Judges 14:19 · Bible study
Judges 14:19 Commentary: Spirit, Anger, and God's Sovereign Purpose
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How can the Spirit of God empower an act of personal vengeance and violence carried out in anger?
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Spirit empowers Samson to kill thirty Philistines at Ashkelon to pay his wager, then he leaves in anger.
- Key words: “Spirit” (ruach), divine enabling; “came mightily” (titzlach), rushing impulse; “spoil” (chalitsotam), stripped garments.
- Main debate: Is this a divinely sanctioned act of judgment or personal vengeance? Commentators are divided.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereignty over human sin; the Spirit works through flawed agents without condoning their motives.
- Best use: Sermon on human anger and divine purpose; small-group discussion on ethics of violence in Scripture; personal study of the Spirit’s empowering presence.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. And burning with anger, Samson returned to his father’s house,
WEB World English Bible 2000
Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men of them. He took their plunder, then gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes of raiment unto them that declared the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the Spirit of Jehovah prospereth over him, and he goeth down to Ashkelon, and smiteth of them thirty men, and taketh their armour, and giveth the changes to those declaring the riddle; and his anger burneth, and he goeth up to the house of his father;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew of them thirty men, and took their spoil, and gave the changes of garments unto them that explained the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ascalon, and slew there thirty men whose garments he took away, and gave to them that had declared the riddle. And being exceeding angry, he went up to his father's house:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y él les respondió: Si no araseis con mi novilla, nunca hubierais descubierto mi enigma.
E o espírito do SENHOR caiu sobre ele, e desceu a Asquelom, e feriu trinta homens deles; e tomando seus despojos, deu as mudas de vestidos aos que haviam explicado o enigma: e acendido em ira foi-se à casa de seu pai.
L’ esprit de l’ Éternel le saisit, et il descendit à Askalon. Il y tua trente hommes, prit leurs dépouilles, et donna les vêtements de rechange à ceux qui avaient expliqué l’ énigme. Il était enflammé de colère, et il monta à la maison de son père.
Und der Geist des HERRN geriet über ihn, und er ging hinab gen Askalon und schlug dreißig Mann unter ihnen und nahm ihr Gewand und gab Feierkleider denen, die das Rätsel erraten hatten. Und ergrimmte in seinem Zorn und ging herauf in seines Vaters Haus.
Toen werd de Geest des HEEREN vaardig over hem, en hij ging af naar de Askelonieten, en sloeg van hen dertig man; en hij nam hun gewaad, en gaf de wisselklederen aan degenen, die dat raadsel verklaard hadden. Doch zijn toorn ontstak, en hij ging op in zijns vaders huis.
E lo spirito dell’Eterno lo investì, ed egli scese ad Askalon, vi uccise trenta uomini dei loro, prese le loro spoglie, e dette le mute di vesti a quelli che aveano spiegato l’enimma. E, acceso d’ira, risalì a casa di suo padre.
I przypadł nań Duch Pański, a szedłszy do Aszkalonu, zabił z nich trzydzieści mężów a wziąwszy łupy z nich, dał szaty odmienne onym, którzy zgadli zagadkę, i rozgniewawszy się bardzo poszedł do domu ojca swego.
И сошел на него Дух Господень, и пошел он в Аскалон, и, убив там тридцать человек, снял с них одежды, и отдал перемены платья их разгадавшим загадку. И воспылал гнев его, и ушел он в дом отца своего.
耶和華 的靈 大大感動 參孫，他就下 到亞實基倫，擊殺了 三十 個人，奪了 他們的衣裳，將 衣裳 給了 猜出 謎語的人。參孫發 怒，就上 父 家去了。
And the spirit of the Lord came rushing on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and, attacking thirty men there, took their clothing from them, and gave it to the men who had given the answer to his hard question. Then, full of wrath, he went back to his father's house.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 14:19
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the phrase “Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on him” (Judges 14:19) describes the same divine enabling seen in Judges 14:6 and 15:14. The Targum calls it “the spirit of fortitude from before the Lord,” and Gill notes it “filled him with zeal and courage… increased his bodily strength to perform it.” The Cambridge Bible observes that “the sudden access of superhuman power seems to coincide with the outburst of natural passion.” There is broad agreement that the Spirit empowers extraordinary physical strength, but opinions diverge on the moral character of the act. Gill defends Samson as acting as a judge against Israel’s enemies, while Keil and Delitzsch present the narrative without moral comment, focusing on the unfolding drama. All see the Spirit’s sovereignty at work, yet the personal anger of Samson remains a troubling element that the text does not resolve.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Divine judgment on the Philistines: Samson is a judge raised up against Israel’s oppressors (Judges 13:5); the Spirit’s coming parallels other judge narratives (3:10); Ashkelon is a Philistine city.
- Personal vengeance mixed with divine purpose: The riddle wager is personal; anger follows betrayal; the Spirit’s empowerment does not sanctify Samson’s motives; the narrator does not praise the act.
- Moral neutrality / narrative realism: The text simply reports events without moral comment; God works through complex human emotions; readers are left to wrestle with the tension.
What is clear: The Spirit of God came upon Samson, and he committed a violent act that killed thirty Philistines, fulfilling his wager and then leaving in anger.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The Spirit's empowerment | All interpreters agree that the Spirit of God came upon Samson and that this resulted in extraordinary physical strength and daring. | Some (e.g., Gill) see this as a divine mandate to judge the Philistines; others view it as God working through Samson’s flawed motives without approving them. |
| Samson's anger | The text states plainly that his anger burned; commentators agree this is personal anger at his wife’s betrayal and the Philistines’ deceit. | Whether this anger is righteous indignation against God’s enemies or sinful personal wrath is debated. Matthew Henry implies it is a just anger, while others see it as a flaw. |
| The killing of the thirty men | All recognize this as a real, violent act that fulfills the wager of thirty garments. | Some defend it as a military act in the context of Israel’s struggle against Philistine oppression; others see it as disproportionate personal revenge. |
| Moral evaluation of the narrative | Most agree that the text does not explicitly condemn or commend Samson’s actions, leaving room for interpretation. | Calvinist traditions often stress God’s sovereignty in using sin; Arminian traditions focus on Samson’s personal responsibility and moral failure. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The action takes place at Ashkelon, one of the five principal Philistine cities, lying about twenty-four miles southwest of Timnah according to Bunting (cited by Gill). The Cambridge Bible suggests a smaller site nearer Timnah, noting that the distance to the coastal Ashkelon is considerable. Samson travels there after losing his wager; the Philistine guests had solved his riddle through his wife’s betrayal (Judges 14:15, 18). The wedding feast lasted seven days, and the guests pressured Samson’s wife under threat of burning (v.15).
The Hebrew verb titzlach (translated “came mightily”) is used elsewhere for the Spirit’s empowering of judges and Saul (1 Samuel 11:6). It carries the sense of a rushing or impelling force. Samson’s act of killing thirty men, stripping them, and using their garments to pay the wager fits the ancient custom of taking spoil from slain enemies (chalitsotam, literally “things stripped off,” as noted by the Cambridge Bible). The giving of “changes of clothing” (chalifot) fulfills the bet made in verse 12. Samson then returns to his father’s house without consummating the marriage, a break that foreshadows the later tragedy.
The Philistines were oppressors of Israel at this time (Judges 13:1). Samson, as a Nazirite judge, was raised up to begin delivering Israel, though his personal motives often clashed with his calling. This historical tension between divine calling and human failure pervades the whole narrative.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Judges 14:19. The Hebrew text, as reflected in the interlinear data, is consistent across the manuscripts consulted. The phrase “Spirit of Yahweh came mightily” (וַ/תִּצְלַ֨ח עָלָ֜י/ו ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֗ה) is well-attested and appears in identical form in Judges 14:6 and 15:14.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has troubled readers. Early Jewish interpretation (Targum) softened the violence by calling it “the spirit of fortitude.” Reformation commentators like Matthew Henry and John Gill struggled to reconcile the Spirit’s presence with Samson’s anger, some seeing it as a type of Christ’s victory over enemies, others as a cautionary tale about mixed marriages and personal vengeance. Modern scholarship (Keil-Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible) tends to read the passage as part of the larger Judges cycle, emphasizing the narrator’s neutral presentation and the theological theme of God using flawed deliverers. The verse is rarely chosen as a devotional text, but it remains a key prooftext in discussions about the Holy Spirit’s sovereignty over human emotion and action.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Spirit’s sudden power, God’s Spirit comes upon Samson without warning, enabling superhuman strength. This echoes earlier episodes (14:6) and reminds us that divine empowerment is not dependent on human worthiness.
- The ambiguous act, Samson kills thirty Philistines and takes their garments to settle a personal wager. Is this judgment on Israel’s enemies or personal revenge? The text holds both dimensions in tension.
- The unresolved anger, “his anger burned” and he withdraws from his wife. The Spirit’s presence does not erase human emotion; God uses flawed vessels but does not excuse their sin.
Five-point outline
- The Spirit rushes upon Samson (v.19a).
- He journeys to Ashkelon (v.19b).
- He strikes thirty men and takes their spoil (v.19c).
- He gives the garments to the riddle-solvers (v.19d).
- His anger kindles and he returns home (v.19e-f).
Illustration hooks
- A skilled carpenter who uses his talent to build a fence that shuts out a neighbour he is angry with, the gift is good, the motive mixed.
- A sports team wins a championship, but the star player’s personal vendetta against an opponent fuels his performance, success does not purify the heart.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God ever empower us to do things that are partly motivated by anger or selfishness?
- How can I tell whether my anger is righteous or just personal?
- If God used Samson despite his flaws, does that mean my flaws don’t matter?
Leading a Discussion
This passage confronts us with a difficult reality: the Spirit of God empowers a violent act born from personal anger. As you read the chapter, notice the web of deception, betrayal, and vengeance. The question is not whether God can use flawed people, he clearly does, but how we understand the relationship between divine sovereignty and human sinfulness.
Discussion questions
- What do you observe about Samson’s emotional state in verse 19? List the emotions you see.
- The phrase “the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him” is used three times in Judges 14 (vv.6, 19; 15:14). What pattern do you see in what happens each time?
- Why does Samson go to Ashkelon rather than a closer Philistine town? What does the choice of location suggest about his intent?
- How would you describe the relationship between the Spirit’s empowerment and Samson’s personal anger in this verse? Are they in conflict, or can they coexist?
- Read 1 Samuel 11:6, where the Spirit comes on Saul and his anger burns hot. How does that parallel help us interpret Judges 14:19?
- Some commentators defend Samson’s act as legitimate judgment on Israel’s enemies; others see it as personal vengeance. Which view do you lean toward, and why?
- What does this passage teach us about trusting God’s sovereignty even when human motives are mixed? How can we apply that to our own lives?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Judges 3:10 | Yahweh’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim. |
| Judges 13:25 | Yahweh’s Spirit began to move him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol. |
| Judges 14:6 | Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat with his bare hands, but he didn’t tell his father or his mother what he had done. |
| Judges 15:14 | When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. Then Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that was burned with fire; and his bands dropped from off his hands. |
| I Samuel 11:6 | God’s Spirit came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger burned hot. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the Targum's rendering of the Spirit as fortitude, an unusual courage that gave Samson strength equal to his resolve. He also clarifies that the spoils taken were specific garments known as hayks, kumjas, and caftans, not merely sheets, and notes that the thirty men had solved the riddle by unfair means.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that Samson’s superhuman strength bursts out together with his anger, even though the anger logically ought to come before the deed. He also suggests Ashkelon here may be a different, closer site, not the famous coastal city, and sees no need to dismiss the exploit as a later addition just because it leads to nothing in the story that follows.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And the Spirite of the Lord came vpon him, and he went downe to Ashkelon, and slew thirtie men of them and spoyled them, and gaue chaunge of garments vnto them, which expounded the riddle: and his wrath was kindled, and he went vp to his fathers house.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasises that Samson acted under the Spirit of God as a judge against Israel’s enemies, which justifies the slaughter at Ashkelon. He also notes that as an extraordinary Nazarite, Samson was not bound by the usual laws, such as avoiding contact with dead bodies.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Samson chose Ashkelon, a city about twenty-four miles away, likely because of its intense hostility toward Israel. He also observes that taking spoil by stripping a slain enemy was not a practice in Hebrew warfare.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stress that the Spirit of Jehovah compelled Samson to kill Philistines, showing God's superior power, not personal revenge. They view the Philistines' threats and betrayal of Samson's wife as proof of their faithlessness. The marriage breakdown, they argue, was escalated by the Philistines' deceit, not Samson
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Samson’s genuine love for the Philistine woman was doomed from the start: no close covenant with an enemy of God’s people can remain peaceful. The wife’s tears were a calculated act—she remained a Philistine at heart, feigning loyalty to gain his confidence and then betray him.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.