שופטים, פרק ט״ו, פסוק ב׳

When a deep betrayal occurs within a family, the guilty party often scrambles to justify their actions and offer hollow solutions. Samson's father-in-law finds himself in exactly this position, desperately trying to appease his son-in-law after giving Samson's wife away to another man. His defense is a mix of past excuses and future promises, all aimed at downplaying the severity of his betrayal.

The father insists he did not make this drastic decision alone. He consulted with wise peers, and they reached a mutual conclusion. They believed Samson was entirely justified in his anger toward his wife, as she had betrayed his trust by revealing his secret riddle to others. Because of this deep breach of trust, the father and his advisors assumed Samson's rage would be permanent and that he would never return to her [מצודת דוד, חומת אנך]. Acting on this assumption, the father gave her away to one of Samson's own groomsmen [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This elaborate explanation is a calculated attempt to minimize the father's personal guilt and frame his actions as a logical response to the situation [חומת אנך].

To compensate for the offense, the father proposes an alternative, suggesting Samson take the younger sister instead because she is better than the first. Commentators offer different perspectives on what makes the younger sister superior. Some suggest she is simply more beautiful and accomplished than her older sibling [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Others view this as a statement about her character and loyalty. While the older sister proved unfaithful by turning her attention to other men, the younger sister would remain fiercely loyal and devoted exclusively to Samson [מלבי״ם]. Therefore, the father offers her as a direct replacement [מצודת ציון].

Despite these attempts at appeasement, the apology falls flat. Samson refuses to accept the excuse and unleashes a harsh revenge against the Philistines. The injustice committed by his father-in-law was so clear that eventually, even the Philistines themselves recognized that Samson's violent retaliation was completely justified [רלב״ג].