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User-Posted Comments on Judges 15:4
It is easier to believe in some ways that Jesus walked on water than to believe what Samuel did, especially if we do not give this careful thought.
Wesley’s commentary says this:
Of which there were great numbers in Canaan. But it is not said that Samson caught them all, either at one time, or by his own hands; for being so eminent a person, and the judge of Israel, he might require assistance of as many persons as he pleased. And it must be allowed, that the God who made the world, and by his singular providence watched over Israel, and intended them deliverance at this time, could easily dispose things so that they might be taken. He chose to do this not by his brethren, whom he would preserve from the hatred and mischief which it might have occasioned them, but by brute creatures, thereby to add scorn to their calamity, and particularly by foxes; partly, because they were fittest for the purpose, being creatures very fearful of fire; and having such tails as the fire — brands might most conveniently be tied to; and not going directly forward, but crookedly, whereby the fire would be dispersed in more places. Fire — brands — Made of such matter as would quickly take fire, and keep it for a long time; which was easy to procure. And put, &c. — That the foxes might not make too much haste, nor run into their holes, but one of them might delay another, and so continue longer in the places where they were to do execution.
1. Let us not assume that foxes are rare in our parts today that the same population density of foxes existed where Sampson was.
These are translated as foxes but are actually jackals. As many as 200 having been seen together, and the most numerous of any in eastern countries; so that Samson might have caught many of them together in nets. Perhaps they travel in large packs to scare up animals and in some cases they will attack animals much larger than themselves if they are in a large troop.
2. It is unlikely that Sampson caught them all – Being a judge of Israel he had at his command the assistance of others. Some commentaters think that Noah was a King in his day. To imagine Noah spending 120 years by himself buiding an large boat is foolishness. Anyone who dismisses such feats of human ability so quickly show how intellectually backward they are. Noah of course employed others to do the work and Sampson probably had others join him as well.
We note that the writer of Judges portrays Sampson differently from any of the other judges in that Sampson acts, it apears, alone. It is doubtful that this was really the case and that is not the writers intent that we assume this act of burning the Phillistine’s fields, was something that Sampson did “all by himself” but the focus is kept on Sampson alone by not mentioning those others who helped him.
3. Sampson did not have them all at one time
4. The Bible is condensed. Sometimes a hundred years is condensed into one verse and the writers of the Bible did not include all the details. The entire lifetime of some people in the Bible is a single sentence (verse) that may tell of an extrodoininary exploit that they did. Try summing up your life into one verse and see how difficult or unbelievable it could seem to others.
The Bible doesn’t say that Sampson necessarily did this in one season, although it does appear that way. It probably wasn’t in one day. Could you believe he did 50 in one week with the help of others over a large territory of the Philistines from Gaza to Sidon? If so, could he not have done 300 over a season or several years?
5. He tied two together, for if there was only one it would go into a hole.
6. Foxes are used because they symbolize how clever Sampson is.
The saying goes that “Truth is stranger than fiction”. Study the amazing things that have indeed happened and I think you can accept that somehow this account is very possible.
- Ken (2/18/2012 10:30:59 AM)
Wesley’s commentary says this:
Of which there were great numbers in Canaan. But it is not said that Samson caught them all, either at one time, or by his own hands; for being so eminent a person, and the judge of Israel, he might require assistance of as many persons as he pleased. And it must be allowed, that the God who made the world, and by his singular providence watched over Israel, and intended them deliverance at this time, could easily dispose things so that they might be taken. He chose to do this not by his brethren, whom he would preserve from the hatred and mischief which it might have occasioned them, but by brute creatures, thereby to add scorn to their calamity, and particularly by foxes; partly, because they were fittest for the purpose, being creatures very fearful of fire; and having such tails as the fire — brands might most conveniently be tied to; and not going directly forward, but crookedly, whereby the fire would be dispersed in more places. Fire — brands — Made of such matter as would quickly take fire, and keep it for a long time; which was easy to procure. And put, &c. — That the foxes might not make too much haste, nor run into their holes, but one of them might delay another, and so continue longer in the places where they were to do execution.
1. Let us not assume that foxes are rare in our parts today that the same population density of foxes existed where Sampson was.
These are translated as foxes but are actually jackals. As many as 200 having been seen together, and the most numerous of any in eastern countries; so that Samson might have caught many of them together in nets. Perhaps they travel in large packs to scare up animals and in some cases they will attack animals much larger than themselves if they are in a large troop.
2. It is unlikely that Sampson caught them all – Being a judge of Israel he had at his command the assistance of others. Some commentaters think that Noah was a King in his day. To imagine Noah spending 120 years by himself buiding an large boat is foolishness. Anyone who dismisses such feats of human ability so quickly show how intellectually backward they are. Noah of course employed others to do the work and Sampson probably had others join him as well.
We note that the writer of Judges portrays Sampson differently from any of the other judges in that Sampson acts, it apears, alone. It is doubtful that this was really the case and that is not the writers intent that we assume this act of burning the Phillistine’s fields, was something that Sampson did “all by himself” but the focus is kept on Sampson alone by not mentioning those others who helped him.
3. Sampson did not have them all at one time
4. The Bible is condensed. Sometimes a hundred years is condensed into one verse and the writers of the Bible did not include all the details. The entire lifetime of some people in the Bible is a single sentence (verse) that may tell of an extrodoininary exploit that they did. Try summing up your life into one verse and see how difficult or unbelievable it could seem to others.
The Bible doesn’t say that Sampson necessarily did this in one season, although it does appear that way. It probably wasn’t in one day. Could you believe he did 50 in one week with the help of others over a large territory of the Philistines from Gaza to Sidon? If so, could he not have done 300 over a season or several years?
5. He tied two together, for if there was only one it would go into a hole.
6. Foxes are used because they symbolize how clever Sampson is.
The saying goes that “Truth is stranger than fiction”. Study the amazing things that have indeed happened and I think you can accept that somehow this account is very possible.
- Ken (2/18/2012 10:30:59 AM)
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