MPV Commentary

1, 2. Timnath, now known as Tibna, was about three miles from Zorah, Samson's birthplace.

Samson saw a woman from the Philistines and told his father and mother, saying, "Get her for me to be my wife." In ancient cultures, parents often negotiated marriage alliances for their sons. During this time, the Philistine invaders had settled in various towns, and interactions between them and the Israelites were sometimes friendly and familiar enough to lead to marriages. Although the law prohibited marrying certain nations (Deuteronomy 7:1-3), the Philistines were not among those specifically mentioned.

3, 4. Samson's parents asked if there wasn't a suitable woman from their own tribe, one of his Danite relatives. But Samson insisted, "Get her for me; she is right in my eyes." This phrase doesn't imply that he was attracted to her physical appearance but rather that she suited his purpose. This insight sheds light on the historian's remark about Samson's parents not understanding that their son's desire for a Philistine wife was actually part of God's plan to bring judgment against the Philistines. The Lord intended to destroy the Philistine power, and He chose to use Samson's unique abilities as a single champion of Israel rather than a large army. In this context, any provocation to hostilities would likely arise from a personal dispute, and it's possible that God was guiding Samson towards this marriage as a means to achieve His intended result.