The champion of Israel, therefore, was not ap pointed so much to be the leader of an army, like the other judges, os to be an army in himself. In order then that the contest might be carried on in this way, it was necessary that the entire oppo sition of the Philistines should be concentrated, as far as against the person of Samson.
This would array the contending parties in pre cisely such an attitude as to illustrate most sig nally the power of Gcd in the overthrow of his enemies. But how could this result be brought about except by means of some private quarrel between Samson and the enemy with whom he was to contend? And who shall say that the scheme now projected was not the very best that could have been devised for accomplishing the end which God had in view? To what extent Sam son himself foresaw the issue of this transaction, or how far he had a plan distinctly laid corre sponding with the results that ensued, it is diffi cult to say. The probability, we think, is, that he had rather a general strong impression, wrought by the Spirit of God, than a definite con ception of the train of events that were to trans pire. It was, however, a conviction as to the is sue sufficiently powerful to warrant both him and his parents in going forward with the measure. They were, in some way, assured that they were engaged in a proceeding which God would over rule to the furtherance of his designs of mercy to his people, and of judgment to their oppressors.
(2) His Revenge. At his wedding-feast, the attendance of a large company of paranymphs, or friends of the bridegroom, convened ostensibly for the purpose of honoring his nuptials, but in reality to keep an insidious watch upon his move ments, furnished him the occasion of a common Oriental device for enlivening entertainments of this nature. He propounded a riddle, the solution of which referred to his obtaining a quantity of honey from the carcass of a slain lion, and the clandestine manner in which his guests got pos session of the clue to the enigma cost thirty Phil istines their lives. The next instance of his vin dictive cunning was prompted by the ill-treatment which he had received at the hands of his father in-law, who, upon a frivolous pretext, had given away his daughter in marriage to another man, and was executed by securing a multitude of foxes, or rather jackals, and, by tying firebrands to their tails, setting fire to the cornfields of his enemies. The indignation of the Philistines, on
discovering the author of the outrage, vented it self upon the family of his father-in-law, who had been the remote occasion of it, in the burning of their house, in which both father and daughter perished. This was a fresh provocation, for which Samson threatened to he revenged; and thereupon falling upon them without ceremony he smote them, as it is said, 'hip and thigh with a great slaughter.' (3) Delivered Up to the Philistines. Hav ing subsequently taken up his residence in the rock Etam, he was thence dislodged by consenting to a pusillanimous arrangement on the part of his own countrymen, by which he agreed to surrender himself in bonds provided they would not them selves fall upon him and kill him. He probably gave in to this measure from a strong inward as surance that the issue of it would be, to afford him a new occasion of taking vengeance upon his foes. Being brought in this apparently helpless condition to a place called from the event, Lehi, a jaw, his preternatural potency suddenly put itself forth, and snapping the cords asunder, and snatching up the jaw-bone of an ass, he dealt so effectually about him, that a thousand men were slain on the spot. That this was altogether the work, not of man, but of God, was soon demon strated. Wearied with his exertions, the illustri ous Danite became faint from thirst, and as there was no water in the place, he prayed that a foun tain might be opened. His prayer was heard; God caused a stream to gush from a hollow rock hard by and Samson in gratitude gave it the name of En-hakker, a word that signifies 'the well of him that prayed,' and which continued to be the designation of the fountain ever after.
(4) At Gaza. The Philistines were from this time held in such contempt by their victor that he went openly into the city of Gaza, where he seems to have suffered himself weakly to be drawn into the company of a woman of loose character, the yielding to whose enticements exposed him to the most imminent peril. His presence being soon noised abroad, an attempt was made during the night forcibly to detain him, by closing the gates of the city and making them fast; but Samson, apprised of it, rose at midnight, and breaking away bolts, bars, and hinges, departed, carrying the gates upon his shoulders, to the top of a neighboring hill that looks toward Hebron.