Downfall of the Philistines

Judges 14:15-20 NIV

On the fourth  day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to steal our property?”    Then Samson’s wife threw herself on him, sobbing, “You hate me! You don’t really love me. You’ve given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.” “I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother,” he replied, “so why should I explain it to you?”  She cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people.    Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” Samson said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.”    Then the Spirit of the  Lord  came powerfully upon him. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he returned to his father’s home.  And Samson’s wife was given to one of his companions who had attended him at the feast.


So, Samson married a Philistine. However, he did not lived happily after... What happened was that his wife had betrayed him. His wife sided with her people instead of him. It is shown clearly that his wife did the wrong thing. Instead of telling her husband about the threats that her people are pressing on her, she cried to her and pestered him about the riddle. It shows that she did not fully trust her husband and the bible clearly states that when a woman and man come together in marriage, they are one flesh. They should be in a complete union. This really shows that if we yoke with non- believers, this is the likely outcome of that un-approved union. Like I mentioned before it is clearly stated in 2 Corinthians.(see above)

The term "plow my Hefier" is actually a phrase to signify to turn up my wife. It really means that. Hefier means young female cow.

This parable shows that when we choose wives (or husbands), we ought to look for Godly qualities. This is so that their belief system is the same as ours. And of course do not yoke with non-believers.

Even so, God still moved mightily in his life. God used him to judge the Philistines and his wife. His wife got what she deserved. While the men received loot previously owned by their brothers.