101 Myths of the Bible: how ancient scribes - Conscious Evolution TV

264 101 Myths of the Bible
The Philistines were Israel’s archenemy. It was Israel’s flirtation with Philistine and
Canaanite ways that caused God to deliver the Hebrews into Philistine hands. Yet, the
only friends and acquaintances Samson had were Philistines. Samson lived among the
Philistines, celebrated with them, socialized with them, dallied constantly with Philistine
women, and throughout completely ignored the Israelites. He’s not exactly your
standard hectoring Israelite deliverer. Such an individual seems an unlikely candidate
to save the Israelites from Philistine oppression.
Although he had several bad experiences with the Philistines and wreaked
vengeance on them, killing ever larger numbers each time, all the incidents involve personal
acts of revenge. He never related his exploits to the greater cause of Israel’s liberation
or spiritual guidance.
The Israelites didn’t even like him very much nor did they seek his help against the
Philistines. At one point, after his father gave Samson’s new bride away to a Philistine
friend of his son, Samson punished the Philistines with a scorched earth policy. He
caught three hundred foxes, tied lit torches to their tails, and let them loose into the
Philistine fields. In response, the Philistines demanded that Israel surrender Samson
for punishment.
Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to
Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that
thou hast done unto us? ( Judg. 15:11)
Samson agreed to be bound and turned over to the enemy. As the Philistines
marched him back, his bonds burst into flames and melted. Once freed, he grabbed the
jawbone of an ass and with it slaughtered one thousand Philistines. This reminds us of
how Shamgar killed six hundred Philistines with an ox-goad. The similarity between
the names Samson (Shimshon in Hebrew) and Shamgar and the nature of their deed
suggests that they were probably once the same mythical character.
In the course of Samson’s story he committed many super-human acts. He killed
a lion with his bare hands, single-handedly murdered thirty Philistines for their cloaks
so he could pay off a bet, slew a thousand Philistines with a jawbone, carried two
Philistine city gates for almost forty miles, and in his final moments collapsed a Philistine
temple and killed himself and three thousand Philistines in the process.