The Marriage of Samson

Perhaps you have read the story about a woman and her husband who came to a pastor and said, “We’re going to get a divorce, but we want to come to make sure that you approve of it.” There are ... More

Marriage

In those days the parents arranged for a marriage, and there was several weeks between engagement and marriage. On the trip to Timnah with his parents he had killed a lion with his bare hands. Then several weeks later when he came back, perhaps to complete the marriage, he found honey in the dead carcass of the lion. Samson not only defied his parents, but he defiled his body by eating honey from the dead carcass of the lion (vv. 8-9). Numbers 6:6-9 tells us that a Nazarite was never to touch a dead body, but Samson deliberately defiled himself for the sake of the honey!

The usual length of the celebration was seven days, and the marriage was not consummated until the end of that time. Samson challenges the thirty companions of the wedding party to a riddle (vv. 10-14). If they could answer the riddle by the end of the celebration, he was to give them garments of superior quality. If they couldn’t answer the riddle, they were to give him the same. When they couldn’t answer it, they put pressure on Samson’s wife to find out the answer from Samson (vv. 15-20). The woman, fearing her life used a flood of tears to get him to tell his secret. The marriage was never completed, but the seeds of sin had already been planted in his heart.

 

Application

Think of the Christians today who defile themselves just to enjoy a little honey. I need to explain to my family how in just a few minutes of so-called pleasure of sin may ruin and wreck your entire life. Also, it will have a damaging effect on the lives of others as well.

Judges 14:8-20 (English Standard Version)


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