Most commentators suggest that the clause he went in to her points to Samson having sexual activity with the prostitute. To be sure, this expression went in to is one of the ways the Hebrew Scriptures speak of sexual activity (e.g., Genesis 38:18; Ezekiel 23:44; 2 Samuel 12:24). But the Hebrew does not require this understanding. For example, earlier in Judges, it is used when Barak enters the tent of Jael in pursuit of Sisera. The ESV has, So he went in to her tent (Judges 4:22), but tent is not present in the original; literally, it says, He went in to her. The NASB translates the same expression as, “And he entered with her.” The passage there has no hint of sexual innuendo. And so strictly speaking, the verb he went in to her does not itself indicate that Samson had sexual relations with the prostitute.

We need, therefore, to have an appreciation of the context here. We know that Samson has been characterized so far not so much by spirituality as sensuality. We cannot forget how his eyes have repeatedly gotten him into trouble leading up to this point. That he now sees a prostitute in Gaza, however that came about, does not deter him. He defers his departure from the city, and goes in to her. That may have begun by simply entering her house, maybe to hide (like the spies hid at the house of Rahab the prostitute, Joshua 2:1). But knowing Samson, it likely went further.¹ He does not deny himself what he sees. Just as his seeing was followed by his demand to have the Timnite woman in chapter 14, so here his seeing is followed by his wanting and then having the prostitute. He goes in to spend the night with her.