Judges 14:3

3 And his father and his mother said to him, Are there no daughters of thy brethren, and a woman of all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Sampson said to his father, Take her for me, for she right in my eyes.

Judges 14:3 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 14:3

Then his father and his mother said unto him
What he might expect, and doubtless did expect:

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?
none in their own family, nor in the tribe of Dan, nor among the whole nation of Israel, but must go among the uncircumcised Philistines; for though they were not of the seven nations of the Canaanites, with whom marriage was forbidden, yet they not only dwelt where they did, and where the Israelites should, but were idolaters and impure persons, and therefore affinity should not be contracted with them, as being of a dangerous consequence, which might entice to idolatry. Ben Gersom observes, that their Rabbins say he made her a proselyte first, though he did not acquaint his parents with it, and so Abarbinel; but this seems not likely, for, had this been the case, he would have had an easy and ready reply to this objection of theirs:

and Samson said unto his father, get her for me, for she pleaseth me
well;
or "is right in mine eyes" ^F24; not only his eyes were taken with her beauty or external form, but it was right in his sight, in his judgment, to marry her; he having an impulse upon his mind from the Spirit of God unto it, though he did not let his parents know of it, but left them to conclude it sprung from a strong affection to her person. Abarbinel observes, that he only addressed his father, and not his mother, she being most vehemently against the match, and expressing more uneasiness at it than his father did; but it is most likely that he addressed his father particularly, because he was the proper person to negotiate this affair for him.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F24 (ynyeb hrvy) "recta in oculis meis", Montanus, Junius et Tremellius.

Judges 14:3 In-Context

1 And Sampson went down to Thamnatha, and saw a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Philistines.

2 And he went up and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Phylistines; and now take her to me for a wife.

3 And his father and his mother said to him, Are there no daughters of thy brethren, and a woman of all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Sampson said to his father, Take her for me, for she right in my eyes.

4 And his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought to be revenged on the Philistines: and at that time the Philistines lorded it over Israel.

5 And Sampson and his father and his mother went down to Thamnatha, and he came to the vineyard of Thamnatha; and behold, a young lion roared in meeting him.