More cruelty, violence and killing in the Old Testament.
Samson versus the Philistines who denied him his wife.
Revenge, hatred, and death were the norm for the day.
By today’s standards, Samson was a “player,” in that he “went also into Gaza, and saw there a woman a harlot, and went in unto her.” After this he loved a woman, who dwelt in the valley of Sorec, and she was called Dalila.
Dalila and Samson had an interesting relationship, certainly not one built on love, trust, and honesty. Unlike those rekindled loving relationships we hear about on the nighttime radio show Delilah. Dalila and Delilah, close in spelling but opposite in virtues.
Dalila was offered a fortune from the Philistines to discover the source of Samson’s great strength.
Wherein thy greatest strength lieth… I shall be weak like other men… The Philistines are upon thee, Samson… Behold thou has mocked me, and hast told me a false thing…. How long dost thou deceive me, and tell me lies?… How dost thou say thou lovest me, when thy mind is not with me?… Thou hast told me lies these three times, and wouldst not tell me wherein thy great strength lie. And when she pressed him much, and continually hung upon him for many days, giving him no time to rest, his soul fainted away, and was wearied even until death.
I am a Nazarite, that is to say, consecrated to God from my mother’s womb: if my head be shaven, my strength shall depart from me, and I shall become weak, and shall be like other men.
Then seeing that he had discovered to her all his mind… for now he hath opened his heart to me… and forthwith pulled his eyes out, and led him bound in chains to Gaza, and shutting him up in prison made him grind
And now his hair began to grown again… Philistines offer great sacrifices to their god Dagon… suffer me to touch the pillars which support the whole house, and let me lean upon them, and rest a little.
O Lord God, remember me, and restore to me now my former strength.
Let me die with the Philistines. And when he had strongly shook the pillars, the house fell… and he killed many more at this death, then he had killed before in his life… and he judged Israel twenty years.
Another grisly story of the Old Testament but one that clearly shows us how to pray to God to remember and restore us to our best self. Or more realistically, in today’s world, to take us to new heights so that we can become the best-ever version of our self!
The spirit of the Lord came strongly upon Samson many times so he was obviously doing the will of the Lord.
The next three chapters take us through the hiring of a Levite priest, the making of a graven and molten god and seeing the tribe of Dan take over people who were living a secure and easy life without fear. And then the tale of the husband of the wife from Bethlehem Juda begins…
Until next time, I pray to O Lord God, to remember me, and restore to me now my former strength and make me my best possible self!
Day 87: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; O Lord God, remember me, and restore to me now my former strength.
Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Judges Chapters 15-19
Bible Notes:
This Book is so called, because it is a history of the Jews under the government of the Judges, men, like Gedeon and Samson, who were raised up to rule Israel before they had kings. It describes the religious and political condition of the Jews and the work of the twelve Judges.
Judges Chapter 15: Samson is denied his wife; Samson burns the Philistine’s corn; Philistine’s burn Samson’s wife; Samson’s revenge; Samson is delivered to the Philistines; Samson slays a thousand men; Samson judges Israel twenty years.
Samson came, meaning to visit his wife… And when he would have gone into her chamber as usual, her father would not suffer him, saying: I thought thou hadst hated her, and therefore I gave her to thy friend. From this day I shall be blameless in what I do against the Philistines: for I will do you evils.
Which being set on fire, both the corn… was all burnt, insomuch, that the flame consumed also the vineyards and the oliveyards.
And the Philistines went up and burnt both the woman and her father.
Although you have done this, yet will I be revenged of you and then I will be quiet.
We are come to bind Samson, and to pay him for what he hath done against us. As they did to me, so have I done to them. We will not kill thee: but we will deliver thee bound.
The spirit of the Lord came strongly upon him… so the bands which he was bound were broken and loosed… he slew therewith a thousand men.
Then the Lord opened a great tooth in the jaw of the ass, and waters issued out of it. And when he had drank them he refreshed his spirit, and recovered his strength.
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
Judges Chapter 16: Samson carries away the gate of Gaza; Dalila bribed to delude Samson; Samson reveals his secret; Samson is seized and blinded; The Philistines’ feast to Dagon; The death of Samson.
He went also into Gaza, and saw there a woman a harlot, and went in unto her.
After this he loved a woman, who dwelt in the valley of Sorec, and she was called Dalila.
Wherein thy greatest strength lieth… I shall be weak like other men… The Philistines are upon thee, Samson… Behold thou has mocked me, and hast told me a false thing…. How long dost thou deceive me, and tell me lies?… How dost thou say thou lovest me, when thy mind is not with me?… Thou hast told me lies these three times, and wouldst not tell me wherein thy great strength lie. And when she pressed him much, and continually hung upon him for many days, giving him no time to rest, his soul fainted away, and was wearied even until death.
I am a Nazarite, that is to say, consecrated to God from my mother’s womb: if my head be shaven, my strength shall depart from me, and I shall become weak, and shall be like other men.
Then seeing that he had discovered to her all his mind… for now he hath opened his heart to me… and forthwith pulled his eyes out, and led him bound in chains to Gaza, and shutting him up in prison made him grind
And now his hair began to grown again… Philistines offer great sacrifices to their god Dagon… suffer me to touch the pillars which support the whole house, and let me lean upon them, and rest a little.
O Lord God, remember me, and restore to me now my former strength.
Let me die with the Philistines. And when he had strongly shook the pillars, the house fell… and he killed many more at this death, then he had killed before in his life… and he judged Israel twenty years.
Judges Chapter 17: The idol of Michas; Michas hires a Levite to be his priest.
Eleven hundred pieces of silver… Blessed be my son by the Lord… and make a graven and a molten god, so now I deliver it to thee… which was in the house of Michas… In those days there was no ling in Israel, but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
I am a Levite of Bethlehem Juda, and I am going to dwell where I can, and where I shall find a place to my advantage. Now I know God will do me good, since I have a priest of the race of Levites.
Judges Chapter 18: The tribe of Dan seeks an inheritance; The Danites covet Lais; The Danites steal an idol and a priest; Michas pursues the Danites; The Danites capture Lais.
Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be his priest… Go in peace: the Lord looketh on your way, and the journey that you go.
Lais… people dwelt therein without any fear… secure and easy… let us go and possess it, there will be no difficulty.
In the house of Michas: and saluted him with words of peace… What are you doing? Hold thy peace and put thy finger in thy mouth and come with us, that we may have thee for a father, and a priest… he agreed with their words, and took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven god, and departed with them.
But Michas seeing that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.
The Danites capture Lais and rename it Dan. In those days there was no king in Israel.
Judges Chapter 19: A Levite seeks his wife in Bethlehem; The Levite tries to depart for home; An old man of Gabaa lodges the Levite; Men of Gabaa abuse the Levite’s wife; Death of the Levite’s wife; The Levite divides his wife’s body.
A wife of Bethlehem Juda… and her husband followed her, willing to be reconciled with her, and to speak kindly to her, and to bring her back with him…
I beseech thee to stay here to day, and let us make merry together… and spend the day in mirth, and to morrow thou shalt depart… and his concubine… I will not go into the town of another nation, who are not of the children of Israel…
Concubine—(in polygamous societies) a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives; a mistress.
… and dwelt as a stranger in Gabaa… Whence comest thou? And whither goest thou?.. and now we go to the house of God, and none will receive us under his roof… we want nothing but lodging… Peace be with thee… he entertained then with a feast.
Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may abuse him… I pray you from this folly… I have a maiden daughter, and this man has a concubine, I will bring them out to you, and you may humble them, and satisfy your lust only, I beseech you, commit not this crime against nature on the man… They would not be satisfied with his words; which the man seeing, brought out the concubine to them, and abandoned her to their wickedness: and when they had abused her all the night, they let her go in the morning.
Came to the door of the house where her lord lodged, and there fell down… He thinking she was taking her rest, said to her: Arise, and let us be going…
And when he was come home he took a sword, ad divided the dead body of his wife with her bones into twelve parts, and sent the pieces into all the borders of Israel.
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