Purgetheevil
Puritan Board Freshman
A few questions about Samson...
Based on verse 13:5, which says that Samson's role is to "begin to deliver" it seems that he shouldn't be counted as sinful, rebellious, or lazy for not acting as the other Judges and uniting Israel in a formal war against the Philistines. Why is Samson usually considered a failure in this area, when the prophesy to Manoah suggests his ministry may have been more likely one that was demonstrative of God's power to Israel to defeat the Philistines, and inspiring/motivational, to begin that war against their oppressors?
Secondly, does verse 14:4 suggest that Samson was justified in his desire for a non-Jewish wife? Was God giving Samson this desire, or was God using Samson in spite of his sinful desire since He was "seeking an occasion against the Philistines?"
Finally, in eating honey out of the lion's carcass (14:8-9), this would have for sure made him unclean, but since the Nazirite vow specifies touching a human corpse, it seems as though he didn't break his Nazirite vow. Some commentators, George Bush for example, suggest that Samson broke his vow here, and also when walking through the vineyard (14:5, although there is no textual evidence at all). Why are these seen as breaking of the Nazirite vow, when Samson's strength was specifically linked to the keeping of his vow (16:17) and he only lost his strength at the shaving of his head?
Based on verse 13:5, which says that Samson's role is to "begin to deliver" it seems that he shouldn't be counted as sinful, rebellious, or lazy for not acting as the other Judges and uniting Israel in a formal war against the Philistines. Why is Samson usually considered a failure in this area, when the prophesy to Manoah suggests his ministry may have been more likely one that was demonstrative of God's power to Israel to defeat the Philistines, and inspiring/motivational, to begin that war against their oppressors?
Secondly, does verse 14:4 suggest that Samson was justified in his desire for a non-Jewish wife? Was God giving Samson this desire, or was God using Samson in spite of his sinful desire since He was "seeking an occasion against the Philistines?"
Finally, in eating honey out of the lion's carcass (14:8-9), this would have for sure made him unclean, but since the Nazirite vow specifies touching a human corpse, it seems as though he didn't break his Nazirite vow. Some commentators, George Bush for example, suggest that Samson broke his vow here, and also when walking through the vineyard (14:5, although there is no textual evidence at all). Why are these seen as breaking of the Nazirite vow, when Samson's strength was specifically linked to the keeping of his vow (16:17) and he only lost his strength at the shaving of his head?