1 Samuel 4-6

1. The Philistines Capture the Ark
In this passage, the Israelites battle against the Philistines, and they are defeated.  In response to this setback, the elders of Israel order that the ark of the covenant be transported from Shiloh to the Israelite camp at Ebenezer.  Hophni and Phinehas accompany the ark as it is transported to Ebenezer.  The Israelites are emboldened by the arrival of the ark, and the ensuing uproar initially frightens the Philistines.  Yet the Philistines recover from their shock and rout the Israelites.  They capture the ark of the covenant and kill many Israelites, including Hophni and Phinehas.

We can see an interesting transition between verses 8 and 9 in this passage.  Somehow the Philistines are able to set aside their fear of the Lord by encouraging each other to avoid being subjected to the Israelites' rule.  Perhaps the Lord Himself strengthened the Philistines after they expressed fright in verse 8.

2. Death of Eli
In this passage, a Benjamite runs to Shiloh from the Israelite camp at Ebenezer.  He shares the news of the battle with Eli, noting that 1) the ark of the covenant has been captured by the Philistines and 2) his two sons have died.  Eli then falls over and dies.  The pregnant wife of Phinehas also hears the news of the battle, and she goes into labor.  She successfully delivers a son before dying of her labor pains.  Before she passes away, she names her son Ichabod - which means "no glory" - in light of the terrible news of the battle.

In verse 18, it is noted that Eli falls over and dies after hearing that the ark of the covenant has been captured by the Philistines.  Now if the ark had not been captured, would Eli have died after hearing that his sons had been killed?

3. The Ark in Ashdod and Ekron
In this passage, the Philistines bring the ark of the covenant to Ashdod; they place it in the temple of their god, Dagon.  On the next day they discover that their image of Dagon has fallen down beside the ark.  They restore the image of Dagon to its original position.  On the following day, they discover that their image of Dagon has fallen down before the ark; also, the head and hands of the image have been removed.  The Lord then afflicts the people of Ashdod with tumors.  This compels the rulers of the Philistines to order that the ark be moved to Gath.  The Lord then afflicts the people of Gath with tumors.  This compels the Philistines to move the ark to Ekron.  The Lord then afflicts the people of Ekron with tumors.

Clearly the Lord was sending a strong message to the Philistines by performing these supernatural acts in their territory.  Dagon, as a created being, was inferior to the Lord in all respects.  By afflicting the Philistines with tumors, the Lord wanted them to acknowledge 1) His power over them and 2) His supremacy to Dagon.

4. The Ark Returned to Israel
In this passage, it is noted that the ark of the covenant remains in Philistine territory for seven months.  The Philistines then ask their priests for guidance regarding the return of the ark "to its place."  The priests advise the Philistines to:

• return the ark to Israel along with a guilt offering that consists of five gold tumors and five gold rats (each tumor/rat pair corresponds to one of their rulers)
• place these tumors and rats in a chest on a new cart
• place the ark beside this chest
• hitch two cows that have never been yoked to this new cart.

The Philistines follow these instructions; the cows pull the cart straight to Beth Shemesh, demonstrating that the Lord is the cause of the Philistines' tumors.  The people of Beth Shemesh rejoice when they see that the ark has been returned to Israel; on a somber note, the Lord puts some of them to death for looking into the ark.  They then request that the people of Kiriath Jearim take the ark from them.

Here, the Lord displays His sovereignty and power to the Philistines by causing these cows to bring the ark to Beth Shemesh without deviating from the road from Ekron to Beth Shemesh.  He also displays His holiness to the people of Beth Shemesh by killing those who disregarded His holiness.  This is rather frightening; if I had lived in Beth Shemesh at that time, I would have looked into the ark when it arrived.  This account reminds us that God is holy; we need to fear Him and remain in awe of Him.

1 Samuel 1-3

1. The Birth of Samuel
In this passage, Elkanah, who lives in the hill country of Ephraim, has two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah has children, yet Hannah is barren; this fuels their rivalry.  Peninnah vexes Hannah to no end when the entire family goes up to Shiloh to worship the Lord.  During one of these trips to Shiloh, Hannah silently vows that if the Lord will give her a son, then she will dedicate him to His service.  Eli assumes that her silent vow is the act of a drunken woman, yet she corrects him; he then blesses her.  Hannah later conceives and gives birth to a son, Samuel (his name sounds like the Hebrew for "heard of God").

This passage highlights the value that Israelites placed on childbearing (especially the bearing of sons) at that time.  Indeed, barrenness was perceived as a sign of God's judgment on the affected woman.  Clearly Hannah subscribed to this viewpoint, and so she desperately wanted to bear a son.

2. Hannah Dedicates Samuel
In this passage, Elkanah and his family return to Shiloh to 1) offer their annual sacrifice to the Lord and 2) fulfill Elkanah's vow to the Lord (though the substance of this vow is not mentioned).  Hannah does not join them on this trip, though, as she is weaning Samuel.  After she weans him, they travel to Shiloh, bringing a bull, some flour and wine.  She then reminds Eli of her silent vow to the Lord, and she formally dedicates Samuel to the Lord.

One must wonder if Eli remembered Hannah's silent vow to the Lord, especially since at least one year had elapsed since that incident.

3. Hannah's Prayer
In this passage, Hannah prays to the Lord - rejoicing in the fact that He had allowed her to bear a son. Indeed, God had allowed her to triumph over her rival, Peninnah.  She exults in this reversal of fortune and praises God for His hand in her victory.  She states that her victory in this instance is actually God's victory. She then returns to her hometown of Ramah, leaving Samuel in Shiloh.

This passage is similar to the Psalms where the psalmist praises God for defeating his (i.e. His) enemies and effecting his (i.e. His) victory.  Clearly Hannah identified herself as a "soldier" in God's "army," while she identified Peninnah as a "soldier" in the enemy "army."  One must wonder if Peninnah knew of Hannah's prayer; if so, how did she respond to it?

4. Eli's Wicked Sons
In this passage, Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, commit various sins as they serve at the Tent of Meeting in Shiloh.  For example, they take parts of the sacrifices that are offered at Shiloh that the Lord has commanded them to avoid.  They also sleep with the women who are serving at the Tent of Meeting.  Eli is troubled by his sons' behavior; he warns them of God's impending judgment, yet they refuse to heed his warnings.  On the other hand, Samuel ministers before the Lord.  He sees his parents when they make their annual trip to Shiloh; Eli blesses them on these visits, and Hannah has five more children.  Also, God is pleased with Samuel, and others approve of his actions.

Initially, I was confused as to why Hophni and Phinehas were being condemned for taking arbitrary parts of the sacrifices that were being offered at Shiloh.  Then I looked at the sidebar of my NIV Study Bible, which notes that in Leviticus 7:34, the Lord had stated that priests could only take the breast and thigh of each fellowship offering.  Also, Hophni and Phinehas were taking the fat of each sacrifice, which should have been given over to the Lord.  In addition, they took the raw meat of each sacrifice, since they wanted to slow-roast it; slow-roasting this meat, though, violated the Lord's commands that arose from the first Passover.

5. Prophecy Against the House of Eli
In this passage, a man of God comes to Eli and delivers the following prophecy: the Lord had chosen Eli's forefathers as His priests.  Yet since Hophni and Phinehas have dishonored the Lord at the Tent of Meeting, He will prevent Eli's descendants from serving Him.  Moreover, He will bring disaster on Eli's family; Hophni and Phinehas will die on the same day.  He will then appoint a new priest and establish his descendants in that role; He will also make Eli's descendants dependent on his descendants.

After reading this passage, I wondered: who was the new priest that the Lord would appoint to replace Eli's descendants in that role?  My NIV Study Bible states that this prophecy was initially fulfilled during the reign of Solomon, when Zadok and Abiathar served as priests; note that Abiathar was a descendant of Eli.  Yet in 1 Kings 2, Solomon removes Abiathar from the priesthood for supporting his brother, Adonijah, in his quest to become the king of Israel after David's death.  Also, my Study Bible notes that Jesus Christ Himself is the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy.

6. The Lord Calls Samuel
In this passage, Samuel is ministering before the Lord under Eli's guidance.  One evening, when they have already laid down, the Lord calls Samuel.  Samuel runs to Eli, yet Eli notes that he did not call him.  The Lord calls Samuel a second time; Samuel runs to Eli, and Eli gives him the same answer.  Now the Lord calls Samuel a third time; Samuel runs to Eli, and this time Eli realizes that the Lord is calling him.  He then tells Samuel how to respond if the Lord calls him again.  The Lord then calls Samuel a fourth time; Samuel responds according to Eli's instructions, and the Lord tells him that He will judge Eli's family for 1) the sins of his sons and 2) his sin of failing to restrain them.  The next morning, Eli compels Samuel to tell him what the Lord told him.  The passage concludes with a statement that Samuel's holiness became more evident as time passed.

This is an interesting passage, and several verses are essential in terms of understanding it.  In verse 1, it is noted that the Lord rarely spoke to His people, which must be connected with the spiritual apathy that reigned in Israel at that time.  Perhaps Eli himself had drifted from the Lord, since it took three visits from Samuel before he realized that the Lord Himself was calling Samuel.  In verse 7, it is noted that Samuel did not know God, since God had not revealed Himself to him; thus, I wonder if Samuel fully comprehended the Lord's prophecy regarding Eli's family.

Ruth 1-4

1. Naomi and Ruth
In this passage, Elimelech, who lives in Bethlehem in Judah, takes his wife, Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, to Moab since there is a famine in Judah.  Elimelech later dies, and Mahlon and Kilion marry two Moabite women - Ruth and Orpah, respectively.  Mahlon and Kilion later die, and Naomi decides to return to Judah after she hears that the Lord has brought an end to the famine there.  Orpah initially decides to go with Naomi, but after Naomi reasons with her, she remains in Moab.  As for Ruth, she resolves to go with Naomi, not budging even after Naomi attempts to reason with her.  Ruth declares that she will remain with Naomi, and so they travel to Bethlehem.

Verses 16 and 17 constitute an amazing declaration of faith by Ruth.  When I read through this book, I searched for verses where God was explicitly glorified, and these verses certainly fit that requirement.  Even though Orpah could not overcome her devotion to her people and her gods, Ruth rejected her former way of life and embraced the God of Israel.  One must wonder how Ruth came to place her trust in God; perhaps the Holy Spirit worked through Naomi, Mahlon and Kilion to make a positive impact on her?

2. Ruth Meets Boaz
In this passage, Naomi sends Ruth to the barley fields to pick up leftover grain, since the barley harvest has just commenced.  Ruth ends up in a field that is owned by Boaz, who belongs to the clan of Elimelech.  Boaz sees her, and after learning that she has come from Moab with Naomi, he tells her to join his servant girls while she gleans barley.  Ruth is amazed by his kindness, and he tells her that he has heard about her leaving her homeland to be with her mother-in-law; he then wishes God's favor to be on her.  After Ruth picks up a large amount of grain and threshes it, she returns to Naomi and shows her all that she has gathered.  Naomi is overjoyed and tells Ruth to continuing gleaning barley in that field.

While Ruth is the clear heroine of this story, Boaz also plays a critical role here.  His warm reception of Ruth, as recounted in verses 11 and 12, show that his actions toward her are free of ethnic and racial biases.  The author wants us to see that devotion to God takes precedence over all ethnic and racial distinctions; thus, if a foreigner puts their faith in the God of Israel, they will be blessed.  Now I do wonder if the people of Bethlehem chafed at the fact that Boaz treated Ruth so well.

3. Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor
In this passage, Naomi tells Ruth that it is time for her to re-marry (to attain financial stability).  She picks out Boaz as a good match for Ruth; she is to wash and perfume herself, putting on her best clothes.  After Boaz lies down for the night, she is to uncover his feet and lie down at his feet.  Ruth follows her instructions; thus, when Boaz wakes up in the middle of the night, he finds Ruth at his feet.  Although Boaz is startled, Ruth asks him to protect her since he is a kinsman-redeemer.  Boaz then praises Ruth, yet he notes that there is a kinsman-redeemer who is a closer relation to Elimelech than he.  Ruth then returns to Naomi and updates her on the situation.

This is a rather interesting passage; I do wonder if Ruth and Boaz were engaging in a courtship ritual that was common in Israel at that time.  In verse 9, Ruth asks Boaz to "spread the corner of your garment over me," and I wonder if that phrase was common in marriage requests at that time.  I also wonder if Ruth and Boaz had experienced any feelings for each other before this point in the story.  Did Naomi - besides her explicit advice to Ruth - also speak well of her to Boaz before this point in the story?

4. Boaz Marries Ruth
In this passage, Boaz sits down with the above-mentioned kinsman-redeemer and ten of the elders of Bethlehem at the town gate.  Boaz then tells the kinsman-redeemer that Naomi is selling the piece of land that belongs to Elimelech, and he offers him the opportunity to buy it.  The kinsman-redeemer agrees; then Boaz notes that the kinsman-redeemer will also be marrying Ruth by purchasing the land.  At this point the kinsman-redeemer changes his mind and states that he will not purchase the land; then Boaz steps in and purchases it.  He declares this fact to the town elders, and they wish him and his family many blessings; in particular, they cite the names of Rachel, Leah, Perez, Tamar and Judah.

I am curious as to what thoughts raced through the mind of Boaz as he was describing the terms of the land purchase to the other kinsman-redeemer.  Was he somewhat devastated when the kinsman-redeemer initially agreed to purchase the land that belonged to Elimelech?  Did he know all along that the kinsman-redeemer would never agree to marry Ruth, and so he presented the terms of the agreement in two stages in order to surprise him?  Was the kinsman-redeemer unaware of Ruth's existence?

5. The Genealogy of David
In this passage, Boaz marries Ruth, and she gives birth to a son, Obed.  The women of Bethlehem praise the Lord and extol His virtues - along with those of Ruth and Obed - to Naomi.  It turns out that Obed will be the father of Jesse, who will be the father of David.  The passage concludes with a description of the family line of Perez, which stems from Perez to David.

Interestingly, Mahlon's name is not mentioned in this passage.  I suppose the author wanted to further highlight the prominent role that Boaz played in the entire story; the sidebar in my NIV Study Bible notes that Mahlon's name was presumably preserved in the town records of his family.  In any event, Mahlon played a non-trivial role in this story as he married Ruth in the first place...

Judges 19-21

1. A Levite and His Concubine
In this passage, a Levite from the hill country of Ephraim takes a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.  The concubine is unfaithful to him, though, and she returns to her father's home in Bethlehem.  The Levite goes to Bethlehem and is able to persuade her to return to his home, despite the best efforts of her father.  The Levite, his concubine and his servant spend the night with an old man in Gibeah in Benjamin on their way to Ephraim.  Later, some wicked men in Gibeah surround the old man's house and demand to sleep with the Levite.  After much haggling on the part of the old man, the wicked men of Gibeah consent to being allowed to rape and abuse the Levite's concubine.  She dies as a result of her injuries; the Levite dismembers her and sends her body parts throughout Israel, inciting widespread anger.

I was reminded of the account of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19, as homosexuals play a prominent role in both accounts.  Also, I get the sense that God did not approve of the Levite taking a concubine, as that action does not square with his tribe's special relationship with God.  In addition, we see that the old man in Gibeah has a twisted moral compass; allowing the wicked men of his city to rape and abuse the Levite's concubine implies that he lacked a clear conscience.

2. Israelites Fight the Benjamites
In this passage, the Israelites respond to the Levite's grisly deliveries by gathering at Mizpah.  The Levite tells them of the demise of his concubine; they then demand that the Benjamites allow the men of Gibeah to be punished for their actions.  Yet the Benjamites refuse to hand over the men of Gibeah, and they mobilize against the rest of Israel.  The Israelites then go to Bethel and inquire of the Lord on two occasions as to whether they should attack the Benjamites.  In both instances the Lord seemingly allows Israel to attack their brethren, yet they are soundly defeated.  The Israelites then earnestly inquire of the Lord for a third time by weeping, fasting and offering sacrifices; He promises them that the Benjamites will be defeated, and they rout the Benjamites after setting an ambush for them near Gibeah.

Clearly the Israelites were spiritually distant from God at this time, as their desire to punish the men of Gibeah mushroomed into a desire to decimate the Benjamites.  The Benjamites were also spiritually distant from God at this time, as they would not hand over the men of Gibeah to be punished for their evil deeds.  On a side note, the Benjamites, though vastly outnumbered by the Israelites, fought valiantly by defeating them in two battles; yet that was small solace for the survivors after their tribe was crushed in a third engagement.

3. Wives for the Benjamites
In this passage, the Israelites realize that they have committed a grievous error in nearly decimating the Benjamites.  This stems from their taking an oath before the Lord at Mizpah that they would not give any of their daughters in marriage to the Benjamites.  The Benjamites are now on the verge of extinction, so the Israelites initially assist them by finding wives for the survivors among the virgins of Jabesh Gilead (the men of Jabesh Gilead did not join the Israelites in their battles with the Benjamites, so the Israelites sack their city while sparing all virgins).  Yet some of the Benjamites still lack wives, so the Israelites instruct them to go to Shiloh and seize wives for themselves among the girls who will dance in their annual festival of the Lord.

This passage concludes the rather unpleasant book of Judges.  Here, we are reminded of the spiritual poverty that characterized Israel at that time.  The Israelites took rash oaths, sacked one of their own cities (Jabesh Gilead), and sanctioned the kidnapping of innocent girls from Shiloh.  Perhaps the last verse of this passage sums up the book of Judges, "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit."  Hopefully the book of Ruth will provide some better examples of personal devotion to God...

Judges 16-18

1. Samson and Delilah
In this passage, Samson escapes from a trap that the people of Gaza have laid for him.  Later he falls in love with Delilah, who lives in the Valley of Sorek.  The Philistine leaders bribe Delilah quite handsomely so that she would convince Samson to reveal the secret of his superhuman strength.  Samson initially deceives her by pretending that he can lose his strength by:

• being tied with fresh thongs
• being tied with new ropes
• having his hair weaved into a loom.

Delilah is frustrated by these deceptions, and so she nags Samson until he reveals that he is a Nazirite.  Delilah seizes her opportunity and has Samson's head shaved. The Philistines then capture Samson and lead him to Gaza after gouging out his eyes.

Clearly Samson esteemed the pleasures that he enjoyed with Delilah more than his calling as a Nazirite.  If he had held to his calling as a Nazirite, he would have abandoned Delilah - especially in light of her persistent nagging.  Now I wonder if Samson discovered the Philistines who were hidden in his room after his initial deceptions of Delilah.  If so, did he dispose of them in short order, or did he spare them?

2. The Death of Samson
In this passage, the Philistines have a great celebration at the temple of their god, Dagon, after their capture of Samson; they offer sacrifices to Dagon and praise him. Samson is forced to entertain them at the celebration.  Samson then has a servant place his hands on both of the central pillars that support the temple.  After praying to God for the restoration of his superhuman strength, he shoves the pillars, causing the roof of the temple to collapse - killing himself along with a large number of Philistines.  In fact, it is noted that he killed more Philistines at that time than in all of his other engagements combined.  His family then retrieves his body and buries him in the tomb of his father, Manoah; it is noted that he judged Israel for 20 years.

Most likely the Philistines, including the servant who attended Samson, did not suspect that he could exploit the flaw in the design of their temple.  Now his actions in this case were rather horrifying, as it appears that there were no survivors; how many Philistines died at that time?  Perhaps the Philistines were sufficiently decimated so that Samson's family could come to Gaza and retrieve his body without encountering any resistance.  In any event, God clearly worked through this situation to show His supremacy over Dagon, a false god; the Philistines were engaging in idolatry, and so God worked through Samson to bring the full measure of His wrath on them.

3. Micah's Idols
In this passage, a man named Micah, who lives in the hill country of Ephraim, informs his mother that he took about 28 pounds of silver from her.  She had been concerned about the missing silver, and so she is so relieved that she consecrates her "silver to the Lord for my son to make a carved image and a cast idol."  The image and the idol are placed in Micah's house; he then makes an ephod along with some other idols, and he installs one of his sons as his priest.  Later a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah comes by Micah's house, and Micah convinces him to replace his son as his priest.  Micah remarks that the Lord will now bless him, since he has a Levite priest.

This is a rather bizarre story (on many levels) and it illustrates the utter spiritual poverty that characterized Israel at that time.  Here we have a woman in Ephraim who actually sets aside some of her silver to God so that they can be used to make a carved image and a cast idol.  She clearly lacked a proper understanding of 1) the concept of idolatry and 2) God's wrath toward idolaters, as exemplified by Samson's final act in Gaza.  We also have a man in Ephraim who has a personal shrine and a priest; moreover, he is so spiritually blind that he believes that God will bless him since a Levite is his priest.

4. Danites Settle in Laish
In this passage, the tribe of Dan sends spies into the hill country of Ephraim, since they have not claimed their inheritance in the Promised Land.  Their spies come by Micah's house, and his Levite priest states that God is blessing their journey.  The spies end up in Laish, and they discover that its residents are rather peaceful and unsuspecting.  After they make a report to the rest of their tribe, 600 warriors are sent to capture Laish.  Along the way they stop by Micah's house and convince his Levite priest to become the priest of their tribe.  Micah then rounds up some men to try to stop the Danites, but they are too strong for his small band.  The Danites attack and capture Laish; later, they engage in idolatry using Micah's idols.

This is also a rather bizarre story (on many levels).  Now we first read the story of Dan's capture of Laish in Joshua 19; thus, this passage reminds us of this tribe's failure to honor the Lord and accept his allocation for them in the Promised Land. Thus, the Levite priest displays his spiritual blindness in this case; he should have stated that the Lord was not blessing the Danites' military excursion since they were disobeying him.  In addition, Micah is still spiritually blind as he is determined to stop the Danites from seizing his idols and his priest.  He should have realized that he had been engaging in idolatry; thus, the loss of his idols and his priest was a blessing from God.

Judges 13-15

1. The Birth of Samson
In this passage, it is noted that the Lord allows Israel to be subdued by the Philistines for 40 years (due to their sinfulness).  The Lord then sends an angel to a Danite, Manoah, whose wife is sterile.  The angel tells Manoah's wife that she will give birth to a son who:

• is to be a Nazirite
• will begin delivering Israel from the Philistines.

When Manoah hears this news from his wife, he prays that the angel would visit them again to give them further child-rearing advice.  The angel does pay them a return visit; although he refuses Manoah's offer of food, he does accept a burnt offering which allows him to show his divine power. Manoah's wife later gives birth to a son, Samson.

It is neat to see God working through Manoah's prayer to bring glory to Himself.  Note that in verses 4 and 5, the angel had been fairly explicit in his instructions to Manoah's wife regarding Samson's upbringing.  Thus, God was essentially condescending to Manoah by allowing the angel to pay them a return visit.  Yet the angel worked through Manoah's lack of faith by:

• noting that his name is "wonderful" in verse 18
• rising to heaven in the flames from their burnt offering.

2. Samson's Marriage
In this passage, Samson goes to Timnah and falls in love with a Philistine woman.  Although his parents are unhappy with this move on his part, Samson will not waver in his resolve.  On two of his later visits to Timnah, he kills a young lion by the power of the Holy Spirit and eats honey from the lion's carcass, respectively.  Samson is then married; he presents a riddle to his Philistine groomsmen concerning the lion and the honey.  The groomsmen are unable to solve the riddle, so they threaten Samson's wife; after much cajoling, she convinces Samson to reveal the answer to the riddle.  Having lost a bet that is connected to the riddle, Samson then goes to Ashkelon and kills 30 Philistines, stripping them of their clothes and giving them to the groomsmen.

This is a mind-boggling testimony of Samson's God-given strength.  How did Samson take on a young lion and rip it apart with his bare hands?  Lions are strong enough to kill humans with one paw swipe, so Samson's strength is beyond my comprehension.  Also, how did Samson get away with killing 30 men in Ashkelon?  Ostensibly people in Ashkelon would have discovered the murdered men, yet there is no mention of the Philistines attempting to punish him for these murders.

3. Samson's Vengeance on the Philistines
In this passage, Samson's father-in-law gives his wife to his best man.  When Samson hears this news, he is enraged and captures 300 foxes; after tying torches to their tails, he allows them to burn up the Philistines' grain, vineyards and olive groves.  The Philistines retaliate by burning Samson's wife and father-in-law to death.  Samson then retaliates by killing many Philistines.  He later hides in a cave in the rock of Elam, and the Philistines prepare to capture him.  3000 men of Judah arrange for Samson's handover to the Philistines so that they can be at peace with the Philistines.  Yet when Samson is about to be captured, the Holy Spirit comes upon him and he is able to kill 1000 Philistines with a donkey's jawbone.

I recently skimmed through some notes that our pastor had scanned regarding the hardening of Pharoah's heart when Moses wanted him to free the Israelites.  Now the account of Samson is connected to that story in that God plays a nontrivial role in both passages.  Samson is clearly responsible for his actions in this story; he behaves rather selfishly and will not hesitate to retaliate against those who he feels have wronged him.  Yet God is glorified through Samson's actions as he brings Israel and the Philistines into a state of war, upsetting the status quo where Israel was subservient to the Philistines.  Clearly God is working through Samson's actions to punish the Philistines for their harsh treatment of Israel.