Judges 14 6

Judges 14:6 kjv

And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

Judges 14:6 nkjv

And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

Judges 14:6 niv

The Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done.

Judges 14:6 esv

Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

Judges 14:6 nlt

At that moment the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion's jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat. But he didn't tell his father or mother about it.

Judges 14 verses

Judges 14 6 Meaning

Judges 14:6 vividly portrays Samson's supernatural empowerment by the Spirit of the Lord. The verse describes him, unarmed, tearing a powerful lion apart with the same ease one might dismantle a young goat. This act demonstrates immense, God-given physical strength for a specific purpose. It also introduces Samson's tendency towards secrecy regarding his extraordinary feats.

Judges 14 6 Context

Judges 14 opens a key phase in the narrative of Samson, one of Israel's judges during a period of cycles of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance. At this time, the Philistines oppressed Israel. Samson, a Nazirite consecrated to the Lord from birth, was destined to "begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines" (Judg 13:5). Despite his divine calling, Samson demonstrates a self-willed nature, desiring a Philistine woman as his wife, much to the dismay of his parents who adhere to Mosaic Law forbidding intermarriage with foreign nations. The journey mentioned in Judges 14:5-6 is Samson's first encounter with the Philistine territory with his parents. The miraculous act of killing the lion, however, occurs independent of his parents' presence, marking an early display of the immense power granted to him, and a hint of his solitary and often secretive operations. The entire chapter highlights the tension between God's sovereign plan working through a flawed instrument (Samson) and Samson's personal, often impulsive, choices that set in motion events that would eventually confront the Philistines.

Judges 14 6 Word analysis

• Then (וַיֵּרֶד֙ - Vayeired): Signifies a sequence of events. Following Samson's interaction and his desire for the Philistine woman, this immediate action sets the stage for God's demonstration of power.
• the Spirit of the Lord (רוּחַ יְהוָה֙ - Ruach YHWH): Refers to the divine, active presence and power of God. This is the ultimate source of Samson's extraordinary strength, differentiating it from any natural ability. It denotes specific empowerment for God's purposes.
• rushed upon (וַתִּצְלַ֨ח עָלָיו֙ - vat·tiṣ·laḥ ‘ā·lāw): The Hebrew verb tsalakh implies a forceful, sudden, overwhelming, and conquering empowerment. It's not a gentle anointing but an overpowering surge of divine energy that seizes and enables. Significance: This power is dynamic, not inherent to Samson.
• him (עָלָיו֙ - ‘alaw): Refers to Samson. The power is given specifically to him for this singular event.
• and although he had nothing in his hand (וְאֵין֙ מְאוּמָ֣ה בְיָד֔וֹ - wə·’ên mə·’u·māh bə·yā·ḏōw): This phrase emphasizes Samson's total lack of a weapon or any natural advantage.
  • nothing (מְאוּמָ֣ה - me'umah): Conveys utter emptiness; absolutely no instrument. Significance: This highlights that the strength was entirely from God, making the miracle undeniable and ruling out any human assistance or conventional means.
  • in his hand (בְיָד֔וֹ - b'yado): Specifies that no weapon was available for him to use.
• he tore the lion in pieces (וַיְשַׁסְּעֵ֙הוּ֙ - vay·šaṣ·šə‘ê·hū): Describes a violent, complete destruction.
  • tore (וַיְשַׁסְּעֵ֙הוּ֙ - vay·šaṣ·šə‘ê·hū): From the verb shasa, meaning to tear, rend, split. The action implies brutal force and effectiveness.
  • lion (אֲרִֽי־כְּפִ֥יר - ari-kephir): A young lion (k'fir), potentially more aggressive and dangerous than an older one. A formidable predator. Significance: Overcoming such a beast with bare hands is clearly a supernatural act, asserting God's power over dangerous nature.
• as one tears a young goat (כְּשַׁסַּע֙ גְּדִ֣י עִזִּ֔ים - kə·šaṣ·ṣa‘ gə·ḏî ‘iz·zîm): This powerful simile conveys the ease and effortlessness with which Samson achieved this seemingly impossible feat, due to the divine empowerment.
  • young goat (גְּדִ֣י עִזִּ֔ים - g'di izzim): A common, relatively small, and easily handled domestic animal, suggesting the total lack of challenge for Samson, given his divinely-infused strength.
• and he told not (וְלֹא הִגִּ֥יד - w'lo higgid): Indicates Samson's secrecy. From nagad, "to tell, announce."
  • his father or his mother (לְאָבִ֖יו וּלְאִמּֽוֹ - l'aviv ule'immo): Refers to his righteous, concerned parents. Significance: This secrecy might stem from his self-reliance, a sense of privacy about his unique power, or an early indication of his sometimes disobedient character that operates outside familial counsel and societal norms, foreshadowing later problematic decisions.
• what he had done (אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָֽׂה - et asher-asah): The full scope of his action.

Judges 14 6 Bonus section

• Nazirite Context and Purity: While Samson, empowered by the Spirit, touched the lion's carcass, the primary violation of the Nazirite vow (touching a dead body and subsequent defilement requiring ritual purification and seven days of uncleanliness followed by sacrifices) actually comes later when he returns to eat honey from the carcass (Judg 14:8-9). Here, in verse 6, the divine enablement is instantaneous and purposeful for a fight for survival, which is distinct from a voluntary violation. God empowered him in the moment of confrontation, and the resulting dead body was part of the divine intervention.
• Irony of Samson's Weakness: This early demonstration of Samson's extraordinary power stands in stark contrast to his later vulnerabilities, particularly his attraction to forbidden women and his susceptibility to deceit, highlighting how divine strength can coexist with significant personal weaknesses and poor choices.
• Foreshadowing of Conflict: This lone, powerful act against a predatory beast foreshadows Samson's future role as a singular force against the oppressive "lions" of the Philistines.
• Unconventional Deliverance: Unlike most judges who lead armies or orchestrate military strategies, Samson's method of deliverance is individual and based on raw, Spirit-empowered physical strength, making him unique in the Judges narrative.

Judges 14 6 Commentary

Judges 14:6 stands as a monumental display of God's direct, intervening power through His Spirit. This singular act of strength by Samson is entirely a miracle, serving to demonstrate that the deliverer for Israel would operate not by human might or conventional means, but by divine endowment. The violent empowerment, symbolized by the Spirit "rushing upon" him, enables an impossible feat, transforming Samson from a typical man into an instrument of God's will against the dominant Philistines. The vivid simile of tearing a lion "as one tears a young goat" accentuates the overwhelming ease of the divine power at work, showcasing God's sovereignty over natural dangers. Samson's choice to keep this feat a secret from his parents, however, hints at deeper character traits: a burgeoning independence, a solitary nature regarding his miraculous strength, and possibly a prelude to his later disregard for traditional boundaries, which would often lead him into compromising situations, despite still being used by God for His purposes.