The Death of Samson
May 26, 2020
Commentary
Samson was the laughingstock of the Philistines (vv. 23-25). The Philistines celebrated Samson’s imprisonment by assembling to worship Dagon their fish god. Dagon was given all the glory, not the God of Israel. There was a temple to Dagon, and he appears to have been the chief deity of the Philistines. Samson, a man who the Philistines at one time had not dared to approach, was led in by a single attendant to entertain them (v. 26).
Samson evidently repented of his sin and God gave him one more opportunity to demonstrate his strength in one last victory over the Philistines (vv. 27-30). Calling on his God Samson seized the two middle pillars of the building where they were meeting and pulled them from their foundation. The building tottered and crashed into ruin. The exact number of casualties is not stated but it is said to have been more than the number killed by Samson in his lifetime. A conservative estimate would have been in the vicinity of eleven hundred. God had answered his prayer, but in defeating others he took his own life.
Samson, the judge, paid with his own life for his greatest victory over the enemies of Israel. He is remembered more for what he destroyed than for what he built up. He failed to check the impulse that began early in his career and twenty years later they killed him. His brothers and the rest of his family went to Gaza and took his body back home (v. 31). They buried him in his father’s tomb, which was located between Zorah and Eshtaol. Samson was a leader of Israel for twenty years.
Application
Samson had a wonderful start in life, but he allowed his fleshly desires to take over. It would be very easy for this to happen to me unless I stay close to the Lord and in His Word every day.
Judges 16:23– 31 (NET)
23 The rulers of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate. They said, “Our god has handed Samson, our enemy, over to us.” 24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has handed our enemy over to us, the one who ruined our land and killed so many of us!”
25 When they really started celebrating, they said, “Call for Samson so he can entertain us!” So they summoned Samson from the prison and he entertained them. They made him stand between two pillars. 26 Samson said to the young man who held his hand, “Position me so I can touch the pillars that support the temple. Then I can lean on them.” 27 Now the temple was filled with men and women, and all the rulers of the Philistines were there. There were 3,000 men and women on the roof watching Samson entertain. 28 Samson called to the Lord, “O Sovereign Lord, remember me! Strengthen me just one more time, O God, so I can get swift revenge against the Philistines for my two eyes!” 29 Samson took hold of the two middle pillars that supported the temple and he leaned against them, with his right hand on one and his left hand on the other. 30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He pushed hard, and the temple collapsed on the rulers and all the people in it. He killed many more people in his death than he had killed during his life. 31 His brothers and all his family went down and brought him back. They buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led Israel for twenty years.