My next question is about
Judges 15:4-8:
Hmmm. Okay, so, first of all, how does one catch 300 foxes? Also, I don't know what the Hebrew text at Judges 15:4 says, however, the above NIV version says that the foxes' tails were tied together. However, many English translations including
Young's Literal Translation, says that torches were tied to the foxes' tails, which would make a bit more sense. Because if their tails were tied together and lit on fire, I don't see how the foxes could have lasted through that and have accomplished Samson's purpose. But even if torches were used, I think that it was still was cruel and to me, a form of animal abuse.
First, if I may, a good Jewish translation is available on the Chabad website. It's a massive website. The easiest way to locate a book from Tanach is to use google and search this way: "Chabad Judges Chapter#" For example, this episode can be found by searching for : "Chabad Judges 15". You may run into a tiny speedbump, because the name of the book will show up in its Hebrew equivilent. In this case, Judges in Hebrew is Shoftim. Learning these Hebrew titles is not too difficult. Wikipedia certainly has it. Looking up the entry on the book of Judges, or Isaiah, or Deuteronomy, whatever, should provide the Hebrew name of the book.
Now on to your questions. To answer these, I'm going to refer to a commentary called the Me'am Lo'ez, see here: (
link ) It's an old favorite among Sephardic Jews. It covers a tremendous amount of material, and is my go-to commentary because it always seems to have an answer regardless of the question.
"first of all, how does one catch 300 foxes?"
"Some say Sampson chased the foxes and caught them with his bare hands. This was another of his amazing feats of strength. But even if he trapped them, as others say, it was no mean accomplishment"
( Note: I'm not sure what is intended by "mean" accomplishment. I think it's "no meager accomplishment" )
"It does not say here that the spirit of God came upon him. That might mean that he accomplished this without divine aid and without the use of superhuman strength. On the other hand, the reason may simply be that by now it was self-understood, and could be assumed without being mentioned. The extra strength that God gave Samson was stated often enough in previous incidents so that it could be omitted this time.
It may also be that the divine strength that God granted Samson when he had to face those special challenges did not suddenly disappear as soon as they were over. It remained with him, perhaps weakening and fading as time went on, but never disappearing completely. It is therefore only mentioned when it first entered into him or was renewed."
"Also, I don't know what the Hebrew text at Judges 15:4 says, however, the above NIV version says that the foxes' tails were tied together. However, many English translations including
Young's Literal Translation, says that torches were tied to the foxes' tails, which would make a bit more sense. Because if their tails were tied together and lit on fire, I don't see how the foxes could have lasted through that and have accomplished Samson's purpose."
The Chabad website which use the Judaica Press translation has it this way:
"
4 And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned tail to tail, and put one torch between (every) two tails in the middle.
The Me'am Lo'ez has it this way:
"Samson went and caught 300 foxes. He took torches and turned one tail toward another, and put a torch between the two tails in the middle. He set the torches on fire, and let them go in the standing grain of the Philistines."
The Da'ath Sofrim ( see here:
link ) has it this way:
"Samson went and caught 300 foxes. he turned them tail to tail, took torches, and put one torch between each pair of tails. Then he lit the torches ond set [ the foxes ] loose n the Philistines' standing grain"
Robert Alter ( see here:
link ) has it this way:
"And Samson went and caught 300 foxes and took torches and turned tail to tail and put one torch between each two tails. And he set fire to the torches and sent them in to the Philistines' standing grain"
So, no, it does not look like the Hebrew is saying that the tails were tied together. The word here is "
וַיֶּ֤פֶן" which seems to be a derivative of "
Jastrow, פְּנֵי I 1.
Tied is a different word,
Jastrow, אֱסוּר See 2 Kings 7:10
ויבאו ויקראו אל־שער העיר ויגידו להם לאמר באנו אל־מחנה ארם והנה אין־שם איש וקול אדם כי אם־הסוס
אסור והחמור
אסור ואהלים כאשר־המה׃
And they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city; and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Arameans, and, behold, there was no man there, nor voice of man, but horses
tied, and asses
tied, and the tents as they were.
"if torches were used, I think that it was still was cruel and to me, a form of animal abuse."
Well. That's a very good point, and thank you for raising it. I'm not seeing anything in the commentary addressing this point. But the Me'am Lo'ez does discuss why foxes, and perhaps that will be helpful.
"Samson chose foxes to punish the Philistines, because when a fox is threatened he turns around and runs away. When he is chased he constantly changes his direction to try to trick his pursuers. The Philistines were sly and devious like foxes. The youths who had been chosen to be his companions betrayed him and tried to rob him. His father in law had taken away the daughter he had promised him and tried to give him another.
But how can you punish with a fox? A fox is a weak little animal. It would rather run away from a person than harm him. Samson made use of this very quality of deviousness. he tied them together in pairs and ties torches to their tails. The foxes each pulled in a different direction. Sometimes one would pull harder and they would go his way. Then the ther would pull harder and they would go the other way. Together they ran back and forth across the field until it was ablaze.
In this way foxes symbolized those who are false and treacherous. Even when they are bound together, each pursues his own selfish interests, without regard for the other. Eventually their lack of unity destroys everything. "
So, the foxes are an intentional choice, with an intentional message. The punishment fit the crime. This is the Jewish concept of middah-keneged-middah. Measure for measure justice.
But I'm going to use a English translation, but please feel free to show me if the Hebrew text says something different.