John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. And Samson went down to Timnath , etc.] A city which by lot fell to the tribe of Judah, but was afterwards given to the tribe of Dan, and now in the hands of the Philistines, ( Joshua 15:57 19:43). Judah is said to go up to it, because the place where he lived lay below it, ( Genesis 38:13), but Samson is said to go down to it, because he lived above it. The Jews differ about the reconciliation of these two places; some say there were two of this name, the one is a descent, and the other is an ascent; others say there was but one, so situated, that they that came to it on one side ascended, and they that came to it on the other side descended. Bochart f276 approves of the former. According to Bunting f277 , this was twelve miles from Eshtaol, where Samson lived: and saw a woman in Timnath, of the daughters of the Philistines ; who at this time dwelt there; he saw no doubt many other women besides her, but he took special notice of her, and entertained a particular affection for her; or, in other words, on sight of her fell in love with her.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - As far as Samson's marriage was a common case, it was weak and foolis of him to set his affections upon a daughter of the Philistines. Shal one, not only an Israelite, but a Nazarite, devoted to the Lord, cove to become one with a worshipper of Dagon? It does not appear that he had any reason to think her wise or virtuous, or any way likely to be help meet for him; but he saw something in her agreeable to his fancy He that, in the choice of a wife, is only guided by his eye, an governed by his fancy, must afterwards thank himself if he find Philistine in his arms. Yet it was well done not to proceed till Samso had made his parents acquainted with the matter. Children ought not to marry, nor to move towards it, without the advice and consent of their parents. Samson's parents did well to dissuade him from yoking himsel unequally with unbelievers. It seems that it pleased God to leav Samson to follow his own inclinations, intending to bring out good from his conduct; and his parents consented, because he was bent upon it However, his example is not recorded for us to do likewise.
Original Hebrew וירד3381 שׁמשׁון8123 תמנתה8553 וירא7200 אשׁה802 בתמנתה8553 מבנות1323 פלשׁתים׃6430
