Bible Strands
Judges 15:6
“Who did this?” the Philistines demanded. “It was Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite,” they were told. “For his wife was given to his companion.” So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father to death.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Philistines ask each other who destroyed their crops following Samson’s torch-and-fox attack. Upon learning that Samson, the Timnite’s son-in-law, acted because his wife was given to his companion, they go up and burn her and her father to death.
The words — The Hebrew חֲתַן (cha.Tan) literally means “son-in-law,” anchoring Samson’s familial link to the Timnite patriarch. The phrase עָשָׂה זֹאת ('A.sah zoT) translates “did he do this?” marking the moment the Philistines demand an answer before escalating their retaliation.
The thread — This retaliatory escalation mirrors the Philistines’ earlier threat to burn Samson’s wife in Judges 14:15. The pattern of sowing violence and reaping disaster aligns with Proverbs 22:8, while the theme of reckoning for exploitation corresponds to 1 Thessalonians 4:6.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to observe how unaddressed covenant betrayal triggers a chain of lethal reprisals. It demands recognition that human vengeance operates on a self-perpetuating logic that destroys both the instigator and the collateral victims.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
Cross-references
- Judges 14:15 So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?”
- Proverbs 22:8 He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:6 and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.
- Judges 12:1 Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”