Judges 14 · a question people ask
"It was of the LORD" (14:4). How could the LORD be at work in Samson's choice of a Philistine wife?
The verse says his parents "didn’t know that it was of the LORD; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines" (14:4), and it gives the setting: "Now at that time the Philistines ruled over Israel" (14:4). The angel had said Samson "shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines" (13:5). His parents had objected: "Isn’t there a woman among your brothers’ daughters, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?" (14:3). The verse doesn't name the "he" who "sought an occasion"; the last one named before it is the LORD. Christians read 14:4 in two main ways. Both agree on what it says: it was of the LORD, an occasion was being sought against the Philistines who ruled Israel, and Samson's parents didn't know it.
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
The LORD worked through a choice he didn't approve
Those who hold this view read "it was of the LORD" as the LORD using Samson's choice for his own purpose, without saying the choice was right. They note his parents' objection (14:3) and Samson's reason, "she pleases me well" (14:3), which in Hebrew is right in my eyes, close to the words the book ends with: "Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes" (21:25). And they read it beside other places where God works through what people plan: "you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20), and "A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps" (Proverbs 16:9).
Judges 14:3 · Judges 21:25 · Genesis 50:20 · Proverbs 16:9
The LORD was turning Samson toward his work
Those who hold this view read "it was of the LORD" as including the desire itself: the LORD was turning Samson toward the Philistines, whom he had been born to begin to save Israel from (13:5). They note that the verse just before this chapter says, "The LORD’s Spirit began to move him" (13:25), that the LORD's Spirit comes on him on the road to Timnah (14:6), and that the narrator adds no word against the marriage itself. They read it beside "The king’s heart is in the LORD’s hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires" (Proverbs 21:1).
Judges 13:5 · Judges 13:25 · Judges 14:6 · Proverbs 21:1
The verses
“Then his father and his mother said to him, “Isn’t there a woman among your brothers’ daughters, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?” Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.” But his father and his mother didn’t know that it was of the LORD; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.”
“for, behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son. No razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb. He shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.””