The structure of Judges 14—16

There are two movements spanning these chapters. The first movement begins with Samson going down to Timnah in Judges 14:1 and climaxes in the slaughter of the Philistines at Ramath-Lehi in Judges 15:14–20. The second movement begins with Samson’s going down to Gaza in Judges 16:1 and climaxes in the slaughter of the Philistines and his own death in the temple of Gaza in Judges 16:30. Both movements end with a note that Samson judged Israel for twenty years (Judges 15:20 and Judges 16:31).¹