Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 14:2
And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
2. Samson at first behaves as a dutiful son, and consults both parents about his marriage. It is hardly necessary to strike out the reference to his mother.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Get her for me – namely, by Paying the requisite dowry (see marginal references) and gifts to relations. Hence, the frequent mention of parents taking wives for their sons Exo 34:16; Neh 10:30, because the parents of the bridegroom conducted the negotiation, and paid the dower to the parents of the bride.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
And he came up, and told his father and his mother,…. Of his passion of love, being desirous of having their approbation and consent, in which he acted a dutiful part, and what became him; and may be an example to children to advise with their parents, and have their opinion and consent before they engage in such an enterprise, even before courtship: and said,
I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines; whom he had a good liking of, and a strong affection for; he is very open and ingenuous in his account, does not go about to hide anything from his parents, or colour things over, or conceal her descent, but frankly tells them she was a Philistine woman, which he knew would at once furnish out an objection against her:
now therefore get her for me to wife: for it seems it was the custom then, when a young man had found a woman he liked, that it was left to his parents to entreat with the woman and her friends about the marriage of her to him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Get her for me to wife.These arrangements were always left to parents, who paid the marriage dower (Gen. 34:4-12). (Comp. Jdg. 12:9; Neh. 10:30, &c.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Get her for me to wife Proposals for marriage were made by parents at the request of their sons, (Gen 34:4; Gen 34:8,) and hence must Samson’s parents go down with him to Timnath.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And he came up, and told his father and his mother, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines, now therefore get her for me to be my wife.” ’
Samson was quite open about his aims. He had seen a Philistine woman who attracted him and he wanted her as his wife. Being a dutiful son he put the matter to his father and mother who, according to custom, were responsible for the marriage negotiations (compare Gen 34:4; Gen 34:8). He may indeed have loved her at first sight, but the speed of his decision suggests a more purposeful motive combined with it. Access to the Philistines without suspicion.
We might ask why a man dedicated to Yahweh would seek to marry a foreign woman. It may, however, be that the woman had approached him seeking to learn from him (he was a judge of Israel) something of the Law of his God, for she was not of a class of women who would just be met walking about. Women were often drawn to the morality of Israel’s God (compare Act 13:50) which would have been in such contrast to the stern unforgiving religion of the Philistine overlords. This would certainly help to explain his behaviour.
Samson’s motives are difficult to interpret but he unquestionably behaved unusually in a number of ways. He selected a Philistine for his wife, even though he was a Nazirite; prior to the wedding feast he seems to have called only Philistines to his ‘stag’ week although his previous companions must have been Israelites; and all his belligerence was aimed at Philistines. Indeed He appears to have ingratiated himself with them only in order to attack them. The explanation for this is given in verse 4.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Certainly it is an unnatural alliance when grace and corruption join. For what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? And though it is an express command of our God to come out from among them, and touch not the unclean thing; yet, what an alliance did the Son of God make with our nature, when he, who knew no sin, became sin for us? 2Co 5:21 . Precious Jesus! oh let that alliance be productive of the glorious end proposed; that we may be made the righteousness of God in thee!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jdg 14:2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
Ver. 2. Now therefore get her for me to wife. ] Though set upon it, and, as some gather from Jdg 14:4 , warranted by God to do as he did, yet he would not take a wife without his parents’ consent. This is of the law of nature.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
get her: Gen 21:21, Gen 24:2, Gen 24:3, Gen 34:4, Gen 38:6, 2Ki 14:9
Reciprocal: Gen 38:2 – saw Deu 21:11 – desire Jos 19:43 – Thimnathah Ecc 2:10 – whatsoever Jer 29:6 – take wives