⁴ But his father and mother did not know that it was ^(A)of the Lord—that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time ^(B)the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

²⁰ For ^(A)it was of the Lord ^[a]to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them, and that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, ^(B)as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Birth of Samson^(A)

13 Again the children of Israel ^(B)did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them ^(C)into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

⁷ His going to Joram ^(A)was God’s occasion for Ahaziah’s ^[a]downfall; for when he arrived, ^(B)he went out with ^[b]Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, ^(C)whom the Lord had anointed to ^[c]cut off the house of Ahab.