But he divorced this his
wife; and the girl despised his anger, and was married to his companion,
who made the former match between them.
7. At this injurious treatment Samson was so provoked, that he resolved
to punish all the Philistines, as well as her: so it being then summer-
time, and the fruits of the land being almost ripe enough for reaping,
he caught three hundred foxes, and joining lighted torches to their
tails, he sent them into the fields of the Philistines, by which means
the fruits of the fields perished. Now when the Philistines knew that
this was Samson's doing, and knew also for what cause he did it, they
sent their rulers to Timhath, and burnt his former wife, and her
relations, who had been the occasion of their misfortunes.
8. Now when Samson had slain many of the Philistines in the plain
country, he dwelt at Etam, which is a strong rock of the tribe of Judah;
for the Philistines at that time made an expedition against that tribe:
but the people of Judah said that they did not act justly with them, in
inflicting punishments upon them while they paid their tribute, and this
only on account of Samson's offenses. They answered, that in case they
would not be blamed themselves, they must deliver up Samson, and put him
into their power. So they being desirous not to be blamed themselves,
came to the rock with three thousand armed men, and complained to Samson
of the bold insults he had made upon the Philistines, who were men able
to bring calamity upon the whole nation of the Hebrews; and they told
him they were come to take him, and to deliver him up to them, and put
him into their power; so they desired him to bear this willingly.
Accordingly, when he had received assurance from them upon oath, that
they would do him no other harm than only to deliver him into his
enemies' hands, he came down from the rock, and put himself into the
power of his countrymen. Then did they bind him with two cords, and lead
him on, in order to deliver him to the Philistines; and when they came
to a certain place, which is now called the Jaw-bone, on account of the
great action there performed by Samson, though of old it had no
particular name at all, the Philistines, who had pitched their camp not
far off, came to meet them with joy and shouting, as having done a great
thing, and gained what they desired; but Samson broke his bonds asunder,
and catching up the jaw-bone of an ass that lay down at his feet, fell
upon his enemies, and smiting them with his jaw-bone, slew a thousand of
them, and put the rest to flight and into great disorder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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