A Philistine woman of Timnah
Dec. 1st, 2008 10:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zeborahAt the moment, the Philistines are ruling Israel, and one of the young Philistine women becomes the object of devotion of a young Israelite called Samson (Judges 14-15:6). We don't know what she thinks of the match, but that's beside the point; a wedding is arranged.
During the festivities, a bunch of guys confront her with a dilemma: her groom has wagered that they can't guess his riddle, and as he happens to be right they've decided to cheat: they demand that she coax the answer out of him, or else they'll burn her and her father's household to death.
Caring more for her and her family's lives than her groom's pride, she goes to do what they say. She's not exactly subtle -- "If you loved me you'd tell me the answer!" -- but then Samson isn't exactly bright. He points out that he hasn't even told his parents; but, weeping desperately, she perseveres and eventually wears him down. He explains it to her, she explains it to the extortionists, they gloatingly explain it to Samson, and in a fit of rage he storms out of the wedding.
This public abandonment leaves her in some disgrace, so her father gives her to Samson's friend instead. She doesn't get much chance to live a happy married life. After a few months Samson comes back for her and discovers her already married. In another fit of rage he goes and razes some fields belonging to the Philistines. The Philistines inquire as to the background of the arson and, on hearing the whole story, decide that the thing to do is clearly to burn the woman and her father to death.
This inspires Samson to a third fit of rage in which he slaughters a whole bundle of Philistines. In a sidenote, an early verse assures us that "this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines". Sheer bad luck, it seems, that this particular young woman got embroiled in it.
During the festivities, a bunch of guys confront her with a dilemma: her groom has wagered that they can't guess his riddle, and as he happens to be right they've decided to cheat: they demand that she coax the answer out of him, or else they'll burn her and her father's household to death.
Caring more for her and her family's lives than her groom's pride, she goes to do what they say. She's not exactly subtle -- "If you loved me you'd tell me the answer!" -- but then Samson isn't exactly bright. He points out that he hasn't even told his parents; but, weeping desperately, she perseveres and eventually wears him down. He explains it to her, she explains it to the extortionists, they gloatingly explain it to Samson, and in a fit of rage he storms out of the wedding.
This public abandonment leaves her in some disgrace, so her father gives her to Samson's friend instead. She doesn't get much chance to live a happy married life. After a few months Samson comes back for her and discovers her already married. In another fit of rage he goes and razes some fields belonging to the Philistines. The Philistines inquire as to the background of the arson and, on hearing the whole story, decide that the thing to do is clearly to burn the woman and her father to death.
This inspires Samson to a third fit of rage in which he slaughters a whole bundle of Philistines. In a sidenote, an early verse assures us that "this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines". Sheer bad luck, it seems, that this particular young woman got embroiled in it.
