Note again that the Spirit of God gave Samson his supernatural strength (v. 14). He slew 1,000 of the enemy (or one unit) on this occasion (v. 15). The unlikely instrument Samson used, a dead donkey's dentures, proved more than adequate for this slaughter (cf. 3:31).
The Hebrew words translated "donkey"and "heaps"constitute a word play. Samson loved riddles and rhymes. Moffatt rendered the first part of Samson's poem, "With the jawbone of an ass, I have piled them in a mass."Samson named the place where he defeated these Philistines "Jawbone Hill."273
Samson's prayer, his first in the text, reveals that he knew he was participating in holy war as God's deliverer (v. 18). He gave God the credit for his victory. The word translated "thou"or "you"is in the emphatic position in the Hebrew text. He cried out to the Lord for water after his strenuous fight.
God provided water for His servant in a very unusual way, and Samson's strength revived (v. 19; cf. Exod. 17:6; Num. 20:11). Samson named that place "Suppliant's Spring."
The summary statement that concludes the record of Samson's victories thus far (v. 20) separates his story into two parts. The writer recorded Samson's acts that gradually increased in severity and significance against the Philistines first. Samson continued to serve as Israel's judge for 20 years. Then the writer gave us the chain of events that followed in which Samson brought his own destruction on himself (ch. 16).
Chapter 15 contrasts Samson's radical commitment with Judah's wretched compromise. Samson's actions and motives were not always the best, but he carried out God's will. He treated the compromisers among whom he lived graciously since they were God's people. However, he alone did what God had called him to do when he defeated the Philistines. Today many Christians compromise with the world as the Judahites did. Samson's example encourages us to radical obedience even if we have to stand for God alone.
