Judges 14:7

And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) Talked with the woman.—His father and mother seem to have preceded him, and made the betrothal arrangements; otherwise he would not have been allowed by Eastern custom to talk with her. It cannot mean “talked about the woman,” as Rosenmüller says.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

14:5-9 By enabling him to kill a lion, God let Samson know what he could do in the strength of the Spirit of the Lord, that he might never be afraid to look the greatest difficulties in the face. He was alone in the vineyards, whither he had rambled. Young people consider not how they exposed themselves to the roaring lion that seeks to devour, when they wander from their prudent, pious parents. Nor do men consider what lions lurk in the vineyards, the vineyards of red wines. Our Lord Jesus having conquered Satan, that roaring lion, believers, like Samson, find honey in the carcass abundant strength and satisfaction, enough for themselves, and for all their friends.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

His father and mother very properly opposed Samson's marriage with a Pagan woman, the daughter of the oppressors of his race. But they could not prevail, because it was the secret purpose of God by these means to "seek occasion" against the Philistines; i. e. to make the misconduct of the father of Samson's wife, which He foresaw, the occasion of destruction to the Philistines. Compare the marginal references for similar statements.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

7. he went down, and talked with the woman—The social intercourse between the youth of different sexes is extremely rare and limited in the East, and generally so after they are betrothed.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he went down, and talked with the woman,.... Entered into a conversation with her, that he might the better judge of her other qualifications, besides that of outward form and beauty, whether she would be a suitable yoke fellow for him; and he talked with her about marriage, and proposed it to her, or talked about her to her father and near relations; and, as the Targum expresses it, asked the woman, not only asked of her consent, but demanded her of her friends: it may refer, as Abarbinel observes, to his father, that he went down and talked with the woman and with her relations about her, concerning the affair of his son's marriage with her:

and she pleased Samson well; he liked her conversation as well as her person, and the more he conversed with her, the more agreeable she was to him, and the more desirous he was to marry her. Though some observe from hence, that she did not please the father of Samson as himself; so Abarbinel.

Geneva Study Bible

And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. Samson acts on his own account; the parents remain at home, and take no part in the arrangements.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - Went down, as in ver. 1, where see note. Judges 14:7

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

When he came to Timnath he talked with the girl, and she pleased him. He had only seen her before (Judges 14:1); but now that his parents had asked for her, he talked with her, and found the first impression that he had received of her fully confirmed.