But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
But his father and mother didn't know that this was from the LORD, that he was looking for a reason to fight against the Philistines. At that time, the Philistines ruled over Israel.
This verse reveals that God was secretly working through Samson's controversial choices to create an opportunity to fight against Israel's oppressors, even though his parents couldn't see God's plan.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during the period of the Judges when Israel repeatedly fell under foreign domination due to their disobedience to God. The Philistines, a sea-faring people who settled along the Mediterranean coast, had conquered and ruled over Israel for forty years. Samson's desire to marry a Philistine woman seemed like a betrayal of his calling, but God was using even this to accomplish His purposes.
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