JUDGES - Christian Identity Forum

Samson: The Mighty Bridegroom 253
The Structure of the Gospel Offered to Philistia
We now come to the second half of the story, and before
looking at it, it would be well to examine the literary form of
these two chapters. Chapter 14 has four episodes, each of which
begins with someone going down. Chapter 15 also has four episodes,
each of which begins with someone going somewhere. In
the four episodes of Chapter 14, what is at the center of things is
“telling.” In the four episodes of Chapter 15, wh~t is at the
center of things is “doing.” The episodes are parallel to one
another, as follows:
Episode 1: Samson and Parents
a. 14:1-4. ‘Samson went down to Thrmah” (v. 1)
Samson “told his father and mother” (v. 2)
b. 15:1-3. “Samson visited his wife” (v. 1)
“Her father said” (v. 2)
Samson said, “. . . when I do them harm” (v. 3)
Episode 2: Samson’s Prowess shown over animals
a. 14:5-6. “Samson went down to Timnah” (v. 5)
Samson “did not tell his father or mother” about the lion
(V. 6)
b. 15:4-6a “Samson went and caught 300 foxes” (v. 4)
The Philistine said, “Who did this?” (v. 6a)
Episode 3: Transition to Longest Episode
a. 14:7-9. “So he went down” (v. 7)
Samson “did not tell them” about where he got the honey
(v. 9)
b. 15:6b-8. “So the Philistine came up” (v. 6b)
Samson said “Since you act [do] this way” (v. 7)
Episode 4: Climax and Expansion of Theme
a. 14:10-20 “Then his father went down” (v. 10)
“I have not told it to my father or mother; so should I teli
yOU?” (V. 16)
b. 15:9-19 “Then the Philistine went up” (v. 9)
The Philistine want to “do to him as he did to us.”
The Judahites say, “what have you done to us?”
Samson says, “As they did to me, so I have done to them”
(Vv. 10-11)