Judges 14 19

Judges 14:19 kjv

And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

Judges 14:19 nkjv

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. So his anger was aroused, and he went back up to his father's house.

Judges 14:19 niv

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.

Judges 14:19 esv

And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father's house.

Judges 14:19 nlt

Then the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. He went down to the town of Ashkelon, killed thirty men, took their belongings, and gave their clothing to the men who had solved his riddle. But Samson was furious about what had happened, and he went back home to live with his father and mother.

Judges 14 verses

Judges 14 19 Meaning

Judges 14:19 describes how the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, enabling him to go to the Philistine city of Ashkelon. There, he single-handedly struck down thirty men, took their garments as spoils, and returned to pay the thirty changes of clothing he owed as a wager for his riddle. His act was fueled by intense anger following his Philistine wife's betrayal and his in-laws' deceit, after which he departed for his father's house.

Judges 14 19 Context

This verse is pivotal in the Samson narrative within Judges chapter 14. Samson has recently taken a Philistine woman as his wife against his parents' wishes (but in alignment with God's hidden purpose to confront the Philistines). At his wedding feast, Samson proposes a riddle to thirty Philistine companions, betting thirty changes of clothing. When the companions cannot solve it, they pressure Samson's wife to betray him and extract the answer. She tearfully complies, revealing the riddle's solution to them. Exposed and angry at this treachery ("If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle"), Samson finds himself indebted. The Philistines' aggressive presence in Israel and Samson's personal experiences with their deceit and oppression culminate in this event. God is using Samson's human flaws, desires, and rage, combined with divine enablement, to instigate conflict and begin to deliver Israel from Philistine oppression.

Word Analysis

• And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him:

  • Hebrew: וַתִּצְלַח עָלָיו רוּחַ יְהוָה (vay-tatz-lakh a-lav ru-ach YHWH).
  • צָלַח (tsalach) means "to rush upon," "to be successful," or "to empower." Here, it signifies a sudden, overwhelming empowerment for a specific purpose.
  • רוּחַ יְהוָה (ruach YHWH) is the "Spirit of Yahweh." In the Old Testament, the Spirit of the LORD often "comes upon" individuals like judges, kings, or prophets, endowing them with extraordinary ability (strength, wisdom, leadership) for a particular task of deliverance or service, often temporary and not necessarily indicative of personal godliness.
  • Significance: This emphasizes divine initiative and power behind Samson's actions, even if Samson's personal motivation was mixed. It shows God working through imperfect instruments.

• and he went down to Ashkelon:

  • Ashkelon was one of the five major Philistine cities, a fortified coastal hub and a stronghold of their power and culture.
  • "Went down" (וַיֵּרֶד - vay-ye-red) indicates a geographical descent, as cities in the coastal plain were typically lower than the Israelite hill country, but it also carries a sense of Samson moving into enemy territory and confrontation.

• and struck thirty men of them:

  • Hebrew: וַיַּךְ מֵהֶם שְׁלֹשִׁים אִישׁ (vay-yach me-hem sh-lo-shim ish).
  • "Struck" (וַיַּךְ - vay-yach, from נָכָה - nakah) is a strong verb indicating a lethal blow, implying killing.
  • "Thirty men": A significant number, highlighting Samson's incredible strength enabled by the Spirit. This was not a pre-planned military operation but an opportunistic and targeted act.

• and took their spoil:

  • Hebrew: וַיִּקַּח אֶת-חֲלִיצוֹתָם (vay-yiq-qach et-cha-li-tzo-tam).
  • חֲלִיצוֹתָם (chaliytzotam) refers to "armor," "outfits," or "garments of special value." Here, it directly signifies valuable articles stripped from the vanquished. This was a common practice of warfare and a sign of victory.
  • Significance: This was the practical means to acquire the necessary payment, showcasing Samson's ruthlessness and efficiency in fulfilling his debt.

• and gave the changes of clothing to those who had posed the riddle:

  • Hebrew: וַיִּתֵּן אֶת-הַחֲלִיפוֹת לְמַגִּידֵי הַחִידָה (vay-yi-ten et-ha-cha-li-fot l-mag-gi-de ha-chi-da).
  • הַחֲלִיפוֹת (hachaliyfôth) means "changes of garments" or "festal robes," implying luxurious attire, fit for exchange in a wager of this nature. This indicates the high value of the wager.
  • Significance: Samson honorably fulfills the letter of the agreement, even though it was obtained through an act of violent revenge. This showcases the cultural importance of debts and wagers.

• And his anger burned:

  • Hebrew: וַיִּחַר אַפּוֹ (vay-yi-char ap-po), literally "his nose/face grew hot."
  • This phrase emphasizes Samson's deep personal rage as the immediate driving force for his actions. It underscores the human element and personal revenge intermingling with divine empowerment.

• and he went up to his father's house:

  • Signifies Samson's temporary withdrawal from the Philistine environment, marking the immediate cessation of conflict related to the wedding feast but setting the stage for future confrontations as his marriage dissolves. "Went up" indicates the return to the higher Israelite territory from the coastal plain.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men... and took their spoil": This sequence reveals God's enablement for Samson's judgment of the Philistines. Samson's violence, while extreme, is directly linked to divine empowerment, highlighting that God used extraordinary means to initiate confrontation with Israel's oppressors. It's a display of divinely enabled power for the purpose of justice against an enemy, even if carried out with Samson's personal motivations.
  • "gave the changes of clothing to those who had posed the riddle. And his anger burned": This juxtaposition highlights Samson's complex motivations. He honors the debt, upholding the external societal obligation, but internally his anger remains unquenched. This personal rage is a key element of his character, which God uses.

Judges 14 19 Commentary

Judges 14:19 vividly illustrates the complex nature of Samson, a judge used by God despite his glaring flaws. The Spirit of the Lord empowers Samson, not because of his righteousness, but for God's larger purpose of beginning to deliver Israel from Philistine oppression. This divine enablement is seen in his extraordinary strength used to slay thirty Philistines. However, Samson's personal motivations are deeply intertwined with his actions; his fury, born from his wife's betrayal and the Philistines' deceit, directly fuels his response. This is not a morally prescriptive act, but a descriptive account of God's sovereign hand using a passionate and flawed man for His divine agenda. The scene underscores the severe consequences of broken agreements, Samson's ruthless efficiency in fulfilling the material debt (even by violent means), and the deep-seated animosity between Israel and the Philistines.

Bonus Section

• The nature of "judges" in ancient Israel, as exemplified by Samson, often involved a unique blend of charismatic military leadership and extraordinary divine endowment, rather than strictly judicial roles as understood today. Their primary function was deliverance.
• The Philistines' practice of leveraging Samson's wife and familial relationships to gain an advantage (in this case, the riddle's solution) showcases their cunning and disregard for individual honor within a competitive, antagonistic context. This deceit further fueled Samson's violent retaliation.
• The fact that Samson needed to go to Ashkelon, one of the primary Philistine strongholds, indicates a daring act of aggression and underscores his isolated position and unique method of operation, often acting alone rather than mobilizing Israelite armies.