And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. (Judges 15:12)
Samson was unafraid of the Philistines. He believed God would help him against them when the time came. He was, however, distrustful of his own kinsmen, and demanded an oath that they would not harm him lest he be compelled to destroy them also.