How faithfulness may be eroded (Judg 14:10-18)

A fellow student I knew in the UK had a father who was the stereotypical Indian immigrant with his corner dairy and ambition to make a better life for his children. His daughter wanted to break out of the cultural enclave and endured bitter criticism from her parents who were disappointed that she wanted to blend in with the dominant culture and find friends and a boyfriend outside the Indian community. She managed to get accepted in her British context to the point that her friends sometimes forgot her background and unthinkingly poked fun at Indian attitudes. Although she criticised her parents often enough, she was hurt by the comments and wanted to stand up for her Indian heritage.

Acting like a Philistine

I am reminded of this tangle of loyalties when I read of Samson’s marriage. On the one hand, Samson follows Philistine custom as he arranges the wedding feast himself (Judg 14:10). His family disappears from view and he accepts Philistine companions for the wedding (Judg 14:11), though the high number may signal that Samson is not entirely trusted. Given his careless attitude earlier (Judg 14:8-9), he probably joins in the drinking of wine during the festivities. If so, he is eroding the edges of his Nazirite commitment even if he is not crossing the major line of shaving off his hair. Samson marries into a Philistine clan and, to a large extent, acts like a Philistine.

Loyalty to his own people

On the other hand, it is hard to imagine that he does not feel somewhat superior given his Nazirite status and his supernatural strength from the Lord (Judg 14:6),[1] despite being a member of subjugated Israel under Philistine domination (Judg 13:1). He no doubt absorbed something of his parents’ perspective as well, who called their oppressors those ‘uncircumcised Philistines’ (cf. Judg 14:3; 15:18). It is in keeping with this background and his emotional immaturity that he proposes an unsolvable riddle with an enormous prize attached (Judg 14:12-13). Thirty changes of clothing are a considerable fortune; compare the ten garments given to the king in 2 Kings 5:5 and the accusation of the Philistines against the bride’s family that they want to impoverish – lit. ‘dispossess’ – their kin (Judg 14:15). Since Samson is sure to win, it is equally sure that he will humiliate his hosts beyond bearing.

Despite marrying into a Philistine clan and giving in to some of their custom, Samson considers it self-evident that his loyalties are not with the Philistines or his wife but with his Israelite family (Judg 14:16). The reasoning rings false to our ears given Samson’s treatment of his parents, but it is in keeping with the man who thinks he can incorporate aspects of a pagan culture without compromising his status as set apart to God.

Being enticed

The story of Samson once again operates on more than one plain. At a basic level, this powerful lion killer is enticed by his bride whose loyalties are with her own clan (note ‘my people’ and ‘her people’ in Judg 14:16-17).[2] Thus, the Philistines’ answer to Samson’s riddle is also a mocking teaser because the lure of a woman has proved sweeter than honey and stronger than a lion (Judg 14:18). On a symbolic level, Samson’s attitude also embodies something of Israel’s who thought they could worship other gods, often described in the OT in terms of a man-woman relationship (‘playing the harlot’, e.g. Exod 34:14-17; Num 25:1-3; Judg 2:17), without jeopardising their status as holy, set apart to Israel’s God.[3] What they have not counted on was the irresistible attraction of those gods that enticed them away from their commitment to the Lord.

What erodes our faithfulness?

It is easy to assume that we can open the door to some temptations without jeopardising our commitment to God. A little looking where we shouldn’t, a little allowance made for our unruly tongue, a little adjustment to our principles, while we convince ourselves that we can stay in control. Samson’s story is a cautionary tale. At this stage, he is only playing with fire, and seemingly no great (spiritual) harm done. Yet sin has a way of sucking him and us in and taking control, so that our compromises on the edges of our commitment will slowly erode our faithfulness.

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[1] In the later story it is made explicit that Samson connects his strength with God’s enabling and his Nazirite vow (Judg 15:18; 16:17).

[2] It is understandable, humanly speaking, that Samson’s bride sides with her own people. For one thing, she and her family are threatened with death (Judg 14:15), for another, she barely knows her future husband, who clearly has no loyalty to her (Judg 14:16). Moreover, Samson’s later remark comparing her to a heifer is derogatory and makes her out to be nothing more than property (Judg 14:18).

[3] Israel’s belief in their special status as God’s people and therefore their confidence in God’s help despite their unfaithfulness to Him is epitomised in Jeremiah’s Temple sermon where the people are shown to break the Ten Commandments left, right, and centre, yet run to God for protection since they are His people and His presence dwells with them in the Temple (Jer 7:8-11).

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