Tyndale Open Study NotesJudges 16

Samson, who gets more attention in the book of Judges than any other judge, is more mysterious than Jephthah. Samson shows great inspiration as a leader. He also represents the unstoppable move toward chaos, which shows the need for a more organized society under a godly ruler.

This last chapter of Samson's complicated history does not involve his role as a judge. Samson abandoned his calling and eventually lost his gifts. Only in his final encounter, when he prayed to the Lord again, did he regain any of his heroic stature.

During that time, city gates were locked at night to stop anyone from entering or leaving. The men of the city, seeing the gates locked, likely slept in a gatehouse. They planned to continue their watch in the morning.

Samson lifted the entire gate system, which was six to twelve feet wide, and carried it to the hills across from Hebron, a town about forty miles away. Samson embarrassed the Philistines but did not defeat them.

Samson's downfall and defeat by Delilah, the temptress, is a universally appealing tragedy.

The Philistine leaders knew they could not defeat Samson directly, so they used deceit. The generous offer from the leaders (lords) of the five Philistine cities (Judges 3:3) shows how seriously they took this issue.

Delilah seemed more interested in silver than in self-preservation (see Judges 14:15). She apparently did not return Samson's love.

People often made bowstrings from dried animal tendons or gut. The number seven was symbolic, possibly linked to the Philistines' belief in magic. Samson appears more comfortable in Philistine culture than in following his Israelite vows as a Nazirite.

They had already tested brand-new ropes (Judges 15:13–14).

Samson's hair might have been woven into the fabric as the weft on the loom's warp, then tightened like in regular weaving.

Samson should have seen the danger (compare Judges 14:17), but his spiritual blindness caused mental exhaustion.

Samson's hair symbolized his promise to the Lord. Cutting his hair would break this promise. The seven braided locks were just a symbol; the Lord's presence was the true source of his strength.

After being tricked three times, the rulers gave up and left. Now, they returned with money in hand, knowing this was their dream moment.

Similar to the regretful but overconfident Israelites from earlier times (Numbers 14:40–45), Samson did not notice his hair was cut and that God's presence had left him (compare Hosea 7:9).

No one was sure if the Lord would restore Samson's strength as his hair grew back; there was only hope that the Lord's earlier promise—that Samson would start to rescue Israel—remained true.

The Philistines celebrated joyfully, giving all the credit to their god, Dagon. They believed a nation's strength showed the power of its gods.

Samson sought personal revenge, but he also helped fulfill God's plan to rescue his people.