Judges 14:1

1 And as Samson went down to Timnath, he saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

Judges 14:1 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 14:1

And Samson went down to Timnath
A city which by lot fell to the tribe of Judah, but was afterwards given to the tribe of Dan, and now in the hands of the Philistines, ( Joshua 15:57 ) ( 19:43 ) . Judah is said to go up to it, because the place where he lived lay below it, ( Genesis 38:13 ) , but Samson is said to go down to it, because he lived above it. The Jews ^F20 differ about the reconciliation of these two places; some say there were two of this name, the one is a descent, and the other is an ascent; others say there was but one, so situated, that they that came to it on one side ascended, and they that came to it on the other side descended. Bochart ^F21 approves of the former. According to Bunting ^F23, this was twelve miles from Eshtaol, where Samson lived:

and saw a woman in Timnath, of the daughters of the Philistines;
who at this time dwelt there; he saw no doubt many other women besides her, but he took special notice of her, and entertained a particular affection for her; or, in other words, on sight of her fell in love with her.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 10. 1.
F21 IIierozoic. par. 1. l. 3. c. 4. col. 763, 764.
F23 Travels p. 115.

Judges 14:1 In-Context

1 And as Samson went down to Timnath, he saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

2 And he came up and told his father and his mother, saying, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore get her for me to wife.

3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren or among all my people that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleases me well.

4 But his father and his mother did not know that it was of the LORD that he sought an occasion against the Philistines, for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

5 Then Samson went down with his father and his mother to Timnath, and when they came to the vineyards of Timnath, behold, a young lion came roaring against him.