Judges 14:1 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Bible Comments

To Timnath. — This town, of which the site still retains the name Tibneh, is perhaps the same as that in Genesis 38:12, unless that be a town in the mountains of Judah, as Judah is there said to have “gone up” not as here, “down” to it. In Joshua 15:10 it is assigned to Judah, but appears to have been afterwards ceded to Dan (Joshua 19:45). The name means “a portion,” and is found also in Timnath-serah, where Joshua was buried (Joshua 24:30).

Of the daughters of the Philistines. — This was against the spirit of the law, which forbad intermarriages with Canaanites (Exodus 34:16; Deuteronomy 7:3-4). The sequel showed the wisdom of the law (2 Corinthians 6:14).

Judges 14:1

1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.