Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Judges Chapter 15 mean?

Samson believes he is still married to his Philistine bride. Scripture doesn’t clearly state if the marriage had been consummated before the end of the seven-day wedding feast. However, Samson left that celebration in a rage after his bride betrayed the secret of his unfair riddle (Judges 14:14–19). His former father-in-law believed Samson was not coming back. To protect her interests, the woman was married to one of the thirty companions who threatened to kill her if she did not give them Samson’s secret (Judges 14:20).

What happens in this chapter helps illustrate the danger of seeking revenge. Ultimately, no one ever “gets even” or “settles the score,” as implied by those English expressions. Instead, vengeance leads to a vicious cycle of escalation. What starts with Samson’s foiled attempt to cheat others climaxes in a scene of incredible carnage.

When Samson arrives at his father-in-law’s home in Timnah, he is not allowed access to the woman he thought was his bride. His father-in-law explains why, but offers Samson his younger daughter, claiming she is even more beautiful. Samson believes he is the victim in this situation. His remark suggests that he knows his actions at the wedding (Judges 14:12) and afterwards (Judges 14:19) were wrong. What he is about to do, however, he thinks is justified (Judges 15:1–3).

The Hebrew word su’āl is subject to interpretation like any other animal name. It’s commonly rendered as “fox,” but many scholars believe it refers to a “jackal.” Jackals common to Samson’s area were pack animals about the size of a small dog or coyote. As scavengers who live in burrows near human settlements, they would make an ideal weapon for Samson’s plot. He captures hundreds of these and sets them loose in Philistine grain fields, tied in pairs on either side of a burning torch. He also ensures that harvested wheat and olive groves are ignited. This would devastate the resources of an entire region (Judges 15:4–5).

The Philistines retaliate by killing Samson’s former bride and her father (Judges 14:15). Why, exactly, they did so is unclear. They might have thought this would appease Samson. Or they were simply looking for a brutal response. Samson sees this as an attack on himself, so he seeks even more vengeance. That revenge isn’t described in detail. The Hebrew words imply it was vicious and overwhelming. Most likely, it involved more death and destruction. He then runs to hide at notable landmark called “the cleft of the rock at Etam” (Judges 15:6–8).

With Samson established as a major threat, the Philistines gather an army and prepare to attack the people of Judah near where Samson is hiding. When asked why, the Philistines say they have come to capture Samson and avenge his attacks. The men of Judah agree to turn Samson over to avoid being attacked by the Philistines. They find Samson, who agrees to be tied up and surrendered so long as the Israelites don’t attack him (Judges 15:9–13).

As Samson is brought to the enemy army, the Philistines start to cheer and shout. Samson is suddenly overcome with the power of God’s Spirit. He rips the ropes from his arms as if they were burned threads. He tears the jawbone from the carcass of a donkey, giving him a crude club about the size and shape of a hatchet. With this, Samson utterly annihilates the enemy forces. Depending on how the Hebrew terms are translated, he either kills a tally of a thousand men, or at least an entire company of several hundred (Judges 15:14–15).

When the bedlam is over, Samson tosses the jawbone aside and shouts out a fierce, prideful, poetic celebration of his victory. This includes a play on words in Hebrew, as the terms for “donkey” and “heap” are identical. The spot of this slaughter becomes known as “Jawbone Hill,” with the Hebrew name Ramath-lehi (Judges 15:16–17).

Samson was empowered by God’s Spirit but is neither invincible nor immortal. The intensity of the battle would have left him exhausted, battered, and dehydrated. In fact, Samson is now so thirsty he thinks he might die. For the first time, he is recorded praying—but what he says is more an accusation and a demand than a humble request. The Lord graciously provides water, however, and Samson is revived (Judges 15:18–19).

There’s more to Samson’s story. Most of his life is not described in any detail. His purpose was to begin breaking Israel free from the Philistines (Judges 13:5). He will not accomplish that freedom, but those who come after him will (1 Samuel 7:11–14) The Bible notes that he served in his unique role for twenty years (Judges 15:20).

Chapter Context
Judges 15 describes a cycle of retribution which continues to spiral from the events of the previous chapter. This results in a Philistine army attempting to capture and kill Samson. Instead, God empowers him to kill masses of the enemy with only a donkey’s jawbone. This furthers the Lord’s intent to disrupt Philistine control over Israel (Judges 13:5). It does not seem to alter Samson’s carnal nature, as his weakness for women continues in the following chapter.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. After some days, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife with a young goat. And he said, “I will go in to my wife in the chamber.” But her father would not allow him to go in.

Samson’s wedding and the other events of chapter 14 likely took place in the early springtime. The wedding feast ended with his bride’s betrayal of his secret (Judges 14:17–18). Samson may or may not have known that she did so after being threatened by the thirty Philistine wedding “companions.” They said they would kill her and her family if she did not get the answer to Samson’s unfair challenge (Judges 14:15).

After losing what he thought was a sure bet, Samson returned to his parents’ home in a hot fury. This was after brutalizing other Philistines to get the clothes he owed for payment (Judges 14:19). Despite this, he apparently still thought of himself as being married to his Philistine bride. It’s possible Samson’s marriage to the young woman followed a custom of the time in which the bride would continue to live in her father’s house for several months after the wedding. The groom would visit regularly, perhaps bringing a gift with him each time. However, Samson left in anger, and suddenly, which would explain why her father assumed she was being abandoned (Judges 14:20).

We’re not told how much time has passed, but the wheat harvest in this region usually occurred in May. Samson arrives and announces his intent to take advantage of his marital rights with the Philistine woman. Her father stops him, delivering the hard news to Samson in the following verse (Judges 15:2).

Context Summary
Judges 15:1–8 follows some unspecified time after the scandalous events of the previous chapter. After Samson stormed out of his wedding feast, the bride’s father gave her to someone else. Samson responds to this news by torching Philistine crops. They respond by burning his former bride and her father alive. Samson viciously retaliates, then hides. This leads to another confrontation between Israel and the Philistines.

Verse 2. And her father said, “I really thought that you utterly hated her, so I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister more beautiful than she? Please take her instead.”

One role of a father during this time was to negotiate advantageous marriages for the family. That included ensuring his daughter’s interests were protected as that marriage began. In some cases, it was common for a daughter to continue to live at home for several months after the wedding while moving preparations were made. The groom would visit periodically, and the family would hope to see the daughter become pregnant during this time.

Samson left from his own wedding feast in a horrific rage (Judges 14:16–19). He apparently did not communicate whether he would return. His wife had betrayed his trust, though it’s unclear if Samson knew she did so under threats to her life. In the aftermath of Samson’s departure, the woman’s father was in a tricky position. If Samson was not coming back, his daughter might soon become an abandoned woman, unworthy of marriage in the eyes of that society. To prevent her from suffering that fate, her father married her to one of the local men of Timnah (Judges 14:20). In fact, this man was one of the thirty who threatened to kill her and her family if she did not give them Samson’s secret (Judges 14:15). How soon he made this choice is not explained, but there was likely not much delay.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, Samson has returned. He believes he is still legally married to the woman and plans to sleep with his wife. Details of the story don’t make it clear if he had already consummated the marriage, or if that was meant to follow the seven day feast he’d abandoned. Her father explains that he thought Samson hated her after she betrayed him, so he gave Samson’s wife to someone else.

Hoping to quickly make things right with Samson and marry off another daughter, the father offers the bride’s younger sister to Samson as a wife. He claims the younger one is even more beautiful than her sister. Samson will not even respond to this offer.

Verse 3. And Samson said to them, “This time I shall be innocent in regard to the Philistines, when I do them harm.”

Samson’s would-be father-in-law explained that he gave away Samson’s bride to another man (Judges 15:1–2). That might not have been entirely legal; Samson wasn’t aware and seems not to have been repaid any bride-price which had been paid. Her father was not completely unreasonable, however. He assumed Samson had abandoned the woman, leaving her vulnerable and socially destitute (Judges 14:20). Now that Samson has returned, the man offers Samson his younger daughter. We’re not sure what reputation Samson had at this point, but it’s possible he was already known as a brawling, violent man (Judges 14:10–11).

Despite this attempt at making peace, Samson seems to immediately reject marrying the younger sister. All that matters is something he wanted has been denied (Judges 14:1–3). He believes he has been thoroughly mistreated. First his bride betrayed him by revealing his unfair secret (Judges 14:14–17). Then, her father swindled him by giving her to a rival after the wedding had already taken place.

Samson’s vengeful nature is demonstrated in the fact that he doesn’t merely explode in anger. Rather, he says something deeply ominous. After the first treachery, he took the time to travel to another city and kill thirty Philistines (Judges 14:19). The comment he makes here is doubly concerning. First, it suggests Samson felt his prior killing of Philistine men was unjust. Second, it suggests that he plans to bring mayhem once again.

When considering these events, it’s crucial to recall the Lord’s plan for Samson’s life. He has been set aside to “begin to save” Israel from Philistine oppressors (Judges 13:5). His volatile nature is meant to provoke a conflict which will eventually end in Israel’s rescue (Judges 14:4). That Samson seems motivated purely by revenge, not piety, doesn’t change that aspect of God’s plan. Now that Samson feels personally offended by the Philistine people, he is ready to cause destruction.

Verse 4. So Samson went and caught 300 foxes and took torches. And he turned them tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails.

The term “heroic” applies awkwardly to many figures in the book of Judges. Samson was designated to be one of Israel’s rescuers (Judges 13:5), though his role seems to be entirely as an agent of chaos (Judges 14:4). He has broken several of God’s restrictions for Nazirites (Judges 13:7), and defied God’s will for Israelites, in general (Judges 14:1–3; Deuteronomy 7:1–4). His immature, vengeful nature has already caused one major scandal (Judges 14:15–20); now it will escalate the situation into pure carnage.

His wager over an unfair riddle provoked anger and betrayal from thirty Philistine men of Timnah. Because of their death threats, this affected Samson’s own new bride. He left in a rage, but without indicating whether he would return, causing her father to give her to another man for the sake of her future. And yet, Samson seems convinced he is the real victim. From his perspective, he has been betrayed by his wife and by his father-in-law and even by the people of Timnah. He devises a plan to cause vast destruction as revenge for offending him. It is the time of the wheat harvest in this Philistine-controlled region (Judges 15:1–3). Samson decides to attack the Philistines where it will do the broadest damage.

Samson somehow rounds up several hundred animals. The Hebrew root word here is su’āl, and like most translated animal names, it is subject to interpretation. Most Bible versions use the traditional word “fox,” though some translate this as “jackals.” “Golden jackals” are pack animals which resemble a coyote or small wolf, are comfortable living in burrows near humans, and often gather in groups to scavenge from a carcass. That makes them an excellent fit for Samson’s plot.

It’s worth noting that Scripture only provides the barest details about these events. We’re not told explicitly that Samson caught and released all these animals at once, or even on the same day. Those particulars don’t matter to the point of the story. What matters is what he does with them: pairs are tied together at the tail, with a burning torch in between. When released, they panic and run—probably seeking their burrows near or in the middle of wheat fields, olive groves, and related areas. This ignites the fields, and Samson makes sure to also fire the harvested crops (Judges 15:5).

Lighting crops on fire is a common military tactic meant to terrorize and cast wide destruction on an enemy. Samson applies the technique using animals, probably so he can spread mayhem faster than he’d be able to do alone.

Verse 5. And when he had set fire to the torches, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines and set fire to the stacked grain and the standing grain, as well as the olive orchards.

God has raised Samson up as a judge (Judges 2:16–19) and deliverer in Israel. His mission in life is to begin to free Israel from Philistines oppression (Judges 13:5). That odd job description suggests how deeply subjugated Israel had become. Both sides have grown complacent. God’s people are not motivated to struggle against the Philistines for their freedom. Samson, too, has shown he would rather marry a Philistine wife than rid the Promised Land of her depraved people (Judges 14:1–3; Deuteronomy 7:1–4).

Rather than a typical military leader, the Lord has crafted an agent of chaos (Judges 14:4), who takes his feud with the Philistines very personally (Judges 15:3). God has used Samson’s perceived betrayal by the people of Timnah (Judges 14:17–20; 15:1–2) to spur an act of revenge. This vengeance takes a devastatingly clever form. Samson has trapped three hundred wild animals resembling small dogs or coyotes; varied translations call them “foxes” or “jackals.” These are released in pairs, tied together by the tail with a burning torch in between. Samson sets the animals loose into the wheat fields of the Philistines, which are ready for harvest.

The panicking creatures would instinctively run in an erratic pattern through the fields, attempting to separate from each other and escape the fire from behind. The field would very quickly be ablaze as the dry wheat caught and burst into flame. Setting crops on fire has long been used by aggressive armies in historical wars. Samson’s use of animals would have added additional chaos and speed to this act of arson. On top of whatever the animals are doing, he is seeing to it that olive groves and harvested grain are also ignited. This vicious, calculated assault will decimate the agricultural resources of the season for that entire region, leaving the people of Timnah with nothing.

Samson is bringing God’s judgment on the Philistines (Judges 13: 5; 14:4). In truth, Samson only cares that his enemies pay for what they have done to him (Judges 15:11).

Verse 6. Then the Philistines said, “Who has done this?” And they said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he has taken his wife and given her to his companion.” And the Philistines came up and burned her and her father with fire.

Scripture often warns against seeking revenge (Romans 12:19–21; Deuteronomy 32:35; Hebrews 10:30), leaving it instead to God. Among the practical reasons for this is escalation: retaliation inspires retaliation, each side claiming to “get even” while only continuing to add to the mayhem. Samson’s former wife was given to someone else when he seemingly abandoned her after the wedding feast (Judges 14:20; 15:1–2). In a rage, Samson set fire to the crops and harvests of Timnah (Judges 15:3–5).

Instead of attacking Samson, the Philistines seem to hold Samson’s father-in-law responsible. Whether he was right or wrong for giving Samson’s wife to someone else, the Philistine father wasn’t the one who destroyed crops. That makes no difference to the enraged men of the region: they burn Samson’s former wife and her father to death, probably along with everyone else in their household. It’s exactly what they threatened to do if she failed to uncover the secret Samson used in a wager (Judges 14:15–17). She complied then, betraying her new husband in the process. Now the fate she tried to avoid has happened, anyway, bringing a tragic end to her short life.

This verse identifies Samson’s father-in-law as “the Timnite,” suggesting that Samson’s conflict with the Philistines has moved beyond just Timnah to include the wider region, likely because several nearby communities felt the loss of so many crops.

Further proving the danger of feuds and revenge, Samson will respond in kind. He intends to seek further retribution on the Philistines (Judges 15:7). Whether he realizes it, or not, his actions will work exactly as God intends, shattering the Philistines’ relaxed control over Israel (Judges 13:5; 14:4).

Verse 7. And Samson said to them, “If this is what you do, I swear I will be avenged on you, and after that I will quit.”

The Philistines have burned Samson’s former bride and father-in-law to death in retaliation for his burning the crops around Timnah. It’s unclear why they thought this would hurt Samson or make him stop attacking the Philistines. An alternative possibility is that they believed that killing those who insulted him would appease Samson. Either way, their plan backfired completely. Samsons sees this as his enemy striking back, so he wants vengeance…again.

Now Samson apparently wants to avenge the deaths of his former family. He swears he will accomplish just that. He promises himself he will quit after one more counterstrike. Samson’s words resonate with anyone who has ever been caught up in a revenge cycle. One person attempts to “settle the score” by hurting another. That person strikes back to “make things even.” Of course, the first party now feels like one more strike is needed to balance the scales. Since neither side ever agrees that justice has been reached, the cycle never concludes easily. This is how petty offenses turn into feuds and insults lead to open war.

Despite Samson’s promise, the Lord does not want the cycle to end until the Philistines have been thoroughly defeated. Israel has been complacent under oppression, so God sends an agent of chaos (Judges 13:5; 14:4) to disrupt the grip of Philistia over Israel. Samson’s latest retaliation isn’t described in detail, other than to note its brutality (Judges 15:8).

Verse 8. And he struck them hip and thigh with a great blow, and he went down and stayed in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

Samson has sworn to avenge the cruel deaths of his former wife and father-in-law. This was the Philistine region’s revenge for when Samson burned the crops and harvests around their town. That, in turn, was Samson’s retaliation for his father-in-law giving his former bride to another man. Perhaps Samson felt some sense of connection to them. Or, more likely, he simply understood their deaths to be an attack against him which required a response. This typifies the natural cycle of revenge which Scripture warns we should avoid (Romans 12:19–21; Deuteronomy 32:35; Hebrews 10:30).

Regardless of the exact motives, Samson has naively decided this will be his last act of vengeance against the Philistines. The form this revenge takes is unclear. The text uses a Hebrew figure of speech implying total dominance, brutality, and fierce intent. Modern English expressions carrying a similar meaning might be “he went for the throat,” or “he kicked their teeth in,” or “he made mincemeat out of them.” The literal words are not as important as the effect they imply. Whatever Samson did to the Philistines, it was vicious and decisive. Given that he’d already torn a lion apart with his bare hands (Judges 14:6) and killed thirty Philistine men (Judges 14:19), this probably involved a considerable number of deaths.

Samson seems to know the Philistines will come after him this time. Following his “great blow” against them, he takes refuge at a specific place. This is labelled as “the cleft of the rock of Etam.” Most likely, this was a local landmark along a valley not far from Samson’s hometown of Zorah. As expected, the Philistines will mobilize to capture him, leading to even more escalation and further bloodshed (Judges 15:15).

Verse 9. Then the Philistines came up and encamped in Judah and made a raid on Lehi.

In a series of escalating acts of revenge, Samson has brutalized the Philistines in and around Timnah. They may or may not know that he killed thirty men in the fortified city of Ashkelon (Judges 14:19). They certainly know he burned the wheat crops and olive groves around the town of Timnah (Judges 15:5). They’ve experienced some unspecified, vicious retaliation since then (Judges 15:8).

Now the Philistine army has been called into action. That those sent are “encamped” implies a formal military operation. Their goal is to capture Samson and end him. They set up an army base in the territory of Judah near a place called Lehi. It’s unclear if Lehi was a specific a town at that time or if the name was given later. The word Lehi means “jawbone,” and a jawbone will feature heavily in what happens next (Judges 15:15).

Samson is hiding somewhere near the border between the territories of the tribes of Judah and Dan. It is the people of Judah, though, who find the Philistine army suddenly encamped to do battle against them.

Context Summary
Judges 15:9–20 describes the result of a Philistine incursion meant to capture Samson. The Israelites in Judah hand Samson over when he volunteers to have his hands tied with new rope. However, when he sees the Philistine forces, Samson is empowered by God’s Spirit. He snaps his restraints and attacks. Using only jawbone of a donkey, he slaughters the enemy troops and shouts out a clever poem about his victory. God then answers Samson’s plea for water.

Verse 10. And the men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” They said, “We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he did to us.”

Samson’s private war with the Philistines (Judges 15:5–8) has elevated to a conflict between the Philistines and Israel (Judges 15:9), or at least the people of Judah. Samson’s attacks were all motivated by personal vengeance. Yet the Lord intended to use Samson to spark conflict between the Philistines and Israel (Judges 13:5; 14:4). God plans to use Samson to shatter the Philistine’s comfortable oppression of Israel, whether anyone was asking for liberation or not.

The Philistine army has set up a base, preparing to attack the people of Judah near where Samson is known to be hiding. The men of Judah have no idea why this is happening. They had accepted that the Philistines were rulers over them. What reason could the Philistines have for attacking them now? When Judah’s men ask the Philistines this, they learn the truth. The army has come for one man, Samson. They want to catch him, tie him up, and do to him as he has done to them. In other words, they want to kill Samson in retribution for all he has done to their people.

Verse 11. Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so have I done to them.”

Judah sends a large contingent to the place where Samson is known to be hiding. This landmark is referred to as “the cleft of the rock of Etam.” In Hebrew, the same word can mean “thousands” or “divisions,” or “clans.” Judah either sent several thousand men, or several divisions of men, to meet Samson. Either would be outrageously more than would be needed to arrest any normal man. Apparently, Samson has become famous for his ferocious strength.

The men of Judah did not know why the Philistine army had been staged against them (Judges 15:9–10), but they did know the damage Samson could do. When the Philistines said they only wanted Samson and they would go, the people of Judah agreed to turn Samson over to them. Instead of seeing a chance to follow a deliverer into battle against their oppressors, the men of Judah sought only to keep the peace as subjects of the Philistines. This is the reason God chose such an unorthodox man to become a “judge (Judges 2:16–19): Israel and Philistia were both complacent, and God intended to disrupt that false peace (Judges 13:5; 14:4).

The Israelites ask Samson if he misunderstands the political reality of their time: The Philistines are in charge. It’s their country. They wonder why he’s brought wrath down on them. Samson’s response echoes any battle between young children: they started it. In fact, Samson claims that he’s only done to them what they did to him. This is a classic self-deception tied to revenge and retribution. More importantly, it’s not true. However, Samson’s self-destructive personal vendetta is the tool used by God to spark this conflict.

Verse 12. And they said to him, “We have come down to bind you, that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves.”

The men of Judah understood the threat from the Philistines. If they did not manage to capture Samson and hand him over, the Philistines would attack their people. This was a moment of decision: to kneel or stand before their oppressors. The men of Judah didn’t think twice. They would not fight. They would give Samson to the Philistines, and they tell him so: We have come to tie you up and hand you over (Judges 15:9–11).

Samson seems prepared to fight his own countrymen but doesn’t want to. He will agree to be tied up only if they promise not to harm him themselves. He makes them swear that once he is bound, they will not attack. Given that Samson likely has a reputation for mayhem (Judges 14:19; 15:5, 8), it makes sense that his fellow Israelites would want to avoid fighting him.

Verse 13. They said to him, “No; we will only bind you and give you into their hands. We will surely not kill you.” So they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.

Samson is in hiding from the Philistines (Judges 15:8). He knows they will be coming for him after what he has done to their people. Not only has he destroyed crops and killed men (Judges 14:19; 15:5), but Samson is also an Israelite. A rebellious member of a conquered nation cannot go unpunished. They have come to even the score with him once and for all (Judges 15:9–12).

To accomplish this, Philistine soldiers have threatened to attack the people of Judah if they don’t give Samson to them (Judges 15:9–10). A huge group of Israelite men have come to tie Samson up and present him as a captive for the Philistines. They have no interest in going to battle to save Samson, or to free their nation. Samson has agreed to be tied up only if the men of Judah swear not to harm him (Judges 15:11–12).

The men of Judah agree. They promise not to kill Samson. They will hand him over to the Philistines alive and unhurt. Samson allows them to tie him tightly with new ropes. The writer of Judges wants it understood that this was no trick. Samson wasn’t tied with old, frayed, brittle ropes. They didn’t use ropes Samson provided. The men of Judah weren’t helping him by tying him loosely. He was securely bound, using the strongest available method.

Verse 14. When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands.

The men of Judah have negotiated a surrender, of sorts, from Samson (Judges 15:9–13). After agreeing not to attack him, they tied his hands with brand new, strong ropes. They have brought him up from his hideout to the place called Lehi. There, the Philistine army is waiting to take him into custody. After his arrest, he will presumably be killed in retribution for his attacks on their people (Judges 15:5, 8). The Philistines are so eager to get their hands on Samson that they approach him with shouts. These might be taunts, cries of victory, or simple intimidation.

Once again, though, the Spirit of the Lord empowers Samson. This has happened before, once when Samson was attacked by a lion (Judges 14:5–6) and again when he attacked and killed thirty Philistines in the fortified city of Ashkelon (Judges 14:19). Each time, God gave Samson ferocious physical power. The first sign of this empowerment is the ease with which Samson snaps the new ropes arounds his hands. They “melt” off like charred threads. Instead of meekly submitting to his hated enemies, Samson apparently charges forward, grabbing the nearest improvised weapon and attacking (Judges 15:15).

Verse 15. And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men.

Samson has been brought, bound in new ropes, to be handed over to a Philistine army tasked with killing him. The Lord has been using Samson as an agent of disruption against Philistine rule (Judges 13:5; 14:4; 15:5, 8). Samson is motivated by revenge. He certainly wants to kill his hated enemies. The Lord’s Spirit rushes on Samson, giving him the power to do exactly that (Judges 15:13–14).

In the instant after Samson tears the ropes from his arms, he is unarmed. On the ground nearby is the jawbone of a recently deceased donkey. That the bone was relatively fresh meant it was not brittle, still heavy, and would not easily break. A donkey’s jawbone is about the length of a person’s forearm, made of two J-shaped segments, right and left. These are joined at the end of the straight segment, while the thicker, curved side is at the hinge of the donkey’s jaw. Most likely, Samson picked one of these halves; perhaps breaking it free from the carcass as he charged the Philistine army. This would produce a weapon roughly the same shape and size as a hand-axe or hatchet. It may have still contained the donkey’s teeth.

In front of Samson are a considerable number of Philistines. In Hebrew, the term for “thousands” is the same as the word used for “divisions” and “clans.” Context is needed to know whether it’s a number or a noun. In some cases, both are possible. Samson might have killed a tally of one thousand men. Or he may have “only” wiped out the entire contingent of Philistine soldiers, likely between two and three hundred fully equipped troops. Either feat is beyond impressive; it would be miraculous.

No matter how strong, no mortal man could expect to kill multiple hundreds of enemies in hand-to-hand combat. Even with sophisticated weapons, it would verge on physically impossible. Yet Samson is armed with an extremely crude bone club. Further, one would expect Samson’s opponents to scatter once they realized what was happening. If Samson killed a literal “thousand” men, they would have been the unlucky ones who couldn’t outrun their companions.

The astonishing victory is meant to be understood as a supernatural work of God, through Samson. That’s not to say it was easy: Samson will exit the fight so physically drained that he thinks he is going to die (Judges 15:18). His strength lasts long enough for a poetic, taunting shout of triumph, fitting for someone with Samson’s vengeful spirit (Judges 15:16).

Verse 16. And Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey,heaps upon heaps,with the jawbone of a donkeyhave I struck down a thousand men.”

Despite being anointed before birth as a judge of Israel (Judges 13:5), Samson has thus far been motivated by lust (Judges 14:1–3) and revenge (Judges 15:11). His triumphant shout—like the last gasp of an athlete finishing a tremendous feat—makes no mention of the Lord. Later, Samson will suggest that he does, in fact, realize his purpose. For now, he expresses ferocity and pride.

In his latest skirmish, Samson experienced another surge of power through God’s Spirit (Judges 15:13–15). Easily breaking his bonds, Samson slaughtered multiple hundreds of Philistine soldiers who’d been sent to kill him. That was accomplished with the jawbone of a donkey—a crude, small club. He’s still holding that weapon as he declares these words. One can only imagine the level of carnage this event must have entailed; the words Samson uses here are not only poetic and clever, but they also imply a truly gruesome scene.

Earlier, Samson invented a cryptic phrase about his encounter with a lion (Judges 14:6, 14). That was used as a trick question, until his new Philistine bride betrayed his trust. To that betrayal, as well, Samson responded with a clever turn of phrase (Judges 14:18). His taunting, boasting words lose their poetry when translated from the original Hebrew. The letters which spell out the root word hamor can be interpreted to mean “donkey,” or “heap.” In some cases, the term refers to armies.

At the very least, Samson is making a pun about using a donkey’s jaw to pile up defeated enemies. His words would have sounded like saying “I made donkeys/heaps out of them!” This may also literally describe the aftermath of his attack: enemies who fell so fast they landed on top of each other in piles. Or, that the slain enemies would have to be piled up to be disposed of. A more obscure translation would be a boast that he “slew two armies.”

Verse 17. As soon as he had finished speaking, he threw away the jawbone out of his hand. And that place was called Ramath-lehi.

Empowered by the Spirit of the Lord, Samson has slaughtered a massive number of Philistines. Unarmed when the battle started, he tore the jawbone from a donkey’s carcass. That was his only weapon, yet the battle ends with literal heaps of enemy corpses and Samson still alive (Judges 15:14–16). Samson has already spoken a poem about his victory. Now he tosses the jawbone aside. The significance of this event inspires the name Ramath-lehi, literally meaning “the hill of the jawbone.” The prior reference to the Philistine army approaching “Levi” may have been a reference to that later name (Judges 15:9, 14). Samson’s utter annihilation of the enemy using a small bone club results in the location being called “Jawbone Hill,” or something similar.

Neither Samson’s poem nor his initial reaction to the victory acknowledge that God has accomplished this feat through him. Samson doesn’t seem prepared to share glory in the moment, even with the true source of the victory. As the frenzy of battle wears off, however, Samson seems to experience two things: a moment of clarity and the limitations of his own body (Judges 15:18–19).

Verse 18. And he was very thirsty, and he called upon the Lord and said, “You have granted this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?”

For the first time in this story, Samson is recorded acknowledging the role of God in his life. Even so, it comes in the form of a backhanded demand. Supernaturally empowered by the Lord, Samson has utterly obliterated the Philistine army sent to kill him. Armed only with a donkey’s jawbone, he has piled up the corpses of his enemies (Judges 15:14–16). How long this took to accomplish, Scripture does not say. Once it is over, and Samson cries out a clever, poetic boast (Judges 15:17). Then the limits of his physical body seem to catch up to him.

Athletes in combat sports often endure long, grueling contests before finally attaining victory. It’s common, in those moments, for the victor to celebrate wildly, only to collapse seconds later in utter exhaustion. Samson has not merely been in a fight; he’s killed an entire army’s worth of enemy soldiers. Likely out of breath, dehydrated, exhausted, and battered, he cries out to God for relief. The most pressing feeling is that of thirst—so intense Samson thinks he might die.

This prayer begins by acknowledging that the Lord granted his miraculous rescue. Rather than being taken in and killed, he has instead killed the troops sent against him. And yet, the request comes in the form of an accusing question: after all that, are you going to let me die of thirst, so the Philistines can find my corpse? Even when praying, Samson demonstrates his selfish, abrasive nature (Judges 14:1–4).

There’s a strange irony in Samson’s mention of uncleanness, regarding the uncircumcised Philistines. As far as Scripture has recorded, Samson has shown little concern for ceremonial uncleanness thus far. He ignored his parents’ objection to marrying a woman from these same “uncircumcised” people (Judges 14:1–4). He ate honey from an animal carcass (Judges 14:8–9). His interest in ritual purity seems extremely fickle.

The Lord will not rebuke Samson, yet. He has used Samson to accomplish His purpose of creating war between Israel and the Philistines (Judges 13:5). And it seems He has more work for Samson to do.

Verse 19. And God split open the hollow place that is at Lehi, and water came out from it. And when he drank, his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore the name of it was called En-hakkore; it is at Lehi to this day.

That Samson did not die in this incident is truly miraculous. Empowered by God’s Spirit, he wiped out an entire Philistine army with nothing more than the jawbone of a donkey. It’s not surprising that he’d be intensely thirsty after such an ordeal—so much so that he thought he’d die. That led to Samson’s first recorded prayer, though it was demanding and accusatory towards God (Judges 15:14–18). That said, Samson at least gave the Lord credit for the victory and humbled himself just enough to make the request.

The Lord responds to Samson’s request immediately. He splits open a nearby rock, which gushes water. Samson drinks and is revived. God graciously gives Samson what he asks, despite Samson’s pride and selfishness.

The new spring is later called “En-hakkore,” which literally means “the spring of him who called.” The Bible does not explicitly say if Samson decided on this name. His initial celebration of victory was self-centered, so it wouldn’t be shocking to know he’d named the location of this miracle after himself. Those in Israel reading this book closer to the time of Samson would likely have known about the spring at the place called Lehi. The term Lehi, itself, means “jawbone,” likely a name given because of the events of this chapter.

Verse 20. And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

The writer of Judges ends both this section and the following section about Samson’s life by saying that he judged (Judges 2:16–19) for twenty years during the era of the Philistines. Despite selfishness, lust, and arrogance, Samson was God’s instrument during this time in Israel’s history. The Lord’s purpose for him was to be an agent of disruption, shattering the Philistine’s sense of comfortable control over Israel (Judges 14:4). Each “judge” of Israel had a different type of service, and Scripture doesn’t hint at what Samson did during his tenure, other than the events explicitly recorded.

Samson’s term as a judge did not end with Israel’s freedom from oppression under the Philistines. His role was only to “begin” that process (Judges 13:5). During this time, approximately 1069–1049 BC, Israel grew stronger, but did not break out from under their enemies. Those who came later—such as the judge and prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 7:11–14)—would finish the job.

The following chapter shows that Samson never overcame his moral failures. Whatever he learned from his vendetta against the Philistines didn’t dampen his weakness for women, or make him more resistant to their manipulations. This makes him one of the most frustratingly complicated figures in the entire Bible. There is no doubt his life was marred by sin and stupid decisions, yet there is likewise no doubt that he served to further God’s will in that moment.

End of Judges 15

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