Good and Bad things happen in threes - at least for Samson

Some things I've noticed in the Samson Saga (Judges 13-16), many of which happen in threes.

Three part structure

The saga comes in three parts:

1. Samson's parents and commissioning (13:1-25)
2. Samson judged Israel 20 years (14:1-15:20)
3. Samson judged Israel 20 years (16:1-31)

Parts 2&3 both begin with Samson meeting a woman.

Parts 2&3 are also bracketed with the location, Between Zorah and Eshtaol:

1. 13:25, where Samson received the spirit of Yhwh
2. 16:31, where Samson was buried

Three women

Samson shacks up with three different women. 

1. The first (ch's 14-15) is an unnamed Philistine woman who is then given away, allegedly because her father thought Samson hated her. The ripple-effect of this liaison is the slaughter of 30 Philistines to settle a bet, the arson of the Philistine grain, the woman and her father being burned to death, Judah turning on and handing over Samson, and the death of 1000 Philistines with a jawbone.
2. The second (16:1-3) is an unnamed Philistine prostitute, which gives the Philistines an occasion to ambush Samson. He does not stay the entire night with her, leaving early and helpfully relocating the city gates to a hill opposite Hebron.
3. The third (16:1-21) is named - Delilah - and is likely also a Philistine (although it is not explicit, and her name is Semitic). The results of this union is his capture, blinding, and servitude.

Three breakouts

While Samson is with Delilah, three times he tells her a lie about the source of his strength - although they each hint in some way to the truth.

1. tie me up with fresh strings (16:6-9)
2. tie me up with new ropes (16:10-12)
3. tie my hair in a loom (16:13-14)

This is obviously what Samson looked like.

Three gifts of the spirit

Three times Samson has the spirit of Yhwh. 

1. 13:25 it begins
2. 14:6 he rips a lion apart
3. 14:19 he slays and deprives 30 Philistines of their clothing

When Samson receives the spirit it is certainly not a "dwelling within" gift of the Spirit, but a "equipping for a task" gift of the Spirit. The first isn't assigned to any particular task, so it has the feeling of the dwelling-within kind-of spirit, but the life of Samson doesn't testify to that being a likely understanding.

This triple gift of the Spirit in part 2 of Samson, where he is empowered by strength from Yhwh, is contrasted with the three times he breaks out with his own strength in part 3; note that the fourth time, where he tries and fails to break out, is also where his strength (that is, the spirit) leaves him. In this we see a parallel with Saul and his downfall.

 

Three numbered slaughters

Samson kills a few times. Three times there are numbers of dead people given, and there is also an escalation evident.

1. 14:6 kills a lion
2. 14:19 kills 30 men
3. 15:8 "viciously attacked and slaughtered many" (NIV) "tore them limb from limb" (CSB)
4. 15:15 kills 1000 men
5. 16:27,30 kills 3000+ men and women

It's also interesting, with this focus on threes, that two of the three numbers have threes - 30 men and 3000 men and women on the rooftop. 

It's probably nothing, but it's also interesting how similar the words Samson and thirty are: שׁמשׁון & שׁלושׁים. Sure, they're not that similar, but Shimshon and Shloshim do sound very similar. Also, it's three hundred foxes that Samson catches and sets on fire. 

Conclusion

Good things, as well as bad things, do come in threes. There may be others that I've missed, and there may be some tenuous ones I've suggested. 

By far the biggest thing which stands out for me is the comparison between part 2&3 of the saga, and I think the threes add to that and help us be on the lookout.