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Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 14:4

His father and mother very properly opposed Samson’s marriage with a Pagan woman, the daughter of the oppressors of his race. But they could not prevail, because it was the secret purpose of God by these means to “seek occasion” against the Philistines; i. e. to make the misconduct of the father of Samson’s wife, which He foresaw, the occasion of destruction to the Philistines. Compare the marginal references for similar statements. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 14:1-2

Judges 14:1-2. Samson went After he was come to mature age; to Timnath A place not far from the sea. Get her for me to wife Herein he is an example to all children, conformable to the fifth commandment. Children ought not to marry, nor to move toward it, without the advice and consent of their parents. They that do, as Bishop Hall speaks, unchild themselves. Parents have a property in their children, as parts of themselves. In marriage this property is transferred. It is, therefore,... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 14:3

Judges 14:3. To take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines With whom the Israelites were forbidden to marry. For although the Philistines were not Canaanites in their original, yet they were so in their concurrence with them in wickedness, and therefore were liable to the same judgments with them. Get her for me This action of Samson’s, though against common rules, seems to be warranted by the direction of God, (mentioned in the following words,) which was known to Samson, but not to... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 14:1-20

Samson’s exploits (14:1-16:31)So dominant were the Philistines in Israel, that the Israelites had decided to live with them peacefully rather than try to rise up in armed rebellion. Samson had other ideas. He thought that his marriage to a Philistine woman would give him the opportunity to do some harm to the enemy (14:1-4).In spite of Samson’s desire to help Israel, he had little respect for either his Nazirite vow or the Israelite law. He handled a dead lion, married a Philistine woman and... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Judges 14:3

take a wife of, &c. An unlawful connection. Compare Exodus 34:16 . Deuteronomy 7:3 , with Joshua 23:12 . pleaseth me well. Hebrew is right in mine eyes. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Judges 14:1

SAMSON'S FIRST DEALINGS WITH THE PHILISTINES;HE CHOOSES A PHILISTINE WIFE"And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. And he came up, and told his father and mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. Then his father and mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all thy people, that thou goest to take a wife of the... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 14:1

CHAP. XIV. Samson marries a wife of the Philistines: he rends a lion in pieces, in whose carcase he afterwards finds a swarm of bees and honey: he puts forth a riddle to his companions, the interpretation of which his wife enticeth from him: he slays thirty Philistines. Before Christ 1155. Judges 14:1. Timnath— See on Joshua 19:43. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 14:4

Judges 14:4. His father and mother knew not that it was of the Lord, &c.— According to Archbishop Usher's computation, Samson was now twenty-two years old. Every thing was extraordinary, and ought not to be judged of by common rules. The marriage which he solicited, was contrary to the law of Moses; (See Exodus 34:16. Deuteronomy 7:3.) but he was instigated to it by an impulse from God, and consequently dispensed from an observation of the law. See Bp. Hall's contemplations on the subject. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 14:1

1, 2. Timnath—now Tibna, about three miles from Zorah, his birthplace. saw a woman . . . of the Philistines; and told his father and his mother, and said, . . . get her for me to wife—In the East parents did, and do in many cases still, negotiate the marriage alliances for their sons. During their period of ascendency, the Philistine invaders had settled in the towns; and the intercourse between them and the Israelites was often of such a friendly and familiar character as to issue in... read more

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