22 Howbeit the hair of his head he did grind in the prison house. 22 Howbeit the hair of his head he did grind in the prison-house. began to grow again after he was shaven. began to grow again after he was shaven. Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron (see map). Samson's exploits had been directed against the Philistines, but mainly for personal reasons. He had married a Philistine wife, and the riddle at the celebration of the marriage week cost the Philistines of Ashkelon the lives of thirty of their men, whom Samson had to slay to pay the wager he had placed on the answer to his riddle (chapter 14); this in return cost him the loss of his wife, which he avenged by burning the standing grain of the Philistines by means of sending into it three hundred foxes tied together by their tails in pairs with a burning firebrand between each pair; upon which the Philistines retaliated by burning Samson's wife and her father (Judg. 15. 1-8). Other exploits still further increased their mutual enmity, and the Philistines were on the lookout to capture Samson. Laid hold on him-By means of Delilah they had finally succeeded in capturing him after many vain attempts, which are narrated in the first part of this chapter. As the popular story of the tradition ran, the strength of Samson lay in his unshorn hair. He was a Nazirite, dedicated unto Jehovah from his birth by a vow which included abstinence from intoxicants, from ceremonially unclean foods, and from the cutting of the hair (Judg. 13. 2-14). He had kept the secret of his strength from his enemies, but had finally, under the strain of a woman's persuasion, revealed it to his faithless paramour Delilah: "There hath not come a razor upon my head; for I have been a Nazirite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.' Delilah had sold Samson's secret to the Philistines, and in due time they "shaved off the seven locks of his head," and he came to realize "that Jehovah was departed from him"; it was then that they laid hold on him. And put out his eyesA form of cruelty practiced also by the Assyrians, as may be seen on the monuments. The eyes were bored out with a sharp instrument. Compare 1 Sam. 11. 2; 2 Kings 25. 7. And they brought him down to Gaza-Where, as the Jewish commentators point out, he had gone first a-whoring (verse 1), there he meets his retribution. Gaza was the chief city of the Philistines. And he did grind in the prison-house-The grinding of flour was usually the hard and menial work of slave women in the houses of the rich, or of the wife in the ordinary household. The grinding was done by turning a hand-mill composed of two stones, the upper and nether millstones, which were held together by a stout peg of wood in the center; and the turning was done by means of a wooden handle in the upper stone inserted near the edge. The monotony and physical hardship of grinding made it a dreaded occupation, and biblical references to it imply hardship, punishment, and slavery. It is in this sense that the prophet uses it to describe the impending fall of Babylon and the slavery that shall follow upon it: "Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate. Take the millstones, and grind meal" (Isa. 47. 1, 2). It is thus that in their revenge the Philistines degraded Samson, and in irony chained down the strength of the hero to do their menial labor. 22. Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again-This is stated in anticipation of what is to be narrated when Samson regains his strength once more. The strength of Samson is thus made absolutely to depend upon the length of his hair. If this is to be taken literally it reveals a rather crude, imper321 (21) 23 Then the lords of the Phi-lis'tines gathered them together for 23 And the lords of the Philistines gathered them together to offer a great sacrifice unto Da'gon their god, and to rejoice: for they to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, Our god hath delivered Sam'son our enemy into our hand. said, Our god hath delivered our enemy into our hand. Samson 24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, 24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer Our god hath delivered into our hand our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us. 25 And it came to pass, when of our country, who hath slain many of us. their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Sam'son, that he may their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, make us sport. 25 And it came to pass, for Samson when that he may make us sport. And they called for Sam'son out of the prison house; out of the prison-house; and they set him between the pillars. And they set him between the pillars: And they called sport before them. and he made them sport: and he made fect, and material conception, which is superseded by more spiritual conceptions as divine revelation progresses. If we are true to the biblical story as it stands, we must recognize that Samson's contact with bad women was only indirectly responsible for the loss of his strength, while the cutting of his seven locks (note the symbolic number seven) causes directly the loss of his strength; the implication is that if he had but kept his secret he could have kept on doing all the rest without losing his strength. This popular conception, which the biblical historian faithfully records, is a misconception, as we who live in the fullest light of divine revelation need not hesitate to say. II. A PHILISTINE CELEBRATION. Verses 23-27 23. To offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice -It was a national celebration of a great victory, civic and religious in its character. 24. And when the people saw him, they praised their god-Or set up a shout to their god; the verb is the same that enters into the composition of "Hallelujah," and might have been "Hallelu-dagon," to correspond to "Hallelujah," "Jah" standing for Jehovah. For they said-The words that follow are a rare instance of Hebrew poetry in rhyme, which consists in the five times repeated ending enu, as follows: nathan elohenu beyadenu eth oyebenu, We-eth machararib arsenu, Wa-asher hirbah eth chalalenu. Given has our god into our hands And the destroyer of our land, And him who multiplied our slain. The sentiment, as will be noticed, is strictly religious, and such as might be fitting in the mouth of pious Israelites in speaking of Jehovah. The religion of Israel did not distinguish itself from others (generally speaking) in form so much as in essence. 25, 26. And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry-Probably by drink. They said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport— Probably by displays of his strength. And in preparation of what he is about 26 And Sam'son said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I 26 and Samson me that 1 may feel the pillars whereupon the house resteth, that I may lean upon them. 27 Now the house was full of men and women; may lean upon them. 27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Phi-lis'tines were there; and there were upon and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while men and women, that beheld while the roof about three Samʼson made sport. Samson made sport. thouand 28 And Sam'son called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, and said, O Lord Jehovah, 28 And Samson called unto Jehovah, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this pray thee, only this remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Phi-lis'tines for my once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. 29 And Sam'son took hold of the two middle pillars upon two eyes. 29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with which the house rested, and leaned upon them, the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. 30 And Sam'son said, his right hand, and the other with his left. 30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Phi-lis'tines. And he bowed himself with all his Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than were therein. he slew at his death were more than So the dead that 1 Or, be avenged.. for one of my two eyes. to do he requests the servant that leads him in his blindness, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house resteth. 27. Now the house was full ; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women-The house was the temple, probably a hall of columns, open toward a court. III. THE REVENGE OF SAMSON. Verses 28-31 28. O Lord Jehovah, 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 (or, for one of my two) eyes-What a difference between this prayer and "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." But the difference is not only in the prayers, but in those that prayed. 29. It is difficult to realize the architecture of the temple with a roof and court supported mainly by two pillars. But the most important thing in the story is evidently in the effect, vengeance upon the hated Philistines. 30. Let me die with the Philistines-It was an heroic death, worthy of a better cause. So the dead that he slew at his death were more than they that he slew in his life—It was thus the greatest and most telling feat of strength of them all with which he championed the cause of Israel against the Philistines. they which he slew in his life. they that he slew in his life. 31 Then his brethren and all the house 31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zo'rah and Esh'ta-ol in the buryingplace of in the burying-place And he judged Is'ra-el twenty years. And he judged Israel twenty years. of Samson might have done greater things for Jehovah and Israel if his strength had been better conserved and better directed; as it was, his exploits against the Philistines left no permanent effect; and God had yet to find some one that would effectually deliver Israel from them. SEED THOUGHTS FOR THE TEACHER'S PLANTING 1. Human nature is a mysterious combination of weakness and strength. Of this fact Samson was a conspicuous illustration. This Hebrew Hercules seemed to be as puny in character as he was powerful in physique. It is humiliating, however, to find this mixture of good and evil, strength and weakness, in so many of the great men of history. David, Solomon, Shakespeare, Poe, Byron--how strong and yet how weak they were! Alexander, Hannibal, Napoleon, each the combination of a giant and a pygmy. Voltaire, Rousseau, Paine, all of them mixtures of gold and clay. How often in a single personality are found the Hercules and the baby, the philosopher and the fool, the angel and the ape. Samson as an historical person is less impressive than Samson as a type or allegory or parable. He is a mirror reflecting the mixed and mingled extremes of human nature. 2. Athletics may be carried too far. they make up in muscle; and while they As a rule, giants lack in mind what are not as a rule vicious, they are God cherishes an ideal for each human life, involving his own honor and the welfare of men. Samson was destined to be the judge and liberator of Israel: but although wonderfully endowed he lacked moral character, and fell the easy prey of a designing woman. His life was a failure that outweighed the seeming triumph of his death. usually wanting in positive, aggressive moral force. It would be a mistake for our educational institutions to develop a generation of giants or athletes whose only characteristic virtue would be a magnificent animalism. "A sound mind in a sound body" is a very sane motto, but a little mind in a big body is not the educational desideratum. The world is in need of spiritual and intellectual giants, athletes of thought and moral force, who can tear asunder the jaws of leonine wrongs, bear away the gates of captivity and arbitrary power, and pull down the institutions of superstition, oppression, and unrighteousness. The glory of an age enlightened by the gospel of Jesus Christ is that truth overcomes error, reason gains victories, and thought achieves miracles impossible to the club of Hercules or to Samson's jawbone of an ass. Physical force gives way to the power of ideas and the authority of conscience. The world is ruled more and more by the spirit and less and less by the brute. 3. The age is often responsible for the man. It was a crude, rude time that would be satisfied with a Samsonian judgeship. Men must be measured by the standards of their own generation. In the electric light of the twentieth century Samson is far from an ideal man. In his own environment, there on the frontier, in the tribe of Dan, he was a rough, uncouth, unschooled man of God, who measured well up to the popular conception of greatness. We cannot fairly judge him by another man's light, but only by the light in which he clumsily walked. Were many of those old worthies, taking them all in all, more perfect with the light they had than this Samson? Such a character is a reflection of the very age in which he lives. A finer-grained, higher-toned man would have been out of place over there where the Philistines were harassing Dan as the Indians used to harass our American frontiers. Study Samson as he acts his part, the comedy and tragedy of it, out in the uncivilized Dan country. Do not bring him into Jerusalem or Rome or Athens or Paris or London or Boston to interpret his character and life. He is not a Solomon, Plato, Saint John, Emerson, or Wesley. But with all his great, hulking, brute strength, his coarse-grained, barbaric ferocity, his susceptibility to animalistic temptations, he had virtues which are essential to the noblest character in the brightest age. 4. Faith in God is the source of power. As truly as that Solomon's gift of wisdom was divine, so truly was Samson's gift of strength. Not in his leonine locks, but in God, was his physical power. Those locks were but a sign and token of his relation to God as a Nazarite. When he was shorn his strength departed because he surrendered that badge of his Nazarite vows to God, and therewith lost touch with divine power. When his faith revived and he sought God in prayer his strength returned. In every conflict of his with the enemies of his people, even in the incident which displayed his marvelous strength in selfdefense, he relied upon God by a faith that was never too self-reliant. Hence Paul places him in the list of his heroes of faith. There he is in the same epistolary Hall of Fame with the poetical David, the judicial Samuel, the philosophical Moses, the gallant Gideon, and the saintly Abraham. 5. Faith is the inspiration of courage. As a rule, giants are not courageous. But Samson never quailed in the presence of any danger. His courage, however, did not come from mere reliance on his extraordinary strength, but from his faith in God. That was one of his characteristic virtues. Our common temptation is to depend upon our own powers, physical strength, will power, logical acumen, judgment, intellectuality, common sense, or whatever it may be. But a courage based on mere human resources must fail in the crucial test. The courage that dares and that triumphs is the courage that springs from faith in the power and help of God. Whatever our gifts and attainments may be, the highest achievements are the result of the employment of these endowments in coöperation with the will and power of God. 6. The most useful life reaches its perfection in a disinterested patriotism. Imperfect as was this giant of old, narrow as was his mental and moral horizon, he was doubtless the ideal patriot of the tribe of Dan. He was the fearless enemy of the Philistines, who were the most powerful foe of Dan. His people felt safe when he was near, and his strength was ever at the command of his tribe and his country. He had no songs to contribute to the national literature, no learning and wisdom with which to enrich Hebrew philosophy or jurisprudence; he added nothing to the science and art of war, but what he had, a divinely given physical strength, he laid upon the altar of patriotism. That is one of the severest tests of real worth-the patriotic test. To single-handed and alone stand between his people and an impending wrong, between his country and danger, between |