Pastor Andrew Russell preaches on Judges 14:1-20. Samson was a man that did unusual things. He wanted a woman that was a Philistine as his wife. There was a law that Israel’s people must not marry people from other nations. Usually parents arranged marriages. Samson caused his parents a shock when he wanted to marry a ‘dirty’ person. (They considered the Philistines as if they were ‘dirty’. This was because the Philistines were ‘uncircumcised.) Samson did not obey his parents’ wishes. The marriage was a different type from what was usual. In this case, the bride remained with her own family. The husband came as a guest and he brought presents. (Look at Judges 15:1-2.) The children would belong to the mother’s family. The writer does not describe the woman that Samson wanted to marry as a virgin. Perhaps she was a widow or perhaps she had had a divorce. The writer shows that God even uses people’s failures in order to perform his plans.

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