שופטים, פרק ט״ו, פסוק י״ב

A tense standoff unfolds between an oppressed nation and their greatest defender. Driven by fear and intense pressure, the men of Judah find themselves forced to hand over their hero to the ruling enemy power. They explain that the Philistines have issued a strict decree demanding that he be tied up and delivered to them [מצודת דוד]. Because he has been specifically singled out to receive the death penalty under Philistine royal law [מלבי״ם], the men of Judah feel entirely cornered. Terrified of the Philistine forces camped nearby, they believe they have no choice but to comply and surrender him, reasoning that he will simply have to argue his own defense before the Philistine court [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

On the other side of the conflict, Samson faces a painful dilemma: how to navigate this betrayal without sparking a violent clash with his own brothers. He agrees to give himself up, but he insists on one clear condition. He demands a solemn oath that his fellow Israelites will only tie him up and go no further [מצודת דוד]. His concern here is not about suffering a minor injury, but rather that his captors might attempt to deal him a fatal blow [מצודת ציון].

The request for this oath reveals his true motive. Even though he possesses the physical strength to easily overpower all the men standing before him, he deeply wishes to avoid hurting his own people. He fears that if they try to kill him themselves, he will be forced to fight back in self-defense, which would inevitably result in him harming his own brothers [ביאור שטיינזלץ].