Retaliation consumes the Philistine conflict

“But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and…” Naming Samson keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both…” Naming Philistines keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.” Naming Samson and Though keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.” Naming Etam keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.” Naming Judah and Lehi keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him…” Naming Lehi and Philistines keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.” The number thousand makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.” The number thousand makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.

“And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD , and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit…” Naming Lehi keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.