שופטים, פרק ט״ו, פסוק ז׳

Samson's reaction to the brutal murder of his wife and father-in-law by the Philistines reveals a complex view of justice and the cycle of revenge. His response serves as a strong accusation against his enemies' moral and legal failures rather than a simple threat.

The commentators explore the underlying message of Samson's rebuke. One perspective suggests that he addresses the root of the conflict, questioning whether it is an accepted practice among the Philistines to simply give one man's wife to another [רש״י]. Another approach reads his response as a critique of how and when the Philistines chose to administer justice. Had they punished his father-in-law immediately for taking his wife, their actions might have been considered proper. However, because they ignored the initial crime and only carried out a punishment after Samson took matters into his own hands, their delayed justice is unacceptable, driving him to strike them again [רד״ק].

The situation also highlights a severe escalation of violence. Initially, Samson limited his retaliation to destroying property. Yet, when the Philistines responded by executing his wife and her father in a cruel attempt to quiet his anger, they established a new, deadly standard. Samson declares that he will now adopt their rules of engagement and demand human lives just as they did [מלבי״ם]. By choosing to inflict more harm instead of letting the conflict end after the first act of revenge, the Philistines force him to return evil for evil [רלב״ג].

Despite his anger, Samson establishes a strict boundary for his retaliation. He makes it clear that the Philistines will not escape the consequences of burning his wife [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. At the same time, he does not declare a state of endless war. He commits to carrying out one final campaign of revenge, promising that once the score is settled, he will stop his attacks against them and walk away [מצודת דוד].