Judges 16 Gideon’s Victory over the Midianites

1 Samson and Delilah
One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.

2 The people of Gaza were told, “Samson is here!” So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They made no move during the night, saying, “At dawn we’ll kill him.”

3 But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.

4 Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah.

5 The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.”

6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.”

7 Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me with seven fresh thongs that have not been dried, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”

8 Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh thongs that had not been dried, and she tied him with them.

9 With men hidden in the room, she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” But he snapped the thongs as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.

10 Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have made a fool of me; you lied to me. Come now, tell me how you can be tied.”

11 He said, “If anyone ties me securely with new ropes that have never been used, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”

12 So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them. Then, with men hidden in the room, she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” But he snapped the ropes off his arms as if they were threads.

13 Delilah then said to Samson, “Until now, you have been making a fool of me and lying to me. Tell me how you can be tied.”
He replied, “If you weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric on the loom and tighten it with the pin, I’ll become as weak as any other man.” So while he was sleeping, Delilah took the seven braids of his head, wove them into the fabric

14 and tightened it with the pin.
Again she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and pulled up the pin and the loom, with the fabric.

15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.”

16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was tired to death.

17 So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”

18 When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands.

19 Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.

20 Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”
He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison.

22 But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.

23 The Death of Samson
Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.”

24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying,
“Our god has delivered our enemy
into our hands,
the one who laid waste our land
and multiplied our slain.”

25 While they were in high spirits, they shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them.
When they stood him among the pillars,

26 Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.”

27 Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform.

28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “O Sovereign Lord, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.”

29 Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other,

30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

31 Then his brothers and his father’s whole family went down to get him. They brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led Israel twenty years.

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Analysis of Judges Chapter 16

The sixteenth chapter of the Book of Judges provides a powerful conclusion to the narrative of Samson, a judge of Israel renowned for his extraordinary physical strength, which he derived from his Nazirite vow to God. This chapter not only highlights Samson’s feats and flaws but also underscores the themes of divine sovereignty, human weakness, and redemption. In analyzing Judges Chapter 16, it is essential to consider the broader context of Samson’s life and the cyclical nature of Israel’s history as depicted in the Book of Judges.

Verses 1-3: Samson at Gaza

Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there a harlot, and went in unto her. And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. And 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 a hill that is before Hebron.

This opening passage portrays Samson’s visit to Gaza, a significant Philistine city, where he engages in a morally questionable act by visiting a harlot. This serves as an illustration of Samson’s recurring weakness for women, a motif recurrent throughout his narrative. Despite his failings, Samson is a complex character whose life is marked by a blend of personal flaws and divine purpose.

Samson’s action of uprooting the city gates and transporting them to a hilltop is not merely a demonstration of his physical strength but a symbolic act of defiance against the Philistines. The city gates were a symbol of a city’s strength and security. By removing them, Samson humiliates Gaza, asserting Israelite dominance even in his moments of personal indiscretion. This act also foreshadows his ultimate victory over the Philistines, despite his moral weaknesses.

Verses 4-22: Samson and Delilah

And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee…

The narrative of Samson and Delilah is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible, illustrating a tragic tale of love and betrayal. Delilah, who resides in the valley of Sorek, becomes the instrument through which the Philistines aim to discover the secret of Samson’s strength. The rulers of the Philistines offer her an exorbitant amount of silver in exchange for this secret, indicating their desperation to subdue Samson.

Delilah’s persistence in questioning Samson about the source of his strength and Samson’s eventual succumbing to her nagging reveals a profound vulnerability. Despite his physical might, Samson’s emotional and spiritual weaknesses are exposed. He deceives Delilah multiple times, each time providing her with false information about how he could be bound and made powerless. Ultimately, however, Delilah’s relentless badgering wears him down, leading him to reveal the true source of his strength: his uncut hair as a symbol of his Nazirite vow.

Samson’s disclosure to Delilah marks a pivotal moment in the narrative. It signifies his betrayal of his divine calling and his Nazirite vow, which was the source of his strength. When Delilah has his hair cut while he sleeps, his strength leaves him, and he is captured by the Philistines. The Philistines gouge out his eyes and imprison him, a physical manifestation of Samson’s earlier blindness to his spiritual obligations and moral failings.

Verses 23-31: Samson’s Redemption and Death

Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand… And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, 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…

The final section of Judges Chapter 16 portrays a dramatic turn of events where the Philistines, in their hubris, gather to celebrate their victory and offer sacrifices to their god, Dagon. During this celebration, they bring out Samson to entertain them, mocking the once-mighty hero of Israel. This scene of humiliation is pivotal as it sets the stage for Samson’s ultimate act of redemption.

In his weakened state, Samson turns to the Lord in prayer, acknowledging his dependence on divine strength rather than his own. His prayer is a plea for one final act of strength to avenge his blindness and the dishonor brought upon himself and Israel. The text emphasizes that Samson’s strength is restored by God solely for this redemptive act.

Samson’s final act of pushing down the pillars of the temple of Dagon collapses the building, killing himself along with thousands of Philistines. This act achieves a significant military victory for Israel, wiping out many of its oppressors. Samson’s death is sacrificial, aligning him with Christ-like figures in later scriptural interpretations. His story underscores the biblical theme that God’s purposes can be fulfilled even through flawed human agents.

Theological Themes and Interpretations

Several profound theological themes emerge from Judges Chapter 16:

Divine Sovereignty and Human Weakness: The chapter demonstrates how God’s plans are sovereign and can be accomplished through human weakness. Samson, despite his flaws, is used by God to deliver Israel from the Philistines. This theme resonates throughout the Bible, highlighting that God’s strength is made perfect in human weakness.
Consequences of Sin: Samson’s life vividly illustrates the consequences of sin and disobedience. His repeated violations of his Nazirite vow and moral failings lead to personal downfall and suffering. However, it also shows that repentance and turning back to God can lead to redemption.
Redemption and Sacrifice: Samson’s final act symbolizes sacrificial redemption. His willingness to die to defeat Israel’s enemies prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who died to bring salvation to humanity. Samson’s story serves as a reminder that redemption often comes through suffering and sacrifice.
God’s Faithfulness: Despite Israel’s disobedience and Samson’s personal failings, God remains faithful to His covenant people. He continues to work through flawed individuals to achieve His divine purposes.

Conclusion

Judges Chapter 16 is a rich and complex narrative that encapsulates themes of human frailty, divine power, and redemption. Samson’s story serves as a microcosm of Israel’s broader experience, oscillating between faithfulness and disobedience, strength and weakness. Through Samson’s life and death, we are reminded of God’s ability to use imperfect people to accomplish His purposes and the ultimate power of repentance and divine mercy.

Understanding the Key Messages in Judges 16: Insights and Explanation

In this chapter, Gideon leads a small army to defeat the Midianites with God's help. Through a series of signs and tests, Gideon gains confidence in God's power and delivers Israel from their enemies.

Notes

This chapter highlights Gideon's faith and God's faithfulness in delivering Israel. It also demonstrates the importance of trusting in God and seeking His guidance in difficult situations.