שופטים, פרק י״ג, פסוק א׳

The familiar cycle of sin and punishment returns to shape the history of the Israelites. Their return to behavior that is wrong in the eyes of God brings about a long and difficult period of oppression under foreign rule. This harsh reality ultimately sets the stage for the rise of a new leader.

The historical timeline of this era centers on a forty-year period of Philistine dominance. The primary approach among commentators links these years of hardship directly to the time of Samson's leadership [רד״ק]. However, there are different perspectives on exactly when this specific timeframe begins and ends. One view suggests that the formal count of these forty years started around the beginning of Samson's rule, even though the actual pressure and harassment from the Philistines had already begun much earlier during the days of Jephthah and the judges who came before him [רלב״ג]. Another perspective takes a broader view of the timeline, suggesting that the period of oppression started before Samson even appeared, lasted throughout his entire life, and finally came to an end only at the beginning of the days of Eli the Priest [מצודת דוד].