a young man. He was recently married and very strong. He reasoned that with his health, he could easily work two 8 hour a day jobs, make lots of money, and have a happy life. One night, as he slept, he said an angel came to him and told the young man to follow him. They walked through the wall, and into a land where all the homes were elegant and white. Everything was perfect, and (in his own words) “there was nothing out of place.” They entered a building and into a large room, where he noted several deceased people he knew in the background. The angel motioned towards two individuals standing on pedestals, and told him to choose between Jesus and Satan. At first, he thought it would be an easy thing to do. But as he looked, he saw they were indistinguishable. The more he looked, the less he was sure of himself. He heard someone in the background exclaim, “He doesn’t even know who Jesus is!” He sank to the floor, and awoke in his own bed. He was so weak from the experience that he did not get out of bed for several days. Immediately he changed his plans, and spent his life serving God.

The Baal or god in our life is whatever becomes our “Master.” Is Jesus Christ first in our lives, or is he secondary? What comes before Jesus in our lives? The same things that precedence in our lives instead of God, are the things that become “thorns” in our own sides. We are conquered from within, just as the Israelites were. Our little weaknesses start as tributaries to us, but eventually become the Master/Lord/Baal over us. Whether it is addiction to alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sex, sports or video games, most of these began as something people could control - only to find they eventually were the slave. It isn’t that having a Canaanite living in one’s backyard is necessarily evil, but allowing the Canaanite to then entice us to forget God and follow the lusts of the heart becomes the crime. We leave behind God in our search for other gods to satisfy the flesh. And those gods become our masters.

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The Judges Introduced

Judges 2:16-20

God explains that Israel would receive Judges, people called of God to act in His stead to deliver Israel. The Judges symbolized the future Jesus Christ, who seeks to deliver us from our captivity. Each time we are rescued and fall again, Christ is in the wings, waiting for us to again be chastened and humbled, so he can step in and rescue us once more.

Israel’s First Trial and Judge

Judges 3

Intermarriage is a big problem for Israel. It won’t go away anytime soon, either. The same curse falling on Israel now will affect King Solomon centuries later. This is also the same danger that affected the sons of Adam prior to the Flood. When the sons of Adam married the daughters of men, the women led the men astray into worshiping other gods. In the New Testament, it is Salome, dancing before her step-father King Herod Agrippa that will lead to the beheading of John the Baptist. It makes me wonder how many young LDS men have chosen not to serve on missions, because they didn’t want to leave their girlfriends behind. The problem is not necessarily the women, but the weakness of the men, who did not seek to convert the daughters of men first to the worship of Jehovah, but rather indulged with them in following Baal and other gods.

In Judges 3, we find Othniel as the first of the Judges to deliver Israel from their own sin and stupidity. Not long afterward, though, they returned to sinning and God placed them in slavery for another 18 years under the Moabites.

Ehud is the second Judge sent by Jehovah. He is noteworthy because he is left-handed. Ehud goes before the Moabite king, Eglon, who is a very fat person. In meeting with the king alone, he takes a dagger and runs it into Eglon’s stomach. The king’s fat stomach engulfed the dagger so it could not be taken out. Ehud escaped and brought forth his army to slay a Moabite army of 10,000. Israel was free for eighty years.

Deborah, the Prophetess

Judges 4

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The Prophetess Deborah - http://www.amit.org.il/learning/English/JW/images/Deborah.jpg

Upon Ehud’s death, Israel sinned again, falling this time into the hands of the Canaanite king, Jabin. Sadly, there seems to have been no men in Israel righteous enough to be a Judge, and God called Deborah as a prophetess and Judge over Israel. Judging from where she dwelt near Bethel, Deborah was probably from the tribe of Ephraim. She called forth Barak, a major military leader in israel, and told him that God commanded him to free Israel.

But Barak would not go without Deborah to fight the Canaanite general Sisera. He understood the importance of her being present in the war. She was the Judge of God. She was a prophetess, who could foresee what needed to be done in the battle. The people looked up to her for guidance and deliverance.

Sisera was confident in the ability of his many chariots. He would be able to route any foot soldiers easily on the plains. However, we read that God disrupted the chariots, perhaps bogging them down so they were unable to continue, and the Canaanites were forced to fight on foot. The Canaanites were quickly slain by Barak’s army.

Yet Sisera escaped on foot. He had a colleague nearby, and asked Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite to hide him. She offered to do so, had him lay down to rest, and while he slept, ran a nail through his temple. Jael clearly saw that the battle was on the Lord’s side, and to assist Sisera was to embrace ruin for her husband and household.

In Judges 5, Deborah and Barak compose and sing a battle song for Israel. Even as Moses and Miriam sang at the Red Sea to celebrate the defeat of the Egyptians, so we receive another memorial psalm or hymn that was suited for Israelite festivals and holy days.

The land had 40 years more of rest for Israel.

Gideon

Judges 6-8

Israel fell captive to the Midianites. The Midianites constantly destroyed the Israelite crops in order to keep them poor and stricken down, unable to rise up against their oppressors.

The Church lesson focuses on Gideon’s faith. Yet it may be better to discuss Gideon’s struggle with faith. For many of us, if an angel came to us and told us to perform a work for God, we would have enough faith to accomplish it. Gideon is full of doubt, but willing to serve God if he is able to do so in stealth. Gideon took ten men and destroyed the idol of Baal that his father built in the city, yet “because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. “

As Gideon later went forward to gather an army, he still feared. Even after seeing an angel, he insisted on proof. Laying a fleece of wool on the ground outside his tent, he first asked that the fleece be wet with dew and the ground dry. The next night, he switched the situation, dry fleece and wet ground, in order to verify God was really with him.

This is not a sign of strong faith. God normally did not have to prove himself to his prophets on such a tall order. Gideon was not like Deborah. However, God works with those who are available, as we’ll see again in the story of Samson. Gideon was the best God could get in Israel in this time period, and patiently worked to strengthen his faith. Often, God will work with us to strengthen our faith, prior to giving us a great task to accomplish. Eventually, though, the Lord expects us to obey and not require signs and proofs continually.

The Lord, wishing to prove He would deliver Israel and not the army of Gideon, had Gideon reduce his army down to 300 men. Given the thousands in the Midianite army, it was obvious they could not accomplish it alone. Seeking another sign, Gideon slipped quietly into the Midianite tent at night to listen in on conversations. Hearing the soldiers fearing the Israelite army and Jehovah’s power, he knew he could safely go to battle. Fear was the tactic used by God to discomfit the Midianite army, as trumpets and lanterns turned the area into mayhem. Midianites began fighting among one another, as others fled, leaving the field to Gideon in victory.

More Apostasy and Chaos

Judges 9-

After Gideon’s death, his son Abimelech became king. However, it was done through treachery, as he slew his 70 brothers and installed himself as king in wickedness.

Abimelech sought to control more territory and had a series of battles with the people of Shechem. Eventually, in storming a tower, a woman dropped a millstone upon Abimelech’s head and slew him. Abimelech’s people stopped warring and returned to their own homes, tired of war.

Then came judges to rescue Israel from its continuing sins and captivity: Tola, Jair, and others. Yet Israel continued to sin, worshiping gods from many of the nations. Finally, the Lord said ‘enough’ and sent several nations to afflict various portions of Israel. When the nation cried to God for deliverance, the Lord responded, “Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation” (10:14).

Israel put away its gods, and brought its armies against the Ammonite army. Yet, they were uncertain what to do, as God had not chosen a Judge to lead them. The Lord chooses Jepthah to lead the armies of Israel in their battle against the Ammonites east of the river Jordan. Jepthah makes a rash vow, that if God will allow him to defeat the Ammonites, he will sacrifice to god the first living thing that he sees on his return home.

The Ammonites are thwarted, and on returning home, Jepthah sees his only daughter running and dancing to celebrate her father. Jepthah allowed his daughter two months of mourning, as she would die a virgin. The story ends there, with the anticipation that Jepthah fulfilled the grisly human sacrifice, and that Israel’s virgin daughters grieved her annually (Judges 11).

Judges 12 begins with a civil war among Israelites. Jepthah was from the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh on the east side of the river Jordan. When Ephraim found out that Manasseh had gone to war without the rest of Israel, they determined that Manasseh had seceded from the house of Israel. War fell between Ephraim and Manasseh. Jepthah and the men of Gilead slew many of the Ephraimites. As Ephraim attempted to flee, Gilead was able to determine who in the wilderness were from Ephraim from the dialect. Ephraimites could not say “shibboleth”, but said “sibboleth” instead. Those who failed the test were slain. 42,000 Ephraimites were slain in the civil war.

So Jepthah and a few others judged Israel.

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Samson and Delilah

Judges 13-16

In Judges 13, we find Israel falling into sin again. This time the Philistines conquered Israel. The Philistines were a Sea People related to the Phoenicians. They originally came from the Greek Isles, and were known for their pottery and art of the period. They were culturally and aesthetically more advanced than Israel. Samson would prove to be a bigger “philistine” than the Philistines.

Manoah’s barren wife was told by an angel that she would bare a son to be a judge in Israel. This son would be a Nazarite: one set apart to God’s service, who was not to drink alcohol, eat unclean things, cut his hair, or touch the dead. Samson would disobey virtually all the Ten Commandments of God. As mentioned before, God used what was available in Israel to deliver Israel. Samson was the best available, but was not that great.

For Samson, his purpose was not to serve God, but was to fight the Philistines because they annoyed him. He sought to marry a Philistine woman. When riddles and bets with the Philistines were rigged, he destroyed their crops by sending hundreds of foxes with firebrands tied to their tails through the land. An army of Philistines attempt to stop Samson, and he slew them with the jawbone (Lehi) of an ass.

He slew a lion, and later found in the dead lion (unclean and dead) that bees made a honeycomb within it. Instead of avoid the dead, he ate of the honeycomb and took some home to his parents.

As with Israel, so it was with Samson. Things went well for them, and they fell into sin. Samson met Delilah, a beautiful Philistine woman. Once again, Samson was engaged with women outside of Israel. And the woman became his downfall. She continually went from enticing him to be with her, to enticing him to reveal the secret of his strength. Eventually, he revealed his secret, and lost the power of his great strength. As the Philistines blinded him, and made him work as an ox grinding the grain in the prison house.

At length, his hair grew back. The Philistines were celebrating a great festival of one of their gods, and wanted to bring in Samson to mock as a display of Israel’s failure. Samson now had his power restored, or part of it. In grasping two pillars to bring down the building and slay the princes of Philistia, he did not have God’s work in mind: “O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes” (16:28). Samson doesn’t want to rescue Israel, he wants revenge for being blind. Of all the sloppy and poor judges of Israel, he was the worst. Samson probably had the greatest ability to free Israel, but wasted his great strength on his own lusts instead.

The Levite Stories

Judges 17-21

In Midian, an Israelite man with wealth spent a large portion of his money (200 shekels) on creating idols, and tabernacle-like statues (ephod, teraphim) for his house. In the time of the Judges, a shekel was a weight, probably somewhere between 9 and 17 grams or about 1/2 an ounce. In today’s (2010) value, 100 ounces of bulk silver equals about two thousand ($2000) dollars. That amount in silver coins would be worth almost $3000 today. It seems creating a center for worship in one’s home was all the rage. He consecrated one of his sons to be priest over the idols. It is possible this also became a local shrine, where he could charge others to worship the gods he created, and giving him a nice income on the side.

A young Levite came into the area, and Micah knew that he needed a priest of Jehovah, to ensure he covered all the bases in worshiping all the gods in the area. Offering to pay and maintain the Levite at a decent wage, he consecrated him as his priest for the Lord. “Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest” (17:13).

In Judges 18, we find that the tribe of Dan still has not obtained an inheritance for themselves. Many dwelt along the coastline with the Phoenicians, and it is supposed by some scholars that most of the tribe of Dan disappeared, or was absorbed by the Phoenicians. They came and appropriated Micah’s ephod, teraphim and idols for themselves. The Levite priest was offered the job to be priest for a whole tribe, rather than just priest for one household. With the power of Jehovah’s Levite and symbols of the tabernacle, they took the coastline city of Laish for themselves. They set up the sacred items for their tribe in Laish/Dan, even though the Tabernacle was in the city of Shiloh.

The Desolation of Benjamin

The second story (Judges 19-21) tells of a Levite who found himself a concubine (a slave wife) in Bethlehem. After a short time, his wife was unfaithful and then ran away back to her father’s home. The Levite returned, spending several days with her father. Finally one evening, it was time to leave. They approached Jebus/Jerusalem, a few miles down the road, where his servants suggested they stop for the night. The Levite, however, would not rest in a city of the Jebusites, and so went on to Gibeah, a city of the tribe of Benjamin. For quite some time they waited in the streets to ask someone to lodge them. In finding an older man in the street, the Levite stated, “I am now going to the house of the Lord; and there is no man that receiveth me to house”. The Levite was on his way to Shiloh and the Tabernacle, and no one yet had opened their home to him. But the old man took him in and was a gracious host.

As the night progressed, many of the local men who worshiped Belial, known as one of the four crowned princes of hell, came to the old man’s house. As the men did at Sodom for Lot’s guests, the men of Benjamin insisted the Levite be sent out so they could “know him.” Instead, the concubine was sent outside. She was gang-raped until she died at dawn on the porch of the old man’s house.

.The Levite took the torn corpse with him. Cutting her into twelve pieces, he sent part of her to the princes of each of the twelve tribes. Incensed, Israel demanded that Benjamin turn over the men of Gibeah for punishment. The tribe of Benjamin refused. Once again, a civil war began in Israel. There were about 32, 000 men for Benjamin against 400,000 for the rest of Israel.

When they asked the Lord who should go first to battle, the Lord sent Judah went against Benjamin, but they were sorely defeated. Israel wept and then asked the Lord if they should go against Benjamin, and were told to go. Again they were defeated. 40,000 Israelite soldiers now were dead after two battles - one tenth of their armies! Benjamin still stood very strong with few dead on their side.

26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

27 And the children of Israel enquired of the Lord, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

On the third try, Israel realized that it took more than just asking God to have God go with them into battle. It required going to the Tabernacle/Temple, fasting, praying, and offering sacrifices, prior to the Lord going with them in strength.

The next day, Israel defeated Benjamin soundly. All of its cities were burned, and the inhabitants destroyed. Six hundred men escaped and hid in nearby caves. When the fighting stopped, Israel realized they had virtually wiped out one of the tribes of God. With the desolation of Benjamin, they entreated the 600 men to rebuild the tribe, each of the other tribes giving them their daughters for wives.

In this second story, we see that even God’s people can become as evil as Sodom and Gomorrah. The devil gives great power to the wicked, and it often takes more than just asking God to be able to defeat evil. Often it takes weeping, prayer, fasting, temple attendance, and sacrifice of one’s heart and soul, in order to then go forth with God’s power. One man complained to Jesus that the apostles were unable to heal his child from demonic possession. After healing the child, the Savior told his disciples that some of these “But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21).

Bibliography

Ba’al: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baal

The God Yam: Yam (god) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For more on the Divine Council, El Elyon/Elohim, Jehovah as king/God of Israel competing against other divine sons, etc, see my previous Old Testament Lessons (use key search word El Elyon): Joel's Monastery

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  • 9 months later...

Samson and Delilah

Judges 13-16

In Judges 13, we find Israel falling into sin again. This time the Philistines conquered Israel. The Philistines were a Sea People related to the Phoenicians. They originally came from the Greek Isles, and were known for their pottery and art of the period. They were culturally and aesthetically more advanced than Israel. Samson would prove to be a bigger “philistine” than the Philistines.

Manoah’s barren wife was told by an angel that she would bare a son to be a judge in Israel. This son would be a Nazarite: one set apart to God’s service, who was not to drink alcohol, eat unclean things, cut his hair, or touch the dead. Samson would disobey virtually all the Ten Commandments of God. As mentioned before, God used what was available in Israel to deliver Israel. Samson was the best available, but was not that great.

For Samson, his purpose was not to serve God, but was to fight the Philistines because they annoyed him. He sought to marry a Philistine woman. When riddles and bets with the Philistines were rigged, he destroyed their crops by sending hundreds of foxes with firebrands tied to their tails through the land. An army of Philistines attempt to stop Samson, and he slew them with the jawbone (Lehi) of an ass.

He slew a lion, and later found in the dead lion (unclean and dead) that bees made a honeycomb within it. Instead of avoid the dead, he ate of the honeycomb and took some home to his parents.

As with Israel, so it was with Samson. Things went well for them, and they fell into sin. Samson met Delilah, a beautiful Philistine woman. Once again, Samson was engaged with women outside of Israel. And the woman became his downfall. She continually went from enticing him to be with her, to enticing him to reveal the secret of his strength. Eventually, he revealed his secret, and lost the power of his great strength. As the Philistines blinded him, and made him work as an ox grinding the grain in the prison house.

At length, his hair grew back. The Philistines were celebrating a great festival of one of their gods, and wanted to bring in Samson to mock as a display of Israel’s failure. Samson now had his power restored, or part of it. In grasping two pillars to bring down the building and slay the princes of Philistia, he did not have God’s work in mind: “O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes” (16:28). Samson doesn’t want to rescue Israel, he wants revenge for being blind. Of all the sloppy and poor judges of Israel, he was the worst. Samson probably had the greatest ability to free Israel, but wasted his great strength on his own lusts instead.

I don't agree but at all at this vision of Samson.

May it be allowed to explain Who is Samson?

Maybe you can guess ...

An angel anounce is birth.

He was a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death

"His mother" shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and she shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.

No other man had his strengh

His mission was to deliver Israel (who was under domination ... and who was doing bad before God)

When he was Growing, God blessed Him and The spirit was upon him

He wanted to find a spouse from Israel ennemy.

His parents didn't understand him in one occasion : "wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"

He spoke as with enigms for that "Philistin" couldn't understand

He Invited them to his marriage ! Inquiring of their were dressed.

But they just try to catch him and were not honest.

So he gave them the salaries.

His first wife was given to an other... and was adultery.

Finaly his ennemy killed his first wife.

So he smote them and retire from them.

But his ennemy wanted to take vengeance against his people.

So he asked his people to bind him and be livered to their enemy.

He had again a big victory.

And as Moses, he asked for water from a rock.

He enter to the House of a other women who was a prostitute at Gaza (strong place. Well do you know also a strong place from noone had escape before him ?) At midnight (In the darkness), his ennemy tried again to catch him. But he leaves with the door of the town on his shoulder to Ebron.

After that he really felt in love (dalila is an Ebrew name). But He was betrayed by those that he loved for money...

3 Times he resisted to temptation. And He get so profoundly sad unto death.

But because of his love for her, he accept to fall under his ennemies.

So She shave off the seven locks of his head.

So he was let alone not understanding why !

His ennemy tortured him, and brougth him to Gaza (strong place...)

But there, He prayed the lord and them he get his strengh back

So in his death, he distroyed his ennemy in a great great great vitory ! Greater than never before pushing the two middle pillars that are death and sin.

So his family took him and brought him back to his father house.

So who is he?

This man that is more defigured as anyone? Isaie 53 ?

I really hope you will find !

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I don't agree but at all at this vision of Samson.

May it be allowed to explain Who is Samson?

Maybe you can guess ...

An angel anounce is birth.

Why Samson and not Isaac?

He was a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death

Christ wasn't.

"His mother" shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and she shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Why is his mother in quotes? Everyone has a mother. Extraordinarily weak parallel. Also, where do we read that Mary didn't drink wine? And where do we see that Samson's mother was filled with the Holy Ghost?

No other man had his strengh

Jesus wasn't reknowned for his physical strength.

His mission was to deliver Israel (who was under domination ... and who was doing bad before God)

Wow, that covers about 2/3rds of the book of Judges, are they all Jesus, even Deborah?

When he was Growing, God blessed Him and The spirit was upon him

Again, happened to dozens of people.

He wanted to find a spouse from Israel ennemy.

Where did Jesus do so?

His parents didn't understand him in one occasion : "wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"

Find me one set of parents that understood their children %100 of the time. Besides, the two situations are extremely different, Samson, for instance, has no understanding of why he is being inspired to wed that Philistine, whereas Jesus knew exactly what he was doing. Jesus also obeyed his parents, Samson didn't.

He spoke as with enigms for that "Philistin" couldn't understand

You mean Samson posed a riddle before the Philistine guests which they had no way of answering, in order to win a wager. Yes, this is exactly like Christ using allegories and parabolic tales in order to impart different levels of meaning to those spiritually prepared to derive benefit from them.

He Invited them to his marriage !

Weddings usually involve guests.

Inquiring of their were dressed.

?? Would you mind rephrasing that.

But they just try to catch him and were not honest.

Hmm, lets see, an outsider is going to humiliate them and take their "money".

So he gave them the salaries.

?? Would you mind rephrasing that.

His first wife was given to an other... and was adultery.

You mean "and was an adultress." Where do we read that Christ was married, let alone that his first wife was given to other.

Finaly his ennemy killed his first wife.

Where do we see that in relation to Christ?

So he smote them and retire from them.

See above.

But his ennemy wanted to take vengeance against his people.

See above.

(dalila is an Ebrew name).

Actually, we don't know that. It is just as likely to be Canaanite, or a professional name.

So who is he?

Obviously not who you are trying to make him out to be.

This man that is more defigured as anyone? Isaie 53 ?

How was Samson more defigured than anyone else?

I could have addressed every single point you raised, but do answer these.

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I agree with Volgadon. Samson is a poor symbol for Christ, except perhaps as the anti-hero. Samson went out of his way to rebel against God's expectations for him. He was born a Nazarite, but broke every single rule established for being a Nazarite.

Jesus, OTOH, obeyed completely.

Mary was a young virgin. Samson's aging mother had tried for decades to get pregnant, and ended up pregnant through the normal method.

Jesus served mankind, offering himself up as a sacrifice for all. Samson was a drunk, womanizer, revengeful man.

Samson worked what he did out of selfish narcissism. After he was blinded and his hair grew back, he didn't want to slay the Philistines to accomplish God's work, but only to avenge himself.

Jesus, before Pilate, tortured and crucified by Roman soldiers, said "Father, forgive them".

Comparing Jesus with Samson almost reminds me of the Monty Python movie, "Life of Brian." In it, Brian is a Jew that ends up a block away from Jesus when major events occur in the Lord's life. He ends up doing similar things, but for the wrong reasons; or he is thought to be Jesus because he is always nearby.

Isaiah 53 has nothing to do with Samson. I cannot see how you can connect them. It has everything to do with the coming Messiah. Let's look at Isa 53 more in depth:

2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

This perfectly fits with Jesus, but not with Samson. Samson was desired by many women, including Delilah - the Helen of Troy of the Philistines.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

We can consider Samson smitten of God, but it was due to his own wickedness. The power of these verses is that the Messiah would seem smitten and afflicted, but through no cause of his own. He is carrying the griefs and sorrows of everyone else. Samson did not do this.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Samson was not wounded for anyone's transgressions, but his own. He first picked a fight with the Philistines, and then betrayed himself by telling Delilah his one physical weakness. Verse 6 references Yom Kippur - Atonement - of Israel. Israel was the sheep fold of Jehovah. Each year 2 goats were selected. One was sacrificed for the people's sins. The priest laid his hands on the other goat and transferred the iniquities of all Israel upon it, then it was banished into the wilderness. Jesus represents both of these goats.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

This doesn't fit Samson, either. While he was imprisoned, it was not for the sins of the people, but for his own choices. He did not go quietly like a lamb to the slaughter. He brought upon himself his own death in a very violent way. Meanwhile, Jesus opened not his mouth to attack his enemies before Pilate or Herod Agrippa. He did not speak against anyone on the cross. He quietly carried his own cross and with it the sins of the world.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Once again, Samson was a violent man. He slew thousands of Philistines on more than one occasion. This only fits Jesus.

Samson would be an extremely poor symbol for Christ. As it is, many of your statements do not fit Jesus at all: being married, Nazarite (Jesus was from Nazareth, which is not the same thing), seeking a spouse from Israel's enemy, smote his enemies, etc.

While it is true that Israel is symbolically God's wife and she did betray God, it does not fit Jesus' mortal experience (which is what Isaiah 53 is all about). As it is, I can find coincidences between Jesus' life and just about anyone else's. But that does not mean the symbolism was intentionally made by God. Especially when you consider how Samson abused his power and sneered at his Nazarite oath, he makes a poor symbol of Christ.

Better to compare Jesus with Deborah or Gideon, who were faithful to their callings as Judges.

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Why Samson and not Isaac?

Isaac also but it is an other story.

And where do we see that Samson's mother was filled with the Holy Ghost?

The mother of Samson was more cleaver than is husband. She explained why they have not to fear.

He was a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death->

Christ wasn't.

You mean that Jesus wasn't consacred to his father ? Nazarite is an other symbol... Litteral symbol of spiritual.

AJesus wasn't reknowned for his physical strength.

There is a parallele between the physical strengh Samson and the spiritual of Christ.

No one will never been more spiritual than Christ and no one will never been more strengfull than Samson

Wow, that covers about 2/3rds of the book of Judges, are they all Jesus, even Deborah?

Not sure yet, but I I shall tend to say yes.

Again, happened to dozens of people.

compare

Luc 2:40 *And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

and

Juges 13:24 *¶And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.

By the way Samson means "Sun" and the Jesus is the Light

He wanted to find a spouse from Israel ennemy.->Where did Jesus do so?

In the scriptures, The lord husband and the chirch his futur wife.

Apocalypse 21:2 *And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Find me one set of parents that understood their children %100 of the time. Besides, the two situations are extremely different, Samson, for instance, has no understanding of why he is being inspired to wed that Philistine, whereas Jesus knew exactly what he was doing. Jesus also obeyed his parents, Samson didn't.

Both were Misunderstood in their mission. It can be say that Samson disobey his parent, (because the story can't be exactly exactly a similitud with Christ life..) but the autor write clearly, "that it was of the LORD"

You know even having 20years old I did disobey my parent to enter in the church of LDS.

You mean Samson posed a riddle before the Philistine guests which they had no way of answering, in order to win a wager. Yes, this is exactly like Christ using allegories and parabolic tales in order to impart different levels of meaning to those spiritually prepared to derive benefit from them.

He was honest : he asked if they accept a riddle, and they did accept. What is bad in that?

Weddings usually involve guests.

but not your ennemies Usually

Inquiring of their were dressed. ->

?? Would you mind rephrasing that.

Of course, Compare :

Matthieu 22:12 *And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

In both marriage, they focus on the dress on wedding.

You mean "and was an adultress." Where do we read that Christ was married, let alone that his first wife was given to other.

Jeremy 3:8 *And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

9 *And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

Osée 3:1 *¶Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.

Finaly his ennemy killed his first wife. ->

Where do we see that in relation to Christ?

Actes 7:59 *And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60 *And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

So he smote them and retire from them.

70 After Christ.

But his ennemy wanted to take vengeance against his people.

compare with

Exode 5:22 *And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

And He paid for us all...

and Esaïe 53:6 *All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

(dalila is an Ebrew name).

Actually, we don't know that. It is just as likely to be Canaanite, or a professional name.

Dalila is the only woman name mentionned and it means something like weak or Pretty.

This man that is more defigured as anyone? Isaie 53 ?

defigured = Misunderstood person in a symbolic sense.

I will answer more questions of course !

Edited by imanuelga
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I agree with Volgadon. Samson is a poor symbol for Christ, except perhaps as the anti-hero.

Samson represent the lord fighting against "Philistines"

To understand who are the Philistine in a spiritual sense (and not litteral), it is usefull to see them when they appeared first : With Abraham in Guerar and latter with Isaac.

The point was about the well of water.

Genèse 21:25 *And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.

All during the history of men, some will pretend have the truth but they prevent the other to get this water. Phariseans were of that kind :

Matthieu 23:13 *¶But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

People (Israel spiritualy) believe them : so in a way this good people were under their domination (spiritualy)

Samson tell us how the lord did to deliver from them.

For exemple when it is said :

Juges 15:3 *And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.

That means that It is difficult to explain the truth to people who don't want to hear it.

It is like cause them a displeasure. But the lord wanted to at all cost... Because he loved them.

So he was looking for every ocasion to "dispute" but in reallity to explain them and make him know by them.

When it is said he was Angry (it is often said of the lord even if Joseph Smith said it was a bad traduction, in reality not), that mean by contrary that he had a lot of compassion.

Yea it is not evident but it is However very true !

Exemple Exode 4:14 *And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

That means he did have much compassion in fact.

How could you explain that Samson did so many extrahordinary things if he was so unworthy?

No where in this scriptures, you will find that he did commit adultary.

Even with Dalila, the men where hidden in the room. (So Samson was Known to be respectuous of the chastity low).

In the case of the prostitute, remember the spies of josue who stay in that kind of hotel...

The autor speaks well of him why didn' you?

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No where in this scriptures, you will find that he did commit adultary.

Even with Dalila, the men where hidden in the room. (So Samson was Known to be respectuous of the chastity low).

How does Samson enemies hiding in his room in order to capture him = Samson was respectful of the law of chastity?

You are clutching at straws, at whisps of smoke.

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How does Samson enemies hiding in his room in order to capture him = Samson was respectful of the law of chastity?

You are clutching at straws, at whisps of smoke.

You know the scripture about the charity I am sure :

1 Corinthiens 13:5 *Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

As it is not written anywhere that Samson did comit adultary, I will consider him as inocent !

And even I will defend his integrity !

Aren't you judging without proof?

If his ennemy were hidden in the room every time? Did this not show that they feel well hidden there?

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You know the scripture about the charity I am sure :

1 Corinthiens 13:5 *Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

As it is not written anywhere that Samson did comit adultary, I will consider him as inocent !

And even I will defend his integrity !

Aren't you judging without proof?

That fails to answer my question. You are so eager to turn Samson into Jesus that you will grasp at any possible interpretation, no matter how forced or far-fetched, that could spin a positive light on Samson.

In a time and culture where a woman out alone in the fields or by the roads was considered a prostitute or woman of easy virtue, I don't see why the author of Judges would have had to spell it out. Samson loves a woman and sleeps in HER room, with no indication of their being married. None of these comes close to being respectful of the law of chastity.

How does Samson's enemies hiding in a room in order to capture him = Samson was respectful of the law of chastity?

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That fails to answer my question. Samson loves a woman and sleeps in HER room,

Juges 16:8 *Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

9 *Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

12 *Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.

Juges 16:19 *And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

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Judges 16:4. Samson loves Delilah.

????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Judges 16:9. Her room.

Juges 16:9 *Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

well in french it is not exactly the same traduction :

it means : that the ennemy were waiting in her house in a room...

I don't know how men (numerous ? ) could be waiting in the same room as Samson without he knew !!

Listen, I don't know if I will continue arguing with you..

You want to see Samson as a weak man.. ok. Paul said of him :

Hebreux 11:32 *¶And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets.

Who am I to defend Samson ?

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????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Says quite clearly that he loved her. So, there is a romantic interest there, not platonic.

Juges 16:9 *Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

well in french it is not exactly the same traduction :

it means : that the ennemy were waiting in her house in a room...

I am working off of the Hebrew. I don't speak French, but I have an appreciation for the great French writers: Dumas, Balzac, Mollierre, Maupassant, Herge, Goscinny and Uderzo, Brel and Brassens...

Anyway, back to the Hebrew. It shows that Samson spent the night in Delilah's room.

I don't know how men (numerous ? ) could be waiting in the same room as Samson without he knew !!

I don't know, but obviously enough to capture him in his weakened state, yet not enough to attempt it otherwise.

Are you trying to argue that Samson was completely aware that the people out to kill him were hiding time and time again in the room he slept in, and that he was ok with it because he respected the law of chastity. That is a stretch.

Listen, I don't know if I will continue arguing with you..

You aren't the only one with a sword.

You want to see Samson as a weak man.. ok. Paul said of him :

Hebreux 11:32 *¶And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets.

Who am I to defend Samson ?

You were trying to convince us that Christ = Samson, your arguments so far have been untenable.

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Juges 16:8 *Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

9 *Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

12 *Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.

Juges 16:19 *And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

And absolutely none of this shows that Samson was aware of his enemies lurking there, let alone that he had them there in order to respect the law of chastity.

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Volgadon :

May be you can explain to us why he had seven locks ?

Juges 16:19 *And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

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Volgadon :

May be you can explain to us why he had seven locks ?

Juges 16:19 *And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

Because seven is a formulaic number?

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I am sure you can make a effort..

his strengh was in them !

And why seven? Why not, say, three, or fourteen, or even forty? You need to be a little clearer in the questions you ask, as I tend to assume that people mean what they say.

Samson's strength was not in his hair. Samson told Delilah about his hair. She cut it. This desacralised Samson because he told her how to do it. When his hair (symbol of his nazarite-like status as consecrated vessel) was cut it meant he was no longer in his special status. The hair, if you'll recall, was cut when a nazarite's vow ended.

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And why seven? Why not, say, three, or fourteen, or even forty? You need to be a little clearer in the questions you ask, as I tend to assume that people mean what they say.

Samson's strength was not in his hair. Samson told Delilah about his hair. She cut it. This desacralised Samson because he told her how to do it. When his hair (symbol of his nazarite-like status as consecrated vessel) was cut it meant he was no longer in his special status. The hair, if you'll recall, was cut when a nazarite's vow ended.

Come on!!

the Bible has been wrotten by profets ! Every missionnary knows that !

Why a profet would emphasis 7 locks if it had no importance ?

At list, tell us what 7 means !

You are in Israel! You know Hebrew !

You have the Holy gost given by the autority of the priestood !

I had answer all your question, you surely can answer a single one !

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I had answer all your question, you surely can answer a single one !

Then you really need to phrase your questions more clearly. When I answered about the number seven, you switched the question to one about the source of strength. When I answered that, you switched yet again, back to the number seven.

Come on!!

Calm down first of all. You come in here all high and mighty, the bearer of special spiritual truth, the wielder of the sharp sword, come to show us the way the truth and the light, blah blah blah blah blahbbing blah, yet when someone counters your points you become rude and belligerent.

the Bible has been wrotten by profets ! Every missionnary knows that !

An extremely simplistic POV, honestly. Much of the Old Testament is actually courtly chronicles of the reign of the kings. These were written by scribes, not prophets.

Why a profet would emphasis 7 locks if it had no importance ?

Who says it has no importance? I say it doesn't have the meaning you are trying to attach to it. Seven is mentioned twice in this account, and it conveys the same idea. See below.

At list, tell us what 7 means !

Honestly, nobody knows for certain. Some have speculated that it implies completeness. In the context of Samson and Delilah, then, it is showing that Delilah tied and later shaved all of Samson's hair. This still does not mean that the hair was the source of Samson's power. The unshoven hair symbolised his status apart, and the strength given to him by virtue of this status. Shaving it signified ending that status, as can be seen with the nazirite parallels.

You are in Israel! You know Hebrew !

Which is a contributing factor for my rejecting your interpretation of Samson.

You have the Holy gost given by the autority of the priestood !

And?

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Samson told Delilah about his hair. She cut it. This desacralised Samson because he told her how to do it. When his hair (symbol of his nazarite-like status as consecrated vessel) was cut it meant he was no longer in his special status. The hair, if you'll recall, was cut when a nazarite's vow ended.

Very interesting!

Let me reformulaze to be sure I understand well !

So Samson did commit adultary wife this woman and with the prostitue but this didn't make him lose his strengh that came from God ... But he told his secret to this dalila and that was a fault ?

So young man of the church, God change not !! Let it be know that one man can commit adulterary and not be left alone from God ! But Take attention ! Never give yourself to the woman you love ! Never put your life in her hands because of love ! Because this is a fault !

Marvelous teaching ! Very beautifull teaching !

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