Capturing Samson

Judges 16 shares the story of the Philistines trying to trap and capture Samson. The story sounds like an action movie today.
Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her. 2 When it was told to the Gazites, saying, "Samson has come here," they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city. And they kept silent all night, saying, "Let us wait until the morning light, then we will kill him." 3 Now Samson lay until midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts and pulled them up along with the bars; then he put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain which is opposite Hebron.

Can't you just see the story unfolding. His enemies were watching for a chance to capture and probably kill Samson. At lest they wanted to imprison him as they did at the end of his life. He had been a thorn in their sides for 20 years. (15:20)

So when he walked into Gaza, one of their own cities the time seemed opportune to spring their trap. Verse 2 almost sounds incredulous. "He is HERE." So they laid an ambush, waiting for him to walk out at daylight. "We will kill him."

Samson did not wait for light, however. He walked out at midnight. No sweat. Right? They probably had a spy watching, just to make sure that he did not sneak away. "We will just grab him as soon as he clears the gates."

This is hard to read without bursting out in wild guffaws. Just as calm as you please, he "took hold of the doors, and the two gate posts, and the bars...." The gates were 8 or 10 feet tall or more and several inches thick. If you have any experience with fences, you know that the posts are big and strong to hold the gates as they swing. They are buried deeply in the ground. Often the bar was a heavy beam designed to withstand a battering if enemies attempted to force the gates open. Most were so heavy that two or more men were required to lift them into place.

Samson picked up the gates, the posts, all of the hardware and carried them out of the city. The mountain Hebron is about 37 miles away. Some commentators surmise that the wording implied that the "mountain" was a smaller one in the area, but in the direction of Hebron.

Regardless of how you interpret that, it is an interesting feat of strength. (Ya think?) Let's listen in as the Philistines are lying in wait. "Here he comes! Get ready!"

And then Samson walks out–carrying the gates on his back. "Uh, what is that? My light is a little weak. What do you see?"

The word raced through the assembled assassins. "Maaayyybbbeee we ought to wait until he puts that down."

"Yeah. Great idea. Let's wait a minute. He will probably get tired and be easier to overcome."

Regardless of where the mountain was, no one left their places. And when the morning dawned, I surmise that Samson was not the only one who was gone.

What an interesting vignette. It would be a lot more inspiring had we not been given the perspective of verse 1. But the Bible does not pull any punches, even for His servants. That is why the story is so believable. The Lord takes ordinary dudes and dudesses and uses them to carry out His plans. And He provides the strength to do it.

Anyone up for a 40 mile stroll?