And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.
The Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, where he killed thirty men and took their belongings. He gave their clothes to those who had solved his riddle. His anger burned hot, and he went back to his father's house.
The writer is describing how Samson, empowered by God's Spirit but driven by anger, violently obtained the payment he owed for losing a riddle bet, then stormed off home.
📚 Historical Context
In the period of the Judges, Israel was under the oppression of the Philistines, and Samson was a specially chosen leader whose life was dedicated to God as a Nazarite. When the Philistines deceived him to solve his riddle at a wedding feast, the Spirit of the Lord empowered Samson to travel to Ashkelon, kill thirty men, and take their belongings to honor his wager. This story reflects God's ongoing plan to use Samson as a deliverer against Israel's enemies, even though Samson's actions were mixed with personal rage.
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