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Judges 16

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1 καὶ ἐπορεύθη σαμψων εἰς γάζαν καὶ εἶδεν ἐκεῖ γυναῖκα πόρνην καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτήν

2 καὶ ἀνηγγέλη τοῖς γαζαίοις λέγοντες ἥκει σαμψων ὧδε καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν καὶ ἐνήδρευσαν ἐπ' αὐτὸν ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ἐν τῇ πύλῃ τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐκώφευσαν ὅλην τὴν νύκτα λέγοντες ἕως διαφαύσῃ ὁ ὄρθρος καὶ φονεύσωμεν αὐτόν

3 καὶ ἐκοιμήθη σαμψων ἕως μεσονυκτίου καὶ ἀνέστη ἐν ἡμίσει τῆς νυκτὸς καὶ ἐπελάβετο τῶν θυρῶν τῆς πύλης τῆς πόλεως σὺν τοῖς δυσὶ σταθμοῖς καὶ ἀνεβάστασεν αὐτὰς σὺν τῷ μοχλῷ καὶ ἔθηκεν ἐπ' ὤμων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ ἐπὶ προσώπου χεβρων καὶ ἔθηκεν αὐτὰ ἐκεῖ

4 καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἠγάπησεν γυναῖκα ἐν αλσωρηχ καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῇ δαλιδα

5 καὶ ἀνέβησαν πρὸς αὐτὴν οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῇ ἀπάτησον αὐτὸν καὶ ἰδὲ ἐν τίνι ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ ἡ μεγάλη καὶ ἐν τίνι δυνησόμεθα αὐτῷ καὶ δήσομεν αὐτὸν τοῦ ταπεινῶσαι αὐτόν καὶ ἡμεῖς δώσομέν σοι ἀνὴρ χιλίους καὶ ἑκατὸν ἀργυρίου

6 καὶ εἶπεν δαλιδα πρὸς σαμψων ἀπάγγειλον δή μοι ἐν τίνι ἡ ἰσχύς σου ἡ μεγάλη καὶ ἐν τίνι δεθήσῃ τοῦ ταπεινωθῆναί σε

7 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὴν σαμψων ἐὰν δήσωσίν με ἐν ἑπτὰ νευρέαις ὑγραῖς μὴ διεφθαρμέναις καὶ ἀσθενήσω καὶ ἔσομαι ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀνθρώπων

8 καὶ ἀνήνεγκαν αὐτῇ οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἑπτὰ νευρὰς ὑγρὰς μὴ διεφθαρμένας καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸν ἐν αὐταῖς

9 καὶ τὸ ἔνεδρον αὐτῇ ἐκάθητο ἐν τῷ ταμιείῳ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπὶ σέ σαμψων καὶ διέσπασεν τὰς νευρέας ὡς εἴ τις ἀποσπάσοι στρέμμα στιππύου ἐν τῷ ὀσφρανθῆναι αὐτὸ πυρός καὶ οὐκ ἐγνώσθη ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ

10 καὶ εἶπεν δαλιδα πρὸς σαμψων ἰδοὺ ἐπλάνησάς με καὶ ἐλάλησας πρός με ψευδῆ νῦν οὖν ἀνάγγειλόν μοι ἐν τίνι δεθήσῃ

11 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτήν ἐὰν δεσμεύοντες δήσωσίν με ἐν καλωδίοις καινοῖς οἷς οὐκ ἐγένετο ἐν αὐτοῖς ἔργον καὶ ἀσθενήσω καὶ ἔσομαι ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀνθρώπων

12 καὶ ἔλαβεν δαλιδα καλώδια καινὰ καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰ ἔνεδρα ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ ταμιείου καὶ εἶπεν ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπὶ σέ σαμψων καὶ διέσπασεν αὐτὰ ἀπὸ βραχιόνων αὐτοῦ ὡς σπαρτίον

13 καὶ εἶπεν δαλιδα πρὸς σαμψων ἰδοὺ ἐπλάνησάς με καὶ ἐλάλησας πρὸς ἐμὲ ψευδῆ ἀπάγγειλον δή μοι ἐν τίνι δεθήσῃ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτήν ἐὰν ὑφάνῃς τὰς ἑπτὰ σειρὰς τῆς κεφαλῆς μου σὺν τῷ διάσματι καὶ ἐγκρούσῃς τῷ πασσάλῳ εἰς τὸν τοῖχον καὶ ἔσομαι ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀσθενής

14 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ κοιμᾶσθαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλαβεν δαλιδα τὰς ἑπτὰ σειρὰς τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὕφανεν ἐν τῷ διάσματι καὶ ἔπηξεν τῷ πασσάλῳ εἰς τὸν τοῖχον καὶ εἶπεν ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπὶ σέ σαμψων καὶ ἐξυπνίσθη ἐκ τοῦ ὕπνου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξῆρεν τὸν πάσσαλον τοῦ ὑφάσματος ἐκ τοῦ τοίχου

15 καὶ εἶπεν δαλιδα πρὸς σαμψων πῶς λέγεις ἠγάπηκά σε καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ καρδία σου μετ' ἐμοῦ τοῦτο τρίτον ἐπλάνησάς με καὶ οὐκ ἀπήγγειλάς μοι ἐν τίνι ἡ ἰσχύς σου ἡ μεγάλη

16 καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐξέθλιψεν αὐτὸν ἐν λόγοις αὐτῆς πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας καὶ ἐστενοχώρησεν αὐτόν καὶ ὠλιγοψύχησεν ἕως τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν

17 καὶ ἀνήγγειλεν αὐτῇ τὴν πᾶσαν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ σίδηρος οὐκ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλήν μου ὅτι ἅγιος θεοῦ ἐγώ εἰμι ἀπὸ κοιλίας μητρός μου ἐὰν οὖν ξυρήσωμαι ἀποστήσεται ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ἡ ἰσχύς μου καὶ ἀσθενήσω καὶ ἔσομαι ὡς πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι

18 καὶ εἶδεν δαλιδα ὅτι ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῇ πᾶσαν τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῶν ἀλλοφύλων λέγουσα ἀνάβητε ἔτι τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο ὅτι ἀπήγγειλέν μοι τὴν πᾶσαν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέβησαν πρὸς αὐτὴν οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ἀνήνεγκαν τὸ ἀργύριον ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν

19 καὶ ἐκοίμισεν δαλιδα τὸν σαμψων ἐπὶ τὰ γόνατα αὐτῆς καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ἄνδρα καὶ ἐξύρησεν τὰς ἑπτὰ σειρὰς τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤρξατο ταπεινῶσαι αὐτόν καὶ ἀπέστη ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ

20 καὶ εἶπεν δαλιδα ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπὶ σέ σαμψων καὶ ἐξυπνίσθη ἐκ τοῦ ὕπνου αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἐξελεύσομαι ὡς ἅπαξ καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ ἐκτιναχθήσομαι καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἔγνω ὅτι ἀπέστη ὁ κύριος ἀπάνωθεν αὐτοῦ

21 καὶ ἐκράτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι καὶ ἐξέκοψαν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ κατήνεγκαν αὐτὸν εἰς γάζαν καὶ ἐπέδησαν αὐτὸν ἐν πέδαις χαλκείαις καὶ ἦν ἀλήθων ἐν οἴκῳ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου

22 καὶ ἤρξατο θρὶξ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ βλαστάνειν καθὼς ἐξυρήσατο

23 καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων συνήχθησαν θῦσαι θυσίασμα μέγα τῷ δαγων θεῷ αὐτῶν καὶ εὐφρανθῆναι καὶ εἶπαν ἔδωκεν ὁ θεὸς ἐν χειρὶ ἡμῶν τὸν σαμψων τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἡμῶν

24 καὶ εἶδαν αὐτὸν ὁ λαὸς καὶ ὕμνησαν τὸν θεὸν αὐτῶν ὅτι παρέδωκεν ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἡμῶν ἐν χειρὶ ἡμῶν τὸν ἐρημοῦντα τὴν γῆν ἡμῶν καὶ ὃς ἐπλήθυνεν τοὺς τραυματίας ἡμῶν

25 καὶ ὅτε ἠγαθύνθη ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπαν καλέσατε τὸν σαμψων ἐξ οἴκου φυλακῆς καὶ παιξάτω ἐνώπιον ἡμῶν καὶ ἐκάλεσαν τὸν σαμψων ἀπὸ οἴκου δεσμωτηρίου καὶ ἔπαιζεν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν καὶ ἐρράπιζον αὐτὸν καὶ ἔστησαν αὐτὸν ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν κιόνων

26 καὶ εἶπεν σαμψων πρὸς τὸν νεανίαν τὸν κρατοῦντα τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἄφες με καὶ ψηλαφήσω τοὺς κίονας ἐφ' οἷς ὁ οἶκος στήκει ἐπ' αὐτούς καὶ ἐπιστηριχθήσομαι ἐπ' αὐτούς

27 καὶ ὁ οἶκος πλήρης τῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ ἐκεῖ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα ὡς ἑπτακόσιοι ἄνδρες καὶ γυναῖκες οἱ θεωροῦντες ἐν παιγνίαις σαμψων

28 καὶ ἔκλαυσεν σαμψων πρὸς κύριον καὶ εἶπεν αδωναιε κύριε μνήσθητι δή μου νῦν καὶ ἐνίσχυσόν με ἔτι τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο θεέ καὶ ἀνταποδώσω ἀνταπόδοσιν μίαν περὶ τῶν δύο ὀφθαλμῶν μου τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις

29 καὶ περιέλαβεν σαμψων τοὺς δύο κίονας τοῦ οἴκου ἐφ' οὓς ὁ οἶκος εἱστήκει καὶ ἐπεστηρίχθη ἐπ' αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκράτησεν ἕνα τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕνα τῇ ἀριστερᾷ αὐτοῦ

30 καὶ εἶπεν σαμψων ἀποθανέτω ψυχή μου μετὰ ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ἐβάσταξεν ἐν ἰσχύι καὶ ἔπεσεν ὁ οἶκος ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν τὸν ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἦσαν οἱ τεθνηκότες οὓς ἐθανάτωσεν σαμψων ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ αὐτοῦ πλείους ἢ οὓς ἐθανάτωσεν ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ

31 καὶ κατέβησαν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλαβον αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνέβησαν καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν ἀνὰ μέσον σαραα καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον εσθαολ ἐν τῷ τάφῳ μανωε τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔκρινεν τὸν ισραηλ εἴκοσι ἔτη

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Judges 16

Napsal(a) New Christian Bible Study Staff, Julian Duckworth

Judges 16: Samson and Delilah; Samson dies with the Philistines.

In this final chapter about Samson, he becomes involved with two women, and both episodes lead him to fight for his life.

The first woman was a prostitute from Gaza, a Philistine town. When the men of Gaza heard that Samson was visiting this woman, they lay in wait for him all night, so that they could kill him in the morning. Samson foiled their plot by sneaking out at midnight. As he was leaving, he took the gates of the city and its two posts, put them upon his shoulders, and took them to the top of a hill facing Hebron, a town in Israel.

Some time later, Samson began to love an Israelite woman called Delilah, whose name means “lustful pining”. The lords of the Philistines bribed her to find out the source of Samson’s strength, so that they could take him prisoner. After deceiving her three times and evading her almost-daily questions, Samson finally admitted that his strength lay in his hair; if it were cut, he would be like any other man.

Delilah told this to the the lords of the Philistines, and they paid her the bribe. She lulled Samson to sleep, and had a man shave off all of Samson’s hair. She called out as she had the first three times: “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” He awoke, but he was as weak as a normal man. The Philistines took him captive, gouged out his eyes, and forced him to work as a mill grinder in prison. However, while he was in prison, his hair began to grow back.

When the Philistines gathered to make a great sacrifice in the temple of their god, Dagon, to celebrate the capture of Samson, 3000 Philistine men and women were there, plus all of their kings. Samson was brought in as a spectacle to be mocked. He could feel his strength returning, and asked the boy leading him to let him lean against the two central columns of the temple. Samson prayed to the Lord, and pushed the columns until the temple collapsed, killing everyone there. That day, Samson brought about the death of more Philistines than he had in his life. His family took his body, and buried him between Zorah (“stricken”) and Eshtaol (“supplication”) in his father’s tomb.

*****

This chapter demonstrates the temptations and potential pitfalls of faith-alone spirituality, specifically through the women that Samson was involved with. Both of these episodes - the first with the prostitute from Gaza, and the second with Delilah - highlight Samson’s brazen passions and his apparent faults and weaknesses. Samson represents our determination to overcome the draw of faith alone, which the hells employ in order to ensnare us, and then rule us. The Lord’s teachings through the Word often precipitate a struggle within us between our lusts from the hells and our spiritual intentions (see Swedenborg’s work, Apocalypse Revealed 678[2] and Apocalypse Revealed 798[2]).

Seizing the gates and gateposts stands for changing the focus of our spiritual view. Gates represent the entry and exit points to our hearts and minds, through which we receive the Lord and the Word, but also the influences of hell (see Swedenborg’s work, Divine Providence 119). The top of the hill stands for a mind raised up toward God, and ‘facing Hebron’ is representative of a new focus on the unity between us and the Word, for Hebron means ‘joined, brotherhood, unity’.

After three failed attempts, Delilah discovered that Samson’s strength lay in his hair, which had never been cut. Hair stands for the power and beauty of the Word in its literal sense, and our faithfulness in abiding by its truths (see Swedenborg’s works, Arcana Caelestia 9836[2] and Doctrine of the Lord 15[8]).

Samson’s imprisonment and abuse by the Philistines symbolize a period of spiritual turmoil, during which we are misled by the hells. Blindness corresponds to our inability to see or recognize truths; ‘grinding grain at the mill’ is like molding truths from the Word to support our own purposes - in this case, faith alone spirituality (Arcana Caelestia 10303[5] and Arcana Caelestia 10303[6]). Yet all the while, our ability to follow the Lord will gradually restrengthen, represented by Samson’s hair growing back.

In the last moments of his life, Samson brought down the temple of Dagon, killing three thousand of the Philistines at once. The two supporting columns of the Philistine temple stand for what is evil and what is false; when evil and falsity are toppled, the whole system of belief collapses. In sacrificing his life, Samson demonstrated the highest of all divine and heavenly loves (see Arcana Caelestia 2077[2]).

Bible

 

Exodus 30:36

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36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.