In the Samson cycle, three Philistine women play an important role. Samson marries a Philistine woman, has an affair with a Philistine harlot, and loves another Philistine, Delilah. All this was in contrast to God’s law. Though he does inflict casualties on the Philistines, he does not deliver Israel from their oppression. In fact, Samson never led the Israelites in battle.128 Samson serves as a microcosm of Israel for its respective failures to fulfill their obligations to Yahweh. Just as he repeatedly neglects his Nazirite obligations to YHWH by engaging in impure acts and relations with
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