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- A.M. 2867, A.C. 1137.
*H Then Samson went down to Thamnatha, and seeing there a woman of the daughters of the Philistines,
Ver. 1. Thamnatha, in the confines of the tribes of Juda and Gad, and of the Philistines, who often took it from the latter. It is called Thamna, Gen. xxxviii. 12, (Bonfrere) and lies near Lidda. Euseb.
*H And his father and mother said to him: Is there no woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou wilt take a wife of the Philistines, who are uncircumcised? And Samson said to his father: Take this woman for me; for she hath pleased my eyes.
Ver. 3. Eyes. He probably informed his parents (H.) that he was inspired by the Lord, v. 4. W. — The Jews say that he had first converted this woman; and interpreters generally excuse his conduct. But S. Ambrose thinks that he forfeited God's grace; (ep. 19) and Theodoret also supposes that he transgressed the law, (Ex. xxxiv. 12.) and God only permitted him to fall in love with women, without approving his conduct, q. 21. The Scripture often says, that he does and wills what he only permits. Ex. iv. 21. Jos. xi. 20. C. — If the conversion of this woman were well attested, there would be no difficulty about his marrying her, as Salmon did Rahab. S. Mat. i. 5. We have only conjectures that the women whom these and other holy personages espoused, embraced the true faith. But these may suffice in a matter of this nature. We cannot condemn Samson on this occasion, without involving his parents in the same censure, as they were charged to keep him from any contamination. S. Ambrose justly observes that a woman was the occasion of his fall, but he might allude to Dalilia. C. xvi. 4. It seems hard to pass sentence on this judge of Israel, on his first appearance, without the most cogent reasons. See Lyran, A. Lapide, &c. H. — Heb. "She is right in my eyes." His parents were at length convinced that he was directed by God. T.
*H Now his parents knew not that the thing was done by the Lord, and that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
Ver. 4. He sought. This may be understood either of the Lord, or rather of Samson. C. — Sept. "because he himself sought to retaliate upon the Philistines." Heb. "that it was of the Lord that, or because he sought an occasion to take," &c. H.
*H Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Thamnatha. And when they were come to the vineyards of the town, behold a young lion met him, raging and roaring.
Ver. 5. Young lion, not quite so strong as an old one, but in its vigour. Rabbins. C. — Met him. Heb. "roared against him." H. — His parents were at some distance. M. — S. Aug. (in Ps. lxxxviii.) shews the application of this history to Christ's establishing and adorning the church of the Gentiles with sweet and wholesome laws. D.
*H And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, and he tore the lion as he would have torn a kid in pieces, having nothing at all in his hand: and he would not tell this to his father and mother.
Ver. 6. Spirit, increasing his courage and strength. M. — This shews that the strength of Samson was miraculous, attached to the keeping of his hair, and the observance of the duties of the Nazarites. C. C. xvi. 19. — Mother. The modesty which he displays is more wonderful than the feat of valour. H. — Brave men are never boasters. M. — He kept what he had done secret, designing to propose a riddle. Salien.
*H And he went down, and spoke to the woman that had pleased his eyes.
Ver. 7. Spoke. Sept. "they spoke;" both Samson and his parents (M.) asked the young woman in marriage. Gen. xxiv. 57. Cant. viii. 8. C. — That had. Prot. "and she pleased Samson well," as at first, v. 3. H.
*H And after some days, returning to take her, he went aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold there was a swarm of bees in the mouth of the lion, and a honey-comb.
Ver. 8. A honeycomb. There was a very remarkable providence in this particular of the history of Samson. From which also in the mystical sense we may learn what spiritual sweetness and nourishment our souls will acquire from slaying the lions of our passions and vices. Ch. — Samson waited some time before he went to celebrate his marriage. The Rabbins say a full year was the usual term after the espousals; (Est. ii. 12,) and many have translated "after a year." Chal. Arab. &c. During this space the flesh of the lion would be consumed, and bees might make honey in its skeleton. Herodotus (v. 114,) informs us that a swarm lodged in the skull of Onesylus, the tyrant of Cyprus, which had been suspended for a long time. They keep at a distance from carrion and every fetid smell. Some say that they were produced from the corrupted flesh of the lion, in the same manner as Virgil (iv.) describes them proceeding from a young ox beaten to death, and covered with boughs, in a place closely shut up. The bees might have laid their eggs upon these boughs, and the grass upon which an ox feeds, &c. But none of these precautions were taken with the lion which Samson tore in pieces. C.
*H So his father went down to the woman, and made a feast for his son Samson: for so the young men used to do.
Ver. 10. Father. Before the nuptials, the young man was not accustomed to go to the house of his future bride. Montanus. — Samson's mother also accompanied him. Abul. — Do. Sept. "Samson made there a feast for seven days, because young men do so." H.
*H And when the citizens of that place saw him, they brought him thirty companions to be with him.
Ver. 11. With him. Some imagine that these were placed to watch his motions. But he had surely invited them, v. 15. During the time that the nuptials were celebrated, these men (who are called the friends of the bridegroom, Mat. ix. 15,) are said to have been exempted from all public charges. Mont. C.
*H And Samson said to them: I will propose to you a riddle, which if you declare unto me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty shirts, and as many coats:
Ver. 12. Riddle. Such obscure and ingenious questions were much liked in the East. 3 K. x. 1. The Egyptians concealed the mysteries of their religion, and Pythagoras his choicest maxims under them. S. Clem. strom. 5. The Greeks proposed these γριφους at feasts, determining some reward or punishment to those who succeeded or failed to explain them. Athenæus (x. 22,) relates that Simonides proposed this to his companions, after he had seen a blacksmith asleep, with a skin of wine and a craw-fish beside him. "The father of the kid, which eateth all sorts of herbs, and the miserable fish knocked their heads against each other, and he who has received upon his eye-lids the son of the night, would not feed the minister, who kills the oxen of king Bacchus." He could not get his ax mended. The ancients kept their wine in skins of kids, &c. whence he alludes to the bottle of wine, near the miserable craw-fish or lobster. — Shirts. Heb. sedinim, "sindons," the garment which was worn next the skin. Mar. xiv. 51. It was used also by women, (Isai. iii. 23,) and is probably the same which is called a tunic. C. — Coats. Heb. "change of garments." Some understand new and splendid garments. But Samson complied with his promise, by giving such as he found upon the 30 men, whom he slew, v. 19. H. — The custom of making presents of garments has long prevailed in the East. The Turkish emperor still receives and makes such presents to ambassadors. C. — Their long robes may easily be made to fit any person. H.
* Summa
*S Part 3, Ques 97, Article 1
[II-II, Q. 97, Art. 1]
Whether the Temptation of God Consists in Certain Deeds, Wherein the Expected Result Is Ascribed to the Power of God Alone?
Objection 1: It would seem that the temptation of God does not consist in certain deeds wherein the result is expected from the power of God alone. Just as God is tempted by man so is man tempted by God, man, and demons. But when man is tempted the result is not always expected from his power. Therefore neither is God tempted when the result is expected from His power alone.
Obj. 2: Further, all those who work miracles by invoking the divine name look for an effect due to God's power alone. Therefore, if the temptation of God consisted in such like deeds, all who work miracles would tempt God.
Obj. 3: Further, it seems to belong to man's perfection that he should put aside human aids and put his hope in God alone. Hence Ambrose, commenting on Luke 9:3, "Take nothing for your journey," etc. says: "The Gospel precept points out what is required of him that announces the kingdom of God, namely, that he should not depend on worldly assistance, and that, taking assurance from his faith, he should hold himself to be the more able to provide for himself, the less he seeks these things." And the Blessed Agatha said: "I have never treated my body with bodily medicine, I have my Lord Jesus Christ, Who restores all things by His mere word." [*Office of St. Agatha, eighth Responsory (Dominican Breviary).] But the temptation of God does not consist in anything pertaining to perfection. Therefore the temptation of God does not consist in such like deeds, wherein the help of God alone is expected.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Contra Faust. xxii, 36): "Christ who gave proof of God's power by teaching and reproving openly, yet not allowing the rage of His enemies to prevail against Him, nevertheless by fleeing and hiding, instructed human weakness, lest it should dare to tempt God when it has to strive to escape from that which it needs to avoid." From this it would seem that the temptation of God consists in omitting to do what one can in order to escape from danger, and relying on the assistance of God alone.
_I answer that,_ Properly speaking, to tempt is to test the person tempted. Now we put a person to the test by words or by deeds. By words, that we may find out whether he knows what we ask, or whether he can and will grant it: by deeds, when, by what we do, we probe another's prudence, will or power. Either of these may happen in two ways. First, openly, as when one declares oneself a tempter: thus Samson (Judges 14:12) proposed a riddle to the Philistines in order to tempt them. In the second place it may be done with cunning and by stealth, as the Pharisees tempted Christ, as we read in Matt. 22:15, sqq. Again this is sometimes done explicitly, as when anyone intends, by word or deed, to put some person to the test; and sometimes implicitly, when, to wit, though he does not intend to test a person, yet that which he does or says can seemingly have no other purpose than putting him to a test.
Accordingly, man tempts God sometimes by words, sometimes by deeds. Now we speak with God in words when we pray. Hence a man tempts God explicitly in his prayers when he asks something of God with the intention of probing God's knowledge, power or will. He tempts God explicitly by deeds when he intends, by whatever he does, to experiment on God's power, good will or wisdom. But He will tempt God implicitly, if, though he does not intend to make an experiment on God, yet he asks for or does something which has no other use than to prove God's power, goodness or knowledge. Thus when a man wishes his horse to gallop in order to escape from the enemy, this is not giving the horse a trial: but if he make the horse gallop with out any useful purpose, it seems to be nothing else than a trial of the horse's speed; and the same applies to all other things. Accordingly when a man in his prayers or deeds entrusts himself to the divine assistance for some urgent or useful motive, this is not to tempt God: for it is written (2 Paralip 20:12): "As we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to Thee." But if this be done without any useful or urgent motive, this is to tempt God implicitly. Wherefore a gloss on Deut. 6:16, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God," says: "A man tempts God, if having the means at hand, without reason he chooses a dangerous course, trying whether he can be delivered by God."
Reply Obj. 1: Man also is sometimes tempted by means of deeds, to test his ability or knowledge or will to uphold or oppose those same deeds.
Reply Obj. 2: When saints work miracles by their prayers, they are moved by a motive of necessity or usefulness to ask for that which is an effect of the divine power.
Reply Obj. 3: The preachers of God's kingdom dispense with temporal aids, so as to be freer to give their time to the word of God: wherefore if they depend on God alone, it does not follow that they tempt God. But if they were to neglect human assistance without any useful or urgent motive, they would be tempting God. Hence Augustine (Contra Faust. xxii, 36) says that "Paul fled, not through ceasing to believe in God, but lest he should tempt God, were he not to flee when he had the means of flight." The Blessed Agatha had experience of God's kindness towards her, so that either she did not suffer such sickness as required bodily medicine, or else she felt herself suddenly cured by God. _______________________
SECOND
*H And he said to them: Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not for three days expound the riddle.
Ver. 14. Sweetness. The explication of the ancient riddles frequently depended on the knowledge of something that had taken place. Our riddle-makers follow other rules. In a spiritual sense, the Philistines might be considered as those strong ones who had domineered over Israel, but would shortly afford them the spoils of a glorious victory. Jesus rises triumphant from the grave, and, after he has been persecuted and torn in pieces, becomes the food of Christians. S. Aug. &c. C.
*H And when the seventh day came, they said to the wife of Samson: Sooth thy husband, and persuade him to tell thee what the riddle meaneth. But if thou wilt not do it, we will burn thee, and thy father's house. Have you called us to the wedding on purpose to strip us?
Ver. 15. Seventh day of the week, (Salien) which was the fourth of the feast; and the Syr. Arab. and some editions of the Sept. read, "the fourth." The young men tried their skill for three days; when, despairing of success, they solicited Samson's wife to draw the secret from him. She tried; but the seventh day being come, or at hand, (M.) the men began to threaten her, so that she became more importunate, and obtained her request. She had been weeping during a great part of the seven days, (v. 17. C.) or perhaps she had begun to tease him from the beginning. M. — Strip us. Sept. "to impoverish us." Homer (Odys. Z. ) insinuates, that it was customary for the bride to furnish her attendants with white linen garments. These companions of Samson fear that they are going to be losers, by the honour which they do him. C. — They compel his wife by threats to betray his secret, and still destroy her afterwards: thus persecutors frequently treat those who comply with they demands, and deny the faith. W.
*H And they, on the seventh day before the sun went down, said to him: What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them: If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you had not found out my riddle.
Ver. 18. Down, at which time the day ended among the Jews. — Heifer. This proverbial expression means, that another's property had been used against himself; (Delrio adag.162) or it may intimate, that improper liberties had been taken with Samson's wife, (C.) as her so readily taking one of them for her husband, (v. 20) might lead us to suspect. H. — The Greek and Latin authors speak of a faithless wife in similar terms. Theognis. lviii. &c.
*H And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ascalon, and slew there thirty men whose garments he took away, and gave to them that had declared the riddle. And being exceeding angry, he went up to his father's house:
Ver. 19. Riddle. Samson must no longer be considered as a private man. He was authorized by the Spirit of the Lord, thus to punish the oppressors of Israel. C. — Though these 30 men had done him no injury in person, (H.) they had sinned against God, and deserved to die. Salien. — He slew them publicly in the city (M.) though others believe that he did it in the neighbouring country, as it does not appear that the people knew of their death. C.
*H But his wife took one of his friends and bridal companions for her husband.
Ver. 20. Companions, the chief friend of the bridegroom, (Jo. iii. 29,) the paranymph. S. Amb. C. — Prot. "But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend." It seems her father had supposed, from Samson's keeping away for a long time, that he had abandoned her. H. — But, though he offered some sort of recompense, (M.) he justly fell a victim to the people's rage, who abhorred adultery, (C.) and were irritated at the persecution which he had brought upon them. C. xv. 2. 6. H.