Samson Strikes Down Philistine SoldiersBible World
15:15Judges 15:15
And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
The verse records an display of extraordinary physical strength, in which Samson took up a new jawbone of an ass and slew a thousand Philistines with it. Empowered by the Spirit of Jehovah, he made even that rude weapon more effective than sword or spear, so that the Philistines fled before him. His power did not lie in well-knit sinews but in his condition as a Nazarite, of which his unshorn hair was the symbol, bestowed upon him as he entered manhood for his divine mission as judge and deliverer of Israel, and held only on condition of faithful obedience to the divine commands. That victory gave the Israelites an opportunity to unite with him and free themselves from their oppressors, but cowardice and disobedience kept them from doing so.
His great physical strength stood in sharp contrast to his weakness in self-control and moral firmness. He possessed the same source of strength as Joseph and the same power to choose right or wrong, yet he relied on his passions instead of God's strength. The path he chose ended in shame, disaster, and death. Had he obeyed as faithfully as his parents had done, his destiny would have been nobler and happier, but association and friendly mingling with idolaters and Philistines, and self-pleasing intimacies such as his marriage to the woman of Timnath, corrupted him and darkened his whole life.
The verse records an display of extraordinary physical strength, in which Samson took up a new jawbone of an ass and slew a thousand Philistines with it. Empowered by the Spirit of Jehovah, he made even that rude weapon more effective than sword or spear, so that the Philistines fled before him. His power did not lie in well-knit sinews but in his condition as a Nazarite, of which his unshorn hair was the symbol, bestowed upon him as he entered manhood for his divine mission as judge and deliverer of Israel, and held only on condition of faithful obedience to the divine commands. That victory gave the Israelites an opportunity to unite with him and free themselves from their oppressors, but cowardice and disobedience kept them from doing so.
His great physical strength stood in sharp contrast to his weakness in self-control and moral firmness. He possessed the same source of strength as Joseph and the same power to choose right or wrong, yet he relied on his passions instead of God's strength. The path he chose ended in shame, disaster, and death. Had he obeyed as faithfully as his parents had done, his destiny would have been nobler and happier, but association and friendly mingling with idolaters and Philistines, and self-pleasing intimacies such as his marriage to the woman of Timnath, corrupted him and darkened his whole life.