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Samson was obliged to give what
he promised to the men who found out the riddle. But how did he get
the garments and the sheets? He went down to Ashkelon, and killed
thirty men of the Philistines, and took from them what he wanted to give
to the men who told the riddle. Soon after, Samson's wife was taken
away from him, and then Samson began to be very angry with the
Philistines. He caught 300 foxes, and tied firebrands at their
tails, and drove them into the corn fields belonging to the Philistines;
and all the corn, and vineyards, and olives, were burnt. Then the
Philistines asked, "Who did this?" The people said,
"Samson did it, because his wife has been taken away;" and the
Philistines went, and burnt Samson's wife and her father with fire.
Then Samson was still more angry, and he killed a great number of the
Philistines, and then went to the top of a rock, and lived there. The
Philistines now went to fight against Judah, and they said they must have
Samson, and bind him, and take him prisoner. The people of Judah
were frightened, and they went up to Samson, and said, "We are come
to bind thee; we will not kill thee; but we will give thee into the hands
of the Philistines." Then they bound him with two new ropes,
and led him away. But God gave Samson strength to break the ropes,
and he soon escaped, and took up the jawbone of an ass, which he found on
the way, and with it killed 1000 men of the Philistines. After
the slaughter, Samson was very thirsty, and he cried to God, and thanked
Him for deliverance, and asked for water, that he might not die of
thirst. It was right of Samson to go to God in his troubles.
We ought always to tell Him when we are in want, and ask Him to give us
what is right. God heard Samson's prayer. He caused water to
spring up like a well, and Samson drank, and became strong again. God
raised up Samson to deliver his country from the Philistines, and He gave
him great strength, and boldness, and courage to do it. Samson was
not so meek, and gentle, and kind, as many people of whom we read in the
Bible. He was not like Abraham, nor Moses; sometimes he was
revengeful and passionate; but we may hope, that Samson was a true servant
of God, and that he trusted in Him for strength to fight against his
enemies.
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