Samson’s response shows that God can begin deliverance even through one man’s personal motives.
Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.” (Judges 15:11). This scene unfolds in the ancient tribal territory of Judah, which lay south of Jerusalem’s hill country. The men of Judah are alarmed by the trouble Samson’s actions have stirred with the Philistines—an oppressive sea-faring people who frequently warred against the Israelites and held dominion over them. Their question to Samson—“Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us?”—reveals their fear and resigned acceptance of foreign rule. In response, Samson’s statement, “As they did to me, so I have done to them,” reflects his personal sense of retaliation, showing he feels justified in fighting back against the oppression of the Philistines.
By this point in history (ca. 11th century BC), the Israelites were caught in a recurring cycle of disobedience, oppression, and cries for deliverance during the time of the judges (Judges 2:11-19). Samson was chosen by God to be a judge—a deliverer—for Israel. However, his strategy and personality are strikingly individualistic: he responds to the enemy with spectacular feats of strength, motivated at times by personal grudges rather than purely nationalistic concern. Despite his flaws, Samson’s actions serve God’s larger purpose to stir Israel against the Philistine oppression.
Samson’s fellow Israelites are torn between fear of their oppressors and the possibility of throwing off their yoke. The men of Judah confront Samson, doubting that victory could come through one man’s vengeance. Yet God often uses imperfect people in unexpected ways to begin liberating His covenant people. This verse highlights the tension between Israel’s yearning for freedom and their submission to foreign domination, setting the stage for Samson’s increasing conflict with the Philistines.
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Judges 15:11 meaning
Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.” (Judges 15:11). This scene unfolds in the ancient tribal territory of Judah, which lay south of Jerusalem’s hill country. The men of Judah are alarmed by the trouble Samson’s actions have stirred with the Philistines—an oppressive sea-faring people who frequently warred against the Israelites and held dominion over them. Their question to Samson—“Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us?”—reveals their fear and resigned acceptance of foreign rule. In response, Samson’s statement, “As they did to me, so I have done to them,” reflects his personal sense of retaliation, showing he feels justified in fighting back against the oppression of the Philistines.
By this point in history (ca. 11th century BC), the Israelites were caught in a recurring cycle of disobedience, oppression, and cries for deliverance during the time of the judges (Judges 2:11-19). Samson was chosen by God to be a judge—a deliverer—for Israel. However, his strategy and personality are strikingly individualistic: he responds to the enemy with spectacular feats of strength, motivated at times by personal grudges rather than purely nationalistic concern. Despite his flaws, Samson’s actions serve God’s larger purpose to stir Israel against the Philistine oppression.
Samson’s fellow Israelites are torn between fear of their oppressors and the possibility of throwing off their yoke. The men of Judah confront Samson, doubting that victory could come through one man’s vengeance. Yet God often uses imperfect people in unexpected ways to begin liberating His covenant people. This verse highlights the tension between Israel’s yearning for freedom and their submission to foreign domination, setting the stage for Samson’s increasing conflict with the Philistines.