Judges 14:6-10

Judges 14:6

And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

In the Old Testament when the Spirit of the Lord would come upon someone it was for the purpose of empowering them to perform a special duty or ministry.  Here the Spirit came on Samson and gave him super-human strength to be able to rent that lion which also means to split or burst him.  He did this without any tools or weapons.  This happened when his parents were separated from him and didn’t know what he did at this time.   In this verse we have another picture of Christ.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  (1 Peter 5:8, KJV) In 1 Peter we are told that Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  Samson rent that lion in two and killed him.  On judgment day the Lord Jesus Christ is going to cast Satan into hell where he will taste of eternal damnation under the wrath of God.

Judges 14:7

And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

Samson had gone down and spoke with the woman and no doubt at this time he was speaking to her about his betrothal to her.  His parents must have already set up the arrangements concerning the betrothal because Middle Eastern customs did not allow for the couple to speak to each other unless they were engaged.  The woman must have pleased Samson well since he was now engaged to be married to her.

Judges 14:8

And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.

There was sometimes a year between the betrothal and the actual marriage.  He had now gone to claim his wife but on the way to claim her, he decided to look at the carcase of the lion he had killed.  Since that moment a great swarm of bees had made their home in that carcase and as a result they produced much honey.

Judges 14:9

And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

He took the honey, which may have been a piece of honeycomb, and had eaten it.  As a Nazarite, he was not allowed to touch a dead body so he had to be careful how he took the honey out of the carcase.  If he touched the dead body then he would have violated his Nazarite vow.  Since the honey was connected to the dead body of the lion, then he might have violated the vow in this way.  He not only ate of it himself but also brought a piece to his mother and father.  This honey in the lion will play a great part in Samson’s dealing with the Philistines.

Judges 14:10

So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.