Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. XIV.

Vers. 1. ANd Samson went down to Timnath, &c.] A citie that was at first in the lot of Judah, Josh. 15.57. and afterward was separated for the tribe of Dan, Josh. 19.43. but was often (if not alwayes) in the possession of the Philistines, in the confines of whose land it stood; and so now it seems it was.

Vers. 2. I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines, now therefore get her for me to wife.] It was unlawfull for any Israelite, much more for a Nazarite, to marry with a daughter of the Philistines, Deut. 7.3. but it seems Samson did this not without a speciall warrant from God, either by revelati∣on, or by a strong instinct of the spirit, which he knew well was of God; as appears, first, because it is said vers. 4. that he sought an occasion against the Philistines; se∣condly, because it is expressed there also, that his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord; which implies that Samson knew it well enough: and yet though he had a speciall warrant from God, he would not do it without desiring the consent of his parents.

Vers. 3. Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, &c.] That is, neither amongst thy kindred, nor amongst all the people of Israel; thus his parents at first sought to disswade him from this match because it was against the Law of God.

And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me, for she pleaseth me well.] In these words Samson might have respect to this, that it pleased him well to marry with a daughter of the uncircumcised Philistines, because he had a warrant from God thereby to pick a quarrell against them; but doubtlesse he could not intend that his father, by those words of his, should think of any such thing, but onely that he was pleased with her person, and had thereupon set his affection on her; yea it is evident that he did purposely conceal this from his parents, that he sought an occa∣sion against the Philistines, lest that should have made them the more eager to op∣pose him herein. Indeed it is strange, that his godly parents should yield (as we see vers. 5. they did) to make such a match for him with a Philistines daughter, onely because he had a mind to her; but godly parents are many times too fond and in∣dulgent to their children, and so it seems it was with Manoah and his wife.

Vers. 4. But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord that he sought an occasion, &c.] This last clause many Expositours referre to the Lord, to wit, that he sought an occcasion against the Philistines, by suffering Samson thus to

fall in love with a daughter of the Philistines; but first, because if the meaning of these words had been, that the Lord sought an occasion against the Philistines, it might as well have been said, that neither Samson nor his parents knew it, as that his father and his mother knew it not: secondly, because it is manifest in the se∣quel of the story, that Samson did indeed seek an occasion against the Philistines, as we may see by the riddle he propounded to them at the wedding, and his carefull concealing of that which he did to the lion from his very parents, that so the mean∣ning of his riddle might not be known; and especially by that which he said when he addressed himself to be revenged on the Philistines, because his wife was given to another, chap. 15.3. Now saith he, shall I be more blamelesse then the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure: as if he should have said, now have I gotten a just occasion to be revenged on the Philistines: and thirdly, because Samson is numbred by the Apostle, Heb. 11.32. amongst those, that by faith did notably subdue the ene∣mies of God; which seems to imply, that he had a word and warrant from God for it, therefore I rather conceive, that the meaning of these words is, that his father and his mother knew not that that it was of the Lord, that he, that is, Samson sought an occasion against the Philistines: and then it is manifest by this place, that Sam∣son knew that it was Gods will, that by seeking a wife amongst the Philistines, he should take some occasion to be revenged on them, though his parents thought not of any such thing. But may some say, Considering that the Philistines were of those nations whom God had commanded the Israelites utterly to destroy, and so to take their land into their possession; and likewise, that the Philistines had for many years oppressed the Israelites, what need was there that Samson should seek any other oc∣casion against them to be revenged on them? Now to this I answer, first, that it might well be, that the Israelites had by covenant submitted themselves to be in sub∣jection to the Philistines, and in that regard Samson was to seek an occasion against them, that he might without breach of covenant be revenged on them, and thence it may be, that those words are added immediately upon these, for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel: and secondly, that Samson not being called of God to undertake the rescuing of the Israelites in a publick way out of the power of the Philistines, by raising up an army against them, but being onely appointed in his own person to make havock amongst them, and by that means to weaken their power, and abate their pride; he was in that regard to take occasion from some pri∣vate personall wrong, to set upon them.

Vers. 5. And behold, a young lyon roared against him, &c.] Either therefore Samson was upon some occasion turned out of the way, or else his parents being ei∣ther before or behind, Samson was at present going alone by himself; and thus God encouraged him for those encounters against the Philistines, which afterwards fol∣lowed; as David was prepared in the like kind to fight with Goliah, 1. Sam. 17.36. Thy servant slew both the lyon and the beare: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them.

Vers. 6. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, &c.] That is, on a sudden the Lord by his Spirit did endue him with such an exceeding measure of cou∣rage and strength, that though he had nothing in his hand, not so much as a staff to defend himself, yet with his naked hands he said hold on the lion, and rent him as

he would have rent a kid; and herein was Samson a notable type of Christ in his vi∣ctory over the devil, that roaring lion, as S. Peter calls him, 1. Pet. 5.8. that is continually walking about, seeking whom he may devoure. As for that which is added in the next words, that he told not his father or his mother what he had done; the reason of this might be, lest it should prove perillous to have the Philistines heare of an Israelite endued with such admirable prowesse and strength; but withall it was an argument of Samsons singular modesty, that having performed such a strange and heroicall exploit, he could presently go away after his parents, and when he over∣took them, never spake the least word to them of it; and herein too was there some shadow of that which is related concerning Christ, that when he had wrought many miraculous works, did often give charge that there should be no speech of it; as when he had cured a blind man, he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town, Mark 8.26.

Vers. 8. And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion, &c.] Having it seems formerly concluded the ma••ch between him and the woman of Timnath, he went now thither again to solemnize the mar∣riage, his father and his mother as we see, vers. 9. going along with him as formerly, and so coming near to the place where he had in his last passing that way, slain the lion, he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion; no doubt that the sight of the li∣ons carcase, might affect him the more in the thankfull remembrance of that great mercy of God to him, in enabling him so miraculously to kill that ravenous beast when he flew upon him, and so by the providence of God he came to take notice of that, which God intended should be the occasion of the ensuing quarrell between him and the Philistines; for when he came to the place, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion, that is, in the bones of the carcase as they lay fastned still together, the flesh being eaten or dried away, (for otherwise a swarm of bees would not have settled there); and this shews, that there was some good distance of time between his first going down with his parents to Timnath to make the match between him and the woman of Timnath, to whom he had taken a liking, and his going now down with them the second time to take her to wife.

Vers. 11. And it came to passe when they saw him, that they brought thirty com∣panions to be with him.] The most of Expositours by farre, understand this place thus, That when the Philistines saw Samson, perceiving him to be a man of wonder∣full strength, and full of terrour, they brought thirty companions to be with him un∣der pretence of respect, and the custome of their marriage solemnity, but indeed that they might set a guard upon him, lest he should suddenly do them any mischief. But first, because they had seen him before, and were not then affraid of him: secondly, the Scripture doth not any where make the least mention of any thing extraordinary in Samsons body, or the terrour of his countenance; but ascribes his strength merely to the coming of Gods spirit upon him: and thirdly, Samson by the guidance no doubt of Gods spirit, purposely concealed the killing of the lion, that the Philistines might not be afraid of him: therefore I think it farre more probable, that the mean∣ing of these words is onely this, that when the brides friends and kindred saw that Samson was come to take his wife, they provided thirty young men, according to the custome of those times, as his companions and bridemen, children of the bride-chamber,

as they are called, Matt. 9.15. to attend upon him, and to rejoyce with him.

Vers. 12. And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you, &c.] It was it seems the custome of those times by way of exercising their wits, espe∣cially at feasts to strive for the masterie one with another, in point of resolving dark and intricate questions and riddles, whereto some apply that, 1. Kings 10.1. that when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions; and so hereupon it was that Sam∣son the first day of his wedding feast propounded a riddle to his bride-men; however his aim doubtlesse therein was to take an occasion of picking a quarrell with the Philistines; to which some Expositours do adde this too, that as Samson in his mar∣rying with a daughter of the Philistines was a type of Christ in his calling the Gen∣tiles to be his people, and so marrying them to himself as his bride and spouse; so also this riddle propounded by Samson was a figure of the doctrine of the Gospel, published to the world by Christ, when the time of the calling of the Gentiles was come, which indeed was a riddle to flesh and bloud, according to that of the Apostle, 1. Cor. 1.23. We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Gentiles foolishnesse: as concerning the seven dayes of the wedding feast here menti∣oned, see the note Gen. 29.27. and concerning the thirty change of garments which is a part of the wager propounded by Samson, see the note Gen. 45 22.

Vers. 14. Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetnesse.] The honey which Samson found in the carcase of the lion was the ground of this riddle; but withall we may well think, that meditating by himself concerning this observable passage of Gods providence, in yielding him food to eat out of the carcase of that lion that a while before thought to have eaten up him, he called to mind how usually God is wont after the same manner for his children, to bring them good out of evil; & so did the rather propound this riddle because it was a notable enigmaticall expression of Gods dealing with his people in this regard. For when Satans temptations, yea the sinnes of the godly turn to their advantage, what is this but honey out of that roaring lion that seeks to devoure us? When the cruell enemies of Gods people are made their friends, or that God turns their malicious practises to the furtherance of the Gospel and the good of the Church, what is this but meat out of the eater? When afflictions, yea death it self yields matter of much sweet comfort to the godly, and opens a way to a better life for them, what is this but sweetnesse drawn forth for them out of the carcase, as it were, of their strong enemies. Yea principally did this shadow forth that mysterie of the sweet and saving food of our souls in the ministerie of the Gospel, which we have from Christs victo∣rie over hell and death, by his own death, according to that of the Apostle, Heb. 2.17. Forasmuch therefore as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud, he also himself likewise took a part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil: and that of our Saviour, John 6.51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The more unexpectedly good comes to us out of evil, the more thankfull his people must needs be for it; and therefore God loves to store up comforts, where his people would least expect to find them.

And they could not in three dayes expound the riddle.] And thus it was with the Philistines, as it is with all other naturall men in regard of the mysterie of the Gospel which Christ hath published to the world; they are not able by any wis∣dome and endeavours of their own to comprehend it, unlesse by the spirit of God it be revealed to them, according to that of the Apostle, 1. Cor. 2.14, 15. The natu∣rall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishnesse unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned; but he that is spirituall judgeth all things.

Vers. 15. And it came to passe that on the seventh day they said unto Samsons wife, Entice thy husband, &c.] Two passages in this story make it evident, that these men set the bride on work upon the fourth day, to trie underhand if she could get the meaning of the riddle from him: first, because it is said vers. 14. that they could not in three dayes expound the riddle; which implyes, that so long onely of them∣selves they tried to find it out, and then began on the fourth day to take another course, to wit, to perswade his wife to get it from him: secondly, because it is said, vers. 17. that she wept before him the seven dayes while the feast lasted: which shews that she began to presse her husband about this, before the seventh day came. The meaning therefore seems to be this, that three dayes they assayed of their own heads to find out the meaning of the riddle, but then beginning to suspect themselves, on the fourth day they perswaded his wife to see if she could fish it out of him; but when the seventh day came, despairing to find it out of themselves, they came again, and by threatning speeches laboured to terrifie his wife, that so she might be con∣strained to use all her skill to wring it from him: entice thy husband (say they) that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy fathers house with fire: Indeed it is not likely that they durst have proceeded to such an outrage upon so weak and triviall a ground, onely they speak this to scare the timerous woman, that she might be the more importunate with her husband.

Vers. 16. Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?] Though a wife be nearer to a man then his parents, and therefore may ex∣pect from him more freedome in the communication of his secrets; yet here Samson considers the reverence that was due to his parents, and the long experience that he had of their faithfulnesse, in both which respects there was more reason he should have told it them then her.

Vers. 17. And she wept before him the seven dayes while the feast lasted.] This may be meant of the remainder of the seven dayes after his companions had set her to win it from him, that from that time she wept to the end of the seven dayes; yet it is likely, that from the first, out of her own desire to know it, she was importunate with him. See the note above vers. 15.

Vers. 18. And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.] These words, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, seems to implie some jealous thoughts in Samson, of some secret and unchast dealing of the Philistines with his wife; whom therefore in regard of her suspected wantonnesse he calls his heifer; and if so it were with Samson, no marvell though in his jealousie his spirit was stirred up with great indignation against them. But however, because by plowing the earth is opened, and that discovered which was hidden before, as in

that regard a man may be said to dig for a secret, so also to plow for it, and so the meaning of these words may be onely this, that if they had not by the help of his wise sought out and discovered the meaning of his riddle, they had never found it out.

Vers. 19. And he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, &c.] Some Expositours have sought what might be imagined concerning the cause why Samson passed over so many places where the Philistines dwelt, and went to Ashkelon to fetch this spoil, which was so farre off from Timnath; as that there was there some solemne assembly of the Philistines held, &c. But it sufficeth us to know that by the Spirit of God he was carried thither, and the cause being not expressed, why should we enquire after it? As for the spoil he took from the Philistines he there slew, we must know, that though they that took upon them the vow of a Nazarite onely for a time, might not come at any dead body, Numb. 6.6. All the dayes he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall come at no dead body. And if they were casually de∣filed by any such means, they were anew to begin the dayes of their consecration; yet those that were set apart of God to be perpetuall Nazarites, were not it seems tyed to these things, to wit, because they could not alwayes avoid them. And be∣sides, what Samson did, he did by the speciall motion of Gods Spirit; and therefore he made no scruple of taking the garments of these slain men, which he gave to his companions; and under them must be comprehended the sheets or shirts also mentio∣ned in the bargain they made, vers. 12.

And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his fathers house.] In his anger leaving his wife behind him.

Vers. 20. But Samsons wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.] That is, one of those his thirtie companions or bridemen mentioned, vers. 11. Some also adde that it was he that was chosen to be the first of the bride∣men, the next to the bridegroom himself, who according to the custome of those times, was called the bridegrooms friend: to which custome they say the Baptist doth allude, John 3.29. He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoyceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice.