공존의 위험성 ― 삼손 이야기를 중심으로

Abstract

Although the title ‘Judge’ was never used in the Book of Judges, Samson was the last Judge within the Book. The most surprising aspect in terms of Judges’ cyclical structure in the story of Samson is the lack of Israel’s crying to YHWH, that is the stage 3 in the cycle. Furthermore, YHWH sent the messenger to tell the wife of Manoah that she would bear a son and he will begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. This picture of ‘futuristic Judge’ is very different from the usual picture of ‘present Judges’. The first stage of Israel’s doing evil resulted from marriage with the Canaanites, that is, exogamy. The second stage of YHWH’s handing Israel over to the enemy is to make Israel cry to YHWH, a stage when Israel’s repentance begins its return to YHWH. However, Israel did not cry to YHWH in the time of Samson. This is because Israel did not repent and wanted to live under the rule of the Philistines and worship their god, Dagon. Therefore, YHWH initiated the process of deliverance and designated Samson even before he was born. However, Samson was interested in marrying a Philistine woman and had inappropriate relations with other non-Israelite women. Judge Samson committed a great sin, exogamy just like Israel habitually did in the past. The life of Samson symbolizes the lives of the Israelites who worshiped other gods instead of YHWH. The main reason for Israel’s idolatry was nothing but exogamy and this exogamy was possible under the circumstance of co-existence with non-Israelites. Samson only began to deliver Israel from the Philistines and it was left to others to complete the job. The story of Samson shows us that the danger of coexistence is great because it causes Israel to marry to the Canaanites and to go astray from YHWH and worship other gods.