Biblical Hebrew Forum

["K Randolph" <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Dear John:

On 8/14/07, JBarach AT aol.com <JBarach AT aol.com> wrote:
> B-Haverim --
>
> ....
> Samson then comes to the Philistines as the true Sphinx.  The  Philistines 
> in
> the Bible are descended from Egypt (Mizraim: Gen. 10), though  they're also
> Greek influenced before they arrive on the west coast of  Palestine.  
> Sphinxes
> show up in Egyptian and Greek literature as  riddle-telling lions.  Samson 
> has
> slain the lion and now he tells  riddles.  He is the true and greater 
> sphinx,
> out-sphinxing the Philistines  at their own riddle contest.
>

When looking at the word "riddle" XYDH outside of its use here, it
appears to refer to a didactic question, one that is to give a lesson.
Did the Philistines "get" the lesson? It appears that they did, albeit
imperfectly.

The lesson as I understand it, was "Don't mess with me." He had killed
the lion with his bare hands, no telling what else he could do.

What are the signs that the Philistines "got" the message?

First, when their fields were burned, who did the Philistines first go
after? Since when does an occupying nation, particularly an ancient
occupying nation, first go after one of their own who had wronged one
of the occupied, i.e. second class, citizens?

Then, when they went after Samson, they sent at least a thousand
soldiers, hoping that that would be enough. They didn't want to take a
chance that only a squad of 10 to 30 soldiers, who would normally be
enough given the fact that Israel was thoroughly cowed, would be
attacked and single-handedly annihilated by Samson. Events proved them
wrong.

> ....
> John
>
>
> %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
> John Barach   (541) 531-2906
> Pastor, Reformation Covenant Church (CREC)
> 706 Beekman Avenue
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> _http://barach.us_ (http://barach.us/)
> _http://rccso.com_ (http://rccso.com/)

As for all this interpretation that Samson was the Sphinx out riddling
the sphinx, I don't know about that. Did that enter into the equation?
Is there evidence other than this commentary?

Karl W. Randolph.