Principle
Samson killed thirty Philistines and took their clothes to pay for a ‘lost’ bet (in which the Philistines cheated).
Explanation
After Samson killed the lion, he posed a riddle to his Philistine wedding feast guests, with the prize being thirty changes of clothes.
After three days of the seven-day wedding feast, the Philistines were desperate. They wouldn’t allow themselves to admit defeat to Samson without exhausting all options. So they went to Samson’s wife and threatened her:
15 But on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Now trick your husband so that he explains the riddle to you, or else we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Did you invite us to do us violence?”
Judges 14:15 OSB
On the seventh and final day of the feast, Samson finally told his wife the riddle, because she kept crying and annoyed him so much (see Judges 14:17).
When this happened, Samson was angry. The Holy Spirit stirred Samson once again:
19 Then the Spirit of the Lord leapt upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. So Samson’s anger was aroused, and he went back up to his father’s house. 20 And the wife of Samson was given to one of his companions, one whom he called friend.
Judges 14:19-20 OSB
Scripture says that it was the Holy Spirit that inspired Samson into destroying the lion, and here, it was the Holy Spirit that inspired Samson to kill these Philistines as a consequence for the wedding guests’ traitorous violence.
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