Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 14:4
But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
4. It is not actually said that Manoah refused, but the sequel ( Jdg 14:5-7) in its original form implies that he did.
he sought an occasion ] The subject is Jehovah, cf. Jos 11:20; an occasion, i.e. for a quarrel, cf. 2Ki 5:7. The Philistines had always been the aggressors; an act of retaliation was justifiable.
over Israel ] Israel as a whole did not yet exist. The generalized statement probably comes from the editor; cf. Jdg 13:1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
His father and mother very properly opposed Samsons marriage with a Pagan woman, the daughter of the oppressors of his race. But they could not prevail, because it was the secret purpose of God by these means to seek occasion against the Philistines; i. e. to make the misconduct of the father of Samsons wife, which He foresaw, the occasion of destruction to the Philistines. Compare the marginal references for similar statements.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
He sought an occasion against the Philistines; which he knew by very probable conjecture, if not by particular inspiration, that marriage would give him many ways.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And his father and mother knew not that it was of the Lord,…. That he should marry this uncircumcised Philistine; Samson knew it was, and that his desire of having her in marriage did not arise from carnal affection to her merely, being captivated with her beauty and external form, for she was not so very fair, her younger sister was fairer than she, Jud 15:2 but he perceived it was the mind and will of God that he should take such a person to wife, by the impulse of the Spirit of God upon him, pointing it, unto him, inclining and urging him to it, suggesting the end and design of it, and the opportunity it would give him of quarrelling with the Philistines, and taking vengeance on them; but this his parents were ignorant of, nor did he let them know that this was of God:
that he sought an occasion against the Philistines; in this way, by this means; they might know he sought to get an opportunity to be avenged on them for their oppression, and to attempt the deliverance of Israel; but they knew not that it was the will of God that a way should be opened for it by this means. Samson might be directed by the Lord to reason thus in his mind, that if he proposed to the Philistines to marry one of their daughters, and they should reject his proposal, this would give him a reason to fall out with them, and fall upon them; and if they should agree to such a match, he might expect they would be kind to him, and to his people for his sake, being in alliance with them, or he should resent it, and take occasion from hence to come to a quarrel with them:
for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel; had invaded their country, and dwelt in their cities, and made them tributary to them, and used them ill; which Samson observing, was provoked to seek an opportunity of avenging the injuries done them, and of delivering them, and he was directed to it this way.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) That it was of the Lord.All that can be meant is that in this marriage God was overruling the course of events to the furtherance of His own designs. He makes even the weakness and the fierceness of man redound to His praise. (Comp. Jos. 11:10; 2Ch. 25:20.) See the same phrase in the story of Rehoboams folly (1Ki. 12:15). Behold this evil is of the Lord, says Elisha in 2Ki. 6:33. It is the strong sense of the Divine rule which we find even in heathen writers, so that in the very opening lines of Homer we find the poet saying, that amid all the crimes and passions of men the counsel of Zeus was being accomplished.
Achilles wrath, to Greece the direful spring
Of woes unnumbered, heavenly goddess sing:
That wrath which hurled to Plutos gloomy reign
The souls of mighty chiefs unnumbered slain,
Whose limbs, unburied on the naked shore,
Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore,
Since great Achilles and Atrides strove,
Such was the sovereign doom, and such the will of Jove!.
That he sought an occasion.Some commentators explain he to mean Jehovah, which seems most unlikely. The word rendered an occasion is rather, a quarrel (LXX., retribution, or vengeance).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. It was of the Lord Our historian is writing SACRED history, and he marks everywhere the working of Divine Providence. Samson was raised up of God to begin to deliver Israel, and therefore every event of his life that was associated with that work was providentially ordered.
That he sought an occasion Not that Samson had a foreknowledge of what would be the outcome of this marriage, and purposely sought this woman to wife that he might find some opportunity of working mischief and ruin among the Philistines; but that the Lord overruled all these events for the purpose of weakening the Philistines’ power. Samson evidently had some suspicion or impression that the marriage would lead to great results. He at least recognised, as his parents did not, the hand of God in the matter, and he felt assured that his love for the woman, and her righteousness in his eyes, were providential indications that in marrying her he was boldly entering on the great mission of his life. But how the matter would terminate neither he nor his parents then knew.
Against the Philistines Rather, From the Philistines. The provoking and responsible occasion for Samson to injure the Philistines was to be on their side, not on his.
For at that time This sentence is added as the general reason why the Lord was providentially preparing the way to weaken and overthrow the Philistine dominion over Israel.
The theory of the Old Testament language in regard to God’s providence seems to be this: Whatever act of man, however free or wicked, contributes to the higher scheme of Jehovah’s purpose, and so, though divinely disapproved, is divinely recognised, and wrought into the series of events, is roughly said to be of the Lord, and his act and doing. The old Hebraic age had not yet attempted to draw the metaphysical line between God’s will and God’s non-prevention of those sins which are necessarily to be admitted into that system of free-agency from which the highest good shall accrue. Those sins, therefore, which are seen by the inspired writer to adjust into the high scheme of God, and to bring out his intended results, are, in lump, attributed to him. They are not his by approval, by decree, by direct production, nor by fore-ordination; but are only indiscriminately said to be his, because, foreseen by him, they are simply non-prevented, and woven into his complex plan for bringing out the highest good. This is not rightly called a Hebraism in the sense of a Hebrew idiom; but it is a Hebraism in the sense of being a Hebrew style of thought and expression. The Hebrew knew, indeed, that Jehovah was absolutely holy, and men’s sins were wicked, but had never fully adjusted the relation between the two. A later age, when moral thought becomes more defined, raises the question of God’s exact collision with sin, and draws the discriminating line. See notes on Mat 11:25; Act 2:23; Act 4:28; and introductory note to Romans 9.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And his father and mother did not know that it was of Yahweh. For he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.’
What his father and mother did not know was that his plan was in the purposes of God. Yahweh was at work through the one whom He had chosen. This could hardly have been said if there had been Israelite doubts about what he was doing, confirming our suggestions above.
“He sought an occasion.” Many translations suggest that the ‘he’ mentioned here is Yahweh. But in view of Jdg 13:25 this may well rather mean that it was Samson who sought the occasion. It suggests that it was the beginning of his plan to put himself in a position where he could attack the Philistines without blame coming on his people. However many see it as referring to Yahweh. It is difficult to see how Yahweh would arrange to marry him off to a heathen Philistine, or indeed why He should want to find an occasion against the Philistines. Yahweh already had an occasion against the Philistines. That was why He had raised up Samson. It was Samson who needed such an occasion, not Yahweh.
Furthermore the subject of a verb in Hebrew would normally refer back to a previous subject, and thus to ‘Samson said’. We should only apply it to a genitival noun when there is no alternative. So while we might certainly see Yahweh involved in Samson’s aims, it is Samson who is mainly described as seeking the occasion against the Philistines. That would indicate that consciously or unconsciously what he was doing was within God’s purpose against those who lorded it over God’s people. For while it is difficult to see why God should need to ‘seek an occasion’ for something like this (He was sovereign and could act how and when he liked) we can clearly see why Samson would.
The tight control of the Philistines over the Danites (compare 1Sa 13:19-21, conditions which no doubt held in Samson’s day), and the Danites fear of them, would necessitate that he acted on his own. And as a ruling elite who would hit hard at any sign of rebellion against them, he would know that any dealings that he had with them must be carefully arranged so that no blame could fall on his fellow-Danites. We may see this as the probable reason why he appeared to be almost on his way to becoming an adopted Philistine. As such he would be able to take them on man to man without it harming his fellowcountrymen.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 14:4. His father and mother knew not that it was of the Lord, &c. According to Archbishop Usher’s computation, Samson was now twenty-two years old. Every thing was extraordinary, and ought not to be judged of by common rules. The marriage which he solicited, was contrary to the law of Moses; (See Exo 34:16. Deu 7:3.) but he was instigated to it by an impulse from God, and consequently dispensed from an observation of the law. See Bp. Hall’s contemplations on the subject.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jdg 14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
Ver. 4. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. ] Who had haply sworn fealty and subjection to the Philistines; and therefore Samson was to seek an occasion against them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
occasion = opportunity.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
it was of the Lord: That is, God permitted it, that it might be a means of bringing about the deliverance of Israel. Such marriages were forbidden to the Israelites, to keep them separate from the idolatrous nations. Jos 11:20, 1Ki 12:15, 2Ki 6:33, 2Ch 10:15, 2Ch 22:7, 2Ch 25:20, Psa 115:3
had dominion: Jdg 13:1, Jdg 15:11, Deu 28:48
Reciprocal: Gen 43:18 – seek occasion against us Deu 28:43 – General Jdg 3:3 – five lords Jdg 15:7 – Though Dan 6:4 – sought
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the {b} Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
(b) To fight against them for the deliverance of Israel.