Judges 15:18: Samson's Thirst

Verse 18:[1] And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, (Ps. 3:7) Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

[And thirsting greatly] Josephus[2] and Ambrose, Epistle 20, suppose that this thirst was sent by God as a punishment for his arrogance, because he ascribed the victory to himself, and not to God, verse 16 (Lapide, Bonfrerius). But they are refuted out of this eighteenth verse (Bonfrerius).

[Thou hast given…salvation, etc.] Therefore, he congratulated himself concerning the victory secured, but by the power of God (Bonfrerius on verse 17). From the violent commotion, heat, and sweat, thirst was able to arise (Menochius): both from the toil of the journey, and the slaughter of the Philistines (Lapide). God willed that he thirst, so that in such circumstances he might be mindful that he is mortal (Martyr).

He was sore athirst, so as he was ready to faint and die with thirst; which was partly natural, from his excessive toil and heat; partly sent by God, that by the experience of his own impotency he might be forced to ascribe the victory to God only, and not to himself. Now shall I die for thirst? Wilt thou not finish what thou hast begun? Wilt thou undo what thou hast done?

[1] Hebrew: וַיִּצְמָא֮ מְאֹד֒ וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶל־יְהוָה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אַתָּה֙ נָתַ֣תָּ בְיַֽד־עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶת־הַתְּשׁוּעָ֥ה הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את וְעַתָּה֙ אָמ֣וּת בַּצָּמָ֔א וְנָפַלְתִּ֖י בְּיַ֥ד הָעֲרֵלִֽים׃

[2] Antiquities 5:8.