Judges 15:14-20

Samson’s victory at Ramath-lehi 15:14-20

Note again that the Spirit of God gave Samson his supernatural strength (Judges 15:14). He slew 1,000 of the enemy (or one unit) on this occasion (Judges 15:15). The unlikely instrument Samson used, a dead donkey’s dentures, proved more than adequate for this slaughter (cf. Judges 3:31).

The Hebrew words translated "donkey" and "heaps" constitute wordplay. Samson loved riddles and rhymes. Moffatt’s translation rendered the first part of Samson’s poem, "With the jawbone of an ass, I have piled them in a mass." Samson named the place where he defeated these Philistines "Jawbone Hill." This hill may have been the mound Samson had built with the corpses of the Philistines.

Samson’s prayer, his first in the story, reveals that he knew he was participating in holy war as God’s deliverer (Judges 15:18). He gave God the credit for his victory. The word translated "thou" or "you" is in the emphatic position in the Hebrew text. He cried out to the Lord for water after his strenuous fight. God amazingly and graciously provided water for His rebellious servant in a very unusual way, and Samson’s strength revived (Judges 15:19; cf. Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:11). Samson named that place "Supplicant’s Spring."

The summary statement that concludes the record of Samson’s victories thus far (Judges 15:20) separates his story into two parts. The writer recorded Samson’s acts that gradually increased in severity and significance against the Philistines first. Samson continued to serve as Israel’s judge for 20 years. Then the writer gave us the chain of events that followed in which Samson brought his own destruction on himself (ch. 16).

Chapter 15 contrasts Samson’s radical commitment with Judah’s wretched compromise. Samson’s actions and motives were not always the best, but he carried out God’s will. He treated the compromisers among whom he lived graciously since they were God’s people. However, he alone did what God had called him to do when he defeated the Philistines. Today many Christians compromise with the world as the Judahites did. Samson’s example encourages us to radical obedience even if we have to stand for God alone.