Judges 14: Betrayal

"The Spirit of the Lord took control of him, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed 30 of their men.  He stripped them and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle.  In a rage, Samson returned to his father's house."

Judges 14:19

Samson was preparing to marry a Philistine woman, and he gave the Philistine men a riddle.  There were 30 men, so he offered 30 changes of clothes as the ante for the riddle.  If they could answer it in seven days, he would give them 30 garments, but he would expect them to give him the same if they could not answer it.

The men couldn't understand the riddle, so they threatened the woman Samson was to wed.  She begged, pleaded, and nagged Samson to give her the answer, which she promptly gave to the 30 men with her.  When they answered it correctly, Samson responded in a fit of rage, with quite an interesting analysis of the betrayal:

"If you hadn't plowed with my young cow, you wouldn't know my riddle now."

Judges 14:18b

Question of the Day:

Does the Philistine woman's betrayal seem better when you understand that her life was at stake?  Do you think that anything, even the threat of death, is worth betraying your spouse (or soon-to-be in this case)?  The Lord doesn't think it's okay.  He overtook Samson and slaughtered 30 men to get vengeance for this betrayal, and then gave the woman to one of the Philistines instead of taking her for Samson.

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, give me the strength to stand for what is right, no matter the cost or the threat.  Help me to remember Your loving faithfulness, Your promise of safety and eternal life.  Give me the faith to stand by You and Your Word, even in the face of seemingly inevitable death.  Give me the integrity to stand by my friends and family, and my fellow believers, in the same way.  Amen.