Judges 14:1

1 One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye.

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 One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye.

2 When he returned home, he told his father and mother, “A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me.”

3 His father and mother objected. “Isn’t there even one woman in our tribe or among all the Israelites you could marry?” they asked. “Why must you go to the pagan Philistines to find a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me! She looks good to me.”

4 His father and mother didn’t realize the LORD was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at that time.

5 As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah.