提要
本章記載的幾個事件證明參孫並沒有遵守拿細耳人的規矩。他不只身強體健，意志也很頑強。可悲的是，他的意志經常與上帝的旨意相左。參孫有一個明顯的弱點，就是他喜歡非利士女子，這給他帶來許多麻煩。不過上帝仍利用參孫的錯誤和他後來不同凡響的作為審判壓迫以色列人的非利士人，證明了以色列的上帝有能力拯救祂的百姓。
導致信徒誤入歧途的第一步通常是妥協。參孫下到他不應該去的亭拿城，那是一個非利士人的城鎮，距他的家鄉瑣拉約七公里。參孫在那裡看上了一個女子，但他的欲望違背了上帝的律法；上帝的律法禁止以色列人，更別說拿細耳人，娶或嫁任何迦南地的外邦人（申7：3~4）。
參孫的父母親試著阻止他娶外邦女子，但固執的參孫心意已定，無法勸服。雖然參孫的行動是有罪、悖逆的，但聖經作者指出，上帝將藉用這個事件使參孫攻擊非利士人（4節）。或許參孫並不熱心，因此感覺不出非利士人事實上是他的敵人；他應該與非利士人爭戰，而不是與他們結親、歡宴。不過，藉著參孫結婚過程所發生的種種事件，上帝終於使參孫看清，非利士人是他要毀滅的敵人，因為非利士人立足迦南地有違上帝的旨意。
參孫不是一個持續被聖靈充滿的人，上帝的靈只有在緊急情況，當參孫需要超自然能力時才臨到他身上（14：6、9；15：14）。不過，在那些事件中，參孫都玷污了自己。他從死獅之內所取的蜂蜜是不潔淨的，因那來自死屍；他所奪的衣裳也是從死人身上來的；他用來擊殺非利士人的驢腮骨更屬不潔淨的動物。雖然參孫沒有遵行上帝的道，也不忠於拿細耳人之誓，上帝仍然信實的幫助參孫，使祂的名得著榮耀，也使祂攻擊非利士人的計畫得以實現。我們不禁要想，如果參孫完全順服上帝，他一定能更加有效的實現上帝的旨意和計畫。
喜筵的事件令參孫十分惱怒，但當他的怒氣消退，他就返回岳家準備與新娘完婚（15：1）。當參孫發現他的新娘已經被許配給別人，他一怒之下便放火燒了非利士人的禾稼。此舉非常嚴重，點燃了雙方的戰火。當非利士人兵臨猶大，猶大人別無選擇的將參孫交給他們。膽小的猶大人甘願屈服於非利士人的控制之下而不願幫助參孫。多麼可悲的光景啊！他們曾受上帝的委派，要將迦南地的外邦驅逐盡淨（1：2），但在這裡我們看到，猶大人對上帝不再有信心，也不相信上帝能拯救他們。不過，至少參孫還有信心和勇氣爭戰。上帝的靈降在參孫身上，於是參孫以他的大能，靠上帝的幫助，為上帝贏得勝利。以色列人難道仍不明瞭他們的上帝是全能的嗎？
上帝似乎是用所有這些經歷來教導參孫。參孫也似乎終於開始瞭解他是上帝使用來為祂爭戰的，並且，勝利不是憑他自己的力量，乃是上帝賜給他的。參孫的覺悟可以很明顯的從他疲乏求水得知：「你既藉僕人的手施行這麼大的拯救」（15：18）。不過，參孫還有很多功課要學習的呢！
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Overview
Several incidents recorded in these chapters prove that Samson did not follow the strict regulation of a Nazirite as his parents had raised him. He was not only strong in body but had a strong will as well. Sadly, his will was often contrary to the will of God. An evident weakness of Samson was his desire for Philistine women; this led him into many problems. God, however, used Samson’s mistakes and the mighty deeds, which followed, as a source of judgment upon the Philistines who were oppressing and ruling over the Israelites; it would also prove that He, the God of Israel, was still capable of delivering His people.
Usually, the first step that leads a believer down the wrong path is compromise. Samson went where he should not have been, down to Timanath, a Philistine town in the valley about seven kilometers west of his home in Zorah. He saw a girl he desired, but such desire was contrary to the Law of God; Israelites, not to mention Nazirites, were forbidden in God’s Law to marry any heathen from the land (Deut.7:3-4).
His parents tried to stop him, but Samson had stubbornly made up his mid and could not be dissuaded. Though his action was sinful and rebellious, the biblical writer notes that God would use this as an occasion for Samson to move against the Philistine (v.4). Possibly were really his enemies; he was to wage war rather than love and feast with them. However, through all the incidents that resulted from his wedding plans, God caused Samson to finally see them as the enemy he was to destroy, for their presence in the land was against His will.
Samson was not continually Spirit-filled. Rather, the Spirit of the Lord would come upon him only at times of crisis, when he needed supernatural strength (14:6, 19; 15:14). Each of those instances, however, led to Samson’s defilement. The honey he took from the lion was unclean because it came from a carcass. The garments he stole also came from dead men, and the jawbone he used was from an unclean dead animal. Even though he was not walking in the ways of the Lord nor adhering to the Nazirite vow, the Lord was still faithful in helping Samson so that glory might come to His Name and that His purpose against the Philistines would be fulfilled. It makes one wonder how much more effective Samson could have been in fulfilling God’s plan and purpose if he had been fully obedient to God.
Samson was greatly angered by the events at the weddings feast, yet when his anger subsided, he returned to his bride’s house to consummate the marriage (15:1). Upon discovering she had been given to another, he became more angry and retaliated against the Philistines in general by burning their crops. Now this was very serous and meant war! When the Plilistines came with an army to the men of Judah, they thought they had no choice but to hand Samson over to them. These cowardly men of Judah were content to remain under Philistine control and not help Samson. What a tragic condition! They had once been commissioned by God to drive out and destroy the heathen in the land (1:2), yet here we see they no longer had faith in fight. God’s Spirit came upon him and by himself, with God’s help, won the victory for the Lord. Did the people of Israel still not understand that their God was able?
It appears that the Lord used all these experiences to teach Samson. It seems he finally began to understand that he was used by God to fight for Him and that it was not his own strength, but the Lord had given him the victory: This is evident when he was exhausted and called upon the Lord for water: “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant” (15:18). Samson, however, still had much to learn.
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