Samson's character and end.
Judg. xvi. 28. And Samson called unto the Lord, and said,
0 Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me,
1 pray thee, only this 07ice, O God, that I may he at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
SCARCELY any part of Scripture has afforded more occasion for the doubts of sceptics or the scoffs of infidels, than the history of Samson. True it is, that many strange things are contained in it ; but there is nothing in it which may not easily be ac- counted for by those who consider the nature of that dispensation, and the power of the God of Israel. The doctrine of the Resurrection appeared to many incredible : but our Lord said to them, " Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of
275.1 Samson's character and end. 73
God." The same reply we would make to any per- sons who would question the facts contained in this history. Samson was raised up by God on purpose to chastise the oppressors of Israel : and he was strengthened by God to effect that by his own arm, which seemed to require the united exertions of the whole nation. The circumstance of his being re- corded as a man of faith and piety, gives a great additional interest to his history ; because it is dif- ficult to conceive how such inconsistencies should be combined in one person. We must not however attempt to cloke his impieties, because he was a saint ; nor must we contradict an inspired Apostle, because he was a sinner : we should rather examine the different parts of his conduct, that so we may form a just estimate of his character : and we shall find our labour well repaid by many instructive les- sons which his history will afford us.
Let us then consider, I. His character —
It must be confessed that there was in him much amiss. He appears to have been too much actuated
1. A vindictive spirit —
[He knew indeed the peculiar commission given him : but yet in executing that commission he seems to have been influenced more by personal considerations than by true patriot- ism. His first slaughter of thirty Philistines was an act of revenge for the treachery which he had experienced at his bridal-feast, both from the bi'ide herself, and all his pretended friends. When he returned afterwards to be reconciled to his wife, and found her given by her own father to another man, he executed the strange device of tying three liundred foxes together, two and two, by their tails, with a fire-brand or torch between each couple, and sending them in among the ripe corn, and the sheaves already cat, as also among the vines and olives ; by which he devastated a great extent of country*. And, notwithstanding the Philistines themselves, on hearing of the
^ This was not so impracticable a thing as we are ready to imagine : for the foxes in that country were very numerous ; Cant. ii. 15. Ezek. xiii. 4. And Samson, being the chief governor of the Jewish nation, would have manv at hand to execute his commands.