The sudden alarm and the fierce attack of Gedeon’s men threw the Madianites into such confusion that they turned their swords against each other and fled in all directions. Then all the tribes of Israel, seeing that victory was on their side, rose up and pursued the Madianites, cutting off their retreat on every side, so that of the whole army of one hundred and thirty-five thousand men, only fifteen thousand returned alive to their own country. Israel had peace for forty years.
The Israelites fell again into idolatry, and were persecuted by the Philistines[1]. But an angel appeared to the wife of Manue [2], of the tribe of Dan, and said: “Thou shalt bear a son; no razor shall touch his head, for he shall be a Nazarite of God from his infancy, and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.” When the child was born, he was called Samson[3].
Going to the city of the Philistines, he met a young lion; but the Spirit of the Lord [4] came upon Samson, and he tore the lion to pieces. Being delivered[5] into the hands of the Philistines, he tore the cords with which he was bound, and finding the jawbone of an ass, he slew with it a thousand men. Remaining over night in Gaza [6], the Philistines bolted the gates of the city to prevent his escape. But Samson arose at midnight, took the gates with their posts and bolts, and carried them to the top of a hill [7].
- ↑ The Philistines. The Israelites were oppressed by the Philistines for forty years on account of their idolatry.
- ↑ Manue. Manue and his wife, being well advanced in years, had given up all hope of having children.
- ↑ Samson. Samson was given miraculously to his parents, and was consecrated to God, first by their vow, and later by his own. God blessed him, because from his youth up he remained faithful to his vow, refraining from intoxicating drinks, and never cutting his hair.
- ↑ The Spirit of the Lord. Giving him a superhuman strength.
- ↑ Delivered. So low had the Israelites sunk that they delivered over to the enemy him whom God favoured, instead of joining him, and, under his leadership, casting off the yoke of the Philistines.
- ↑ In Gaza. One of the chief towns of the Philistines (see Map).
- ↑ The top of a hill. So that in the morning the Philistines, to their humiliation and warning, could see the city gates set up on the top of the hill.
