Judges 14:19

Samson receives a divine empowerment in these words: *“Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of them and took their spoil and gave the changes of clothes to those who told the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house.”* (v.19). This dramatic moment underscores that Samson’s strength does not come from his own abilities, but rather from the Spirit of the LORD moving through him. Historically, Samson served as a judge of Israel around the late 11th century BC, during the time before Israel had a king. When Scripture describes the Spirit coming upon him, it highlights a unique empowerment God often granted Judges to rescue His people (see also Judges 3:10 NASB-95).

The verse also mentions the city of Ashkelon, located in the southwestern coastal region of ancient Canaan (modern-day Israel) near the Mediterranean Sea. In those days, Ashkelon belonged to the Philistines, a group frequently at odds with the Israelites. The text recounts how Samson kills thirty men and appropriates their belongings to satisfy the wager from his earlier riddle (Judges 14:12-13 NASB-95). Though victorious, Samson is driven by anger, indicating that his actions—while enabled by the Spirit—were also fueled by personal grievance and a demand for justice on his own terms.

Samson’s subsequent retreat to his father’s house suggests a tumultuous relationship with both the Philistine city and his own destiny as a judge of Israel. While God used Samson’s gifts to confront Israel’s enemies, Samson’s anger reminds us that humanity’s flaws remain even in moments of divine empowerment. This balance points forward in Scripture to the ultimate hope for complete redemption through Christ, whose power transforms hearts and tempers righteous zeal with love (John 15:12 NASB-95).

Samson’s anger and triumphant strength illustrate the complexity of divinely bestowed power and the responsibility that accompanies it.