John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her , etc.] Not only thought so, but said so, and had said it over and over again; for the words are, “saying I said” f299 , affirmed it confidently and constantly, that “in hating thou hast hated her” f300 , with an implacable hatred, that there was no hope of any reconciliation: therefore I gave her to thy companion ; this he said to excuse his daughter, and soften his resentment, that it was not his daughter’s doing, but his, and that he had disposed of her not to anybody, but to a companion of Samson’s; and what follows seems to be said with the same view, for he might be in some fear of Samson, knowing him to be a man of spirit and strength: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her ; that is, to wife; and two things he observes to recommend her, her youth and beauty, in which she was preferable to her sister. Such incestuous marriages were common with the old Canaanites, and it seems still continued; but were condemned by the law of God, and not allowed an Israelite, which Samson knew full well, and therefore listened not to the proposal; (see Leviticus 18:3,18).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - When there are differences between relations, let those be reckoned the wisest and best, who are most forward to forgive or forget, and mos willing to stoop and yield for the sake of peace. In the means whic Samson employed, we must look at the power of God supplying them, an making them successful, to mortify the pride and punish the wickednes of the Philistines. The Philistines threatened Samson's wife that the would burn her and her father's house. She, to save herself and oblig her countrymen, betrayed her husband; and the very thing that sh feared, and by sin sought to avoid, came upon her! She, and he father's house, were burnt with fire, and by her countrymen, whom sh thought to oblige by the wrong she did to her husband. The mischief we seek to escape by any unlawful practices, we often pull down upon ou own heads.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 אביה1 אמר559 אמרתי559 כי3588 שׂנא8130 שׂנאתה8130 ואתננה5414 למרעך4828 הלא3808 אחתה269 הקטנה6996 טובה2896 ממנה4480 תהי1961 נא4994 לך תחתיה׃8478
