שופטים, פרק ט״ז, פסוק ל״א

The stormy life of Samson concludes by returning him to the very place it began. Following his tragic death among the Philistines, his family comes to retrieve his body, bringing him to his final resting place within his ancestral land [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He is buried in the tomb of his father, Manoah, who had been an older man at the time of Samson's birth and had passed away years prior [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The specific location of the burial holds deep symbolic meaning. Placed between the familiar towns of his youth, he is laid to rest in the exact spot where his greatness first blossomed and his leadership began [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

With his burial complete, the narrative provides a final summary, noting that Samson judged the Israelites for twenty years [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because this exact timeframe appears earlier in his story, commentators explore the reason for the repetition. One approach explains that the first mention marked the end of his successful victories, signaling the beginning of the downfall that would eventually lead to his death. Now, with his actual passing, the text provides the formal closing summary customary for every judge [רד״ק]. Another perspective views the repetition as a chronological detail, clarifying that the time Samson spent living in Philistine territory is still counted as part of his twenty years of leadership [רלב״ג].

A different approach offers a deeper understanding of his lasting impact. According to this view, the twenty years are stated twice to highlight the immense power of his deterrence. The Philistines remained terrified of Samson for twenty full years after his death, exactly as they had feared him throughout his twenty years of life [רד״ק].