Judges 15:1 - But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a young goat. He said, “I will go in to my wife’s room.” But her father wouldn’t allow him to go in.

Generated Verse: Judges 15:1

What does "Judges 15:1" mean?


This verse from Judges 15:1 describes the beginning of a renewed attempt by Samson to reconcile with his wife, but it sets the stage for further conflict. Here's a breakdown of what it means:

"But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest...": This indicates a period of time has passed since Samson's wife was given to another man (described in Judges 14). The wheat harvest was a significant time in the agricultural year, and likely implies that a few months had passed since the wedding feast.

"...Samson visited his wife with a young goat.": This suggests a gesture of reconciliation. Giving a gift, like a young goat, was a common way to show respect and to try to smooth things over after a conflict. Samson is trying to re-establish his relationship with his wife.

"He said, 'I will go in to my wife's room.'": This clearly states Samson's intention to resume his marital relationship with his wife.

"But her father wouldn’t allow him to go in.": This is the key point of the verse. The father of the woman is preventing Samson from seeing his wife. This is the catalyst that reignites the conflict between Samson and the Philistines.

In Summary:

Samson, after a period of separation and presumably reflection on the events of his wedding, tries to reconcile with his wife by visiting her and offering a gift. However, the father-in-law refuses to let Samson see his wife. This refusal is likely motivated by a few factors:

Fear of Samson's wrath: Samson had previously shown great anger and strength when he felt wronged by the Philistines.
The father already gave her to another man: In Judges 14:20, the text states that the father gave Samson's wife to his best man. This could mean that the father believes the marriage is now legally null and void.
Desire to avoid further conflict with the Philistines: The father might believe that allowing Samson to resume the relationship would lead to more trouble with the Philistines, who were oppressing Israel.

The father's refusal will incite Samson's anger and lead to further acts of revenge against the Philistines, furthering the cycle of violence.

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