Judges 15 1

Judges 15:1 kjv

But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

Judges 15:1 nkjv

After a while, in the time of wheat harvest, it happened that Samson visited his wife with a young goat. And he said, "Let me go in to my wife, into her room." But her father would not permit him to go in.

Judges 15:1 niv

Later on, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. He said, "I'm going to my wife's room." But her father would not let him go in.

Judges 15:1 esv

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.

Judges 15:1 nlt

Later on, during the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat as a present to his wife. He said, "I'm going into my wife's room to sleep with her," but her father wouldn't let him in.

Judges 15 verses

Judges 15 1 Meaning

Judges 15:1 describes Samson's deliberate return, after a period of time, to visit his Philistine wife in Timnah. His intent was to reclaim his marital rights, signaled by bringing a kid as a customary peace offering. However, his father-in-law firmly denied him access to his wife's inner chamber, confirming that the wife had been given to another, and thereby escalating the conflict between Samson and the Philistines.

Judges 15 1 Context

Judges chapter 15, verse 1 immediately follows the tumultuous events of Judges chapter 14. Samson's initial encounter with the Philistines through his ill-fated marriage to a woman from Timnah set a chain of conflicts in motion. In Chapter 14, Samson proposed a riddle at his wedding feast, which his Philistine wife, pressured and threatened by her own people, extracted from him by manipulative means. Samson, filled with the Spirit of the Lord, then slew thirty Philistine men in Ashkelon to pay off the riddle debt. Enraged by his wife's betrayal and his in-laws' deceit, he abandoned his wife and returned to his father's house. While Samson was away, her father gave Samson's wife to Samson's companion, further violating the marital bond and insulting Samson's honor.

The historical context is critical: Israel was under Philistine oppression. Samson's seemingly personal struggles were interwoven with God's divine plan to begin delivering Israel from the Philistines (Judges 13:5, 14:4). The timing "in the time of wheat harvest" is significant, as it was a period of great economic importance for the agrarian Philistine society, ripe for potential retribution. Samson's attempt to reconcile and reclaim his wife with a gift shows a diplomatic initial approach, contrasting with his prior bursts of violence. The father's categorical refusal is a direct challenge to Samson's marital rights and honor, confirming the Philistine's treachery and their utter disregard for covenant, directly inciting the next round of Samson's destructive actions.

Judges 15 1 Word analysis

• But it came to pass (וַיְהִי, wayehî): A very common Hebrew phrase, "And it was" or "And it happened." It introduces a sequence of events, providing narrative continuity.
• within a while after (מִיָּמִים, miyāmîm): Literally "from days," or "after days." This indicates a passage of time, but not necessarily a prolonged period. It suggests weeks or a few months, allowing for Samson's initial anger to cool and for the Philistine father to make his decisive (and ultimately provocative) decision regarding Samson's wife. It suggests that Samson returned when he felt ready to address the matter.
• in the time of wheat harvest (בִּימֵי קְצִיר חִטִּים, bîmê qeṣîr ḥiṭṭîm): Refers to the season, typically late spring or early summer (May-June). This period was economically vital for the Philistines as an agrarian society, dependent on their crops. It was also the time of the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), a religious festival for Israelites involving offering the first fruits of the harvest (Lev 23:9-14). The specific timing sets the stage for the dramatic and destructive events that immediately follow (burning the fields).
• that Samson (שִׁמְשׁוֹן, Shimšōn): The legendary strongman of Israel, consecrated as a Nazirite, chosen by God to begin Israel's deliverance from the Philistines. His personal story is inextricably linked to the larger national conflict.
• visited (וַיִּפְקֹד, wayyipqōḏ): From the Hebrew root paqaḏ, meaning "to visit, inspect, attend to, appoint, take account of." Here, it signifies more than a casual drop-in; it suggests a purposeful and perhaps formal visit to assert his marital rights and resolve the dispute. It conveys an intentional action to address the situation.
• his wife (אִשְׁתּוֹ, ’išttô): Emphasizes Samson's perception: she was still his wife, legally and customarily. He sought to exercise his conjugal rights and reclaim his possession despite the prior separation and her father's actions. The marriage was seen as still valid from his perspective.
• with a kid (בִּגְדִי עִזִּים, bigdî ‘izzîm): Literally "with a young goat" or "kid of the goats." Bringing an animal was a common custom in the ancient Near East as a gift of propitiation or an offering of peace, meant to ease tensions and show good intent. This demonstrates Samson's initial attempt at diplomacy and reconciliation, hoping to re-establish harmony rather than resort immediately to force.
• and he said (וַיֹּאמֶר, wayyōʼmer): His direct verbal declaration of intent.
• I will go in (אֵלְכָה, ’ēleḵâ): A strong volitional expression, indicating his determined desire to enter.
• to my wife into the chamber (אֶל־אִשְׁתִּי הַחֶדְרָה, ’el-’išttî haḥedrâ): The word "chamber" (חֶדֶר, ḥeder) refers to a private, inner room, often the bridal chamber, implying an intent to resume conjugal relations and re-establish intimacy. This highlights the private nature of the affront.
• But her father (וְלֹא־נְתָנוֹ אָבִיהָ, wəlō’-nətanô ’āḇîhā): "But her father did not give him/permit him." This marks the definitive turning point of the verse.
• would not suffer him to go in (לָבוֹא, lāvô): A direct and absolute refusal. The father-in-law's decision directly undermines Samson's status as a husband, disallowing him access not just to the specific room but effectively denying his marital claim and dishonoring him in the strongest terms. This is a significant breach of social custom and justice, immediately triggering Samson's subsequent actions.

Words-group analysis

• "Samson visited his wife with a kid": This phrase describes Samson's deliberate, well-considered approach to resolve the previous marital dispute. The act of bringing a kid signifies a culturally appropriate gesture of reconciliation and propitiation, demonstrating Samson's initial intent to secure his rights peaceably, making the father's rejection even more egregious.
• "I will go in to my wife into the chamber": This is Samson's clear statement of intent, asserting his marital privilege and the expectation of resuming his spousal duties and relationship. The specific mention of "the chamber" emphasizes the intimate and private nature of the right he was asserting, highlighting the personal violation of its denial.
• "But her father would not suffer him to go in": This pivotal statement signifies the total rejection of Samson's legitimate claim and conciliatory gesture. It represents a flagrant act of betrayal and disrespect from the Philistine side, denying Samson his marital rights, dishonoring him publicly, and directly leading to Samson's retaliation.

Judges 15 1 Bonus section

• This verse directly sets up the subsequent retaliatory act in Judges 15:2-5, where Samson burns the Philistine fields, vines, and olives. The specific timing during "wheat harvest" connects Samson's personal affront directly to the economic devastation of the Philistines, a fitting "eye for an eye" where the denial of his domestic harvest leads to the destruction of theirs.
• The father-in-law's actions reflect the Philistines' general disregard for Israelite rights and customs, treating Samson's wife as chattel to be re-assigned rather than recognizing a sacred marital bond. His justification given in the next verse (Jdg 15:2) – "I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her" – reveals his assumption and willingness to give her to another, prioritizing expediency over marital covenant.
• Samson, despite his flawed character, often acts as God's instrument against Philistine oppression. His attempt at a peaceful resolution underscores that his subsequent violence, while perhaps driven by anger, was a response to profound injustice and facilitated by divine purpose.

Judges 15 1 Commentary

Judges 15:1 serves as a critical bridge, intensifying the long-brewing conflict between Samson and the Philistines. Samson's measured approach – waiting for some time to pass and then attempting reconciliation with a customary gift (the kid) – demonstrates an initial desire to restore his marriage and honor peaceably. However, the Philistine father's blunt refusal to allow Samson access to his own wife's "chamber" was a profound insult, a public affront to Samson's marital rights, and a final, undeniable confirmation of Philistine treachery. The timing "in the time of wheat harvest" is not arbitrary; it starkly contrasts the expected season of blessing and bounty with the impending destruction and judgment. The Philistine's unjust action, by breaking social and marital covenants, inadvertently became the divinely ordained catalyst for Samson to escalate his mission of judging Israel’s oppressors. This verse illustrates that even personal grievances and betrayals are used by God's providence (Judg 14:4) to accomplish His larger redemptive plan, specifically to "find an occasion against the Philistines."