Judges 14:4 Meaning and Explanation
“But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Unknown to his parents, God was working through this marriage to create an occasion against the Philistines, who then ruled Israel.
What Does Judges 14:4 Mean?
The narrator pauses to let us see what the parents could not. Behind Samson's willful choice, the LORD was at work, seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines, who in those days held dominion over Israel. The human story and the divine purpose run together in the same events.
This is one of Scripture's clearest windows into providence. God does not approve every desire that drives a man, yet He can weave even a flawed choice into His deliverance of His people. The verse comforts without excusing: our missteps do not defeat God's saving plan. He who later turned a cross into salvation is able to bring rescue out of tangled human stories, working all things toward the good He intends.
Judges 14:4 in the Original Language
dominion (מָשַׁל) -- to rule or have mastery, here the Philistines' grip over Israel.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 14:4
What does Judges 14:4 mean?
Unknown to his parents, God was working through this marriage to create an occasion against the Philistines, who then ruled Israel.