Midras Hakim-hakim 15:18: Sifrei Devarim & Bereshit Rabbah

(Devarim 3:24) "to show Your servant": There are those who call themselves "servants," whom the Holy One Blessed be He calls "servants." And there are those who call themselves "servants," whom the Holy One Blessed be He does not call "servants." And there are those who do not call themselves "servants," whom the Holy One Blessed be He calls "servants." Abraham called himself a "servant," viz. (Bereshith 12:3) "Do not now pass away from Your servant," and the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Ibid. 26:24) "for the sake of Abraham, My servant." Jacob called himself a "servant," viz. (Ibid. 32:11) "I am too small for all of the lovingkindnesses and all of the truth that You have done with Your servant," and the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Isaiah 41:8) "But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob, etc." Moses called himself a "servant, viz. "to show Your "servant," and the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Joshua 1:2) "Moses My servant is dead." David called himself a "servant," viz. (Psalms 116:16) "Heed, O L-rd, for I am Your servant," and the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. ( II Kings 19:34) "for the sake of David, My servant." Isaiah called himself a "servant," viz. (Isaiah 49:5) "… who formed me from the womb to be a servant to Him," and the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Ibid. 20:3) "Isaiah, My servant." Samuel called himself a "servant," but the Holy One Blessed be He did not call him a "servant." Shimshon called himself a "servant," viz. (Judges 15:18) "You have given unto the hand of Your servant, etc.", but the Holy One Blessed be He did not call him a servant. Solomon called himself a "servant," viz. (I Kings 3:9) "Give Your servant an understanding heart," and the Holy One Blessed be He did not call him a "servant," but wrought for his father's sake, viz. (I Kings 15:13) "for the sake of David, My servant." Iyyov did not call himself a "servant," but the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," (viz. Iyyov 2:3) "Have you given heart to My servant, Iyyov"? Joshua did not call himself a "servant," but Scripture called him a "servant," viz. (Joshua 24:29) "and Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the L-rd, died." Calev did not call himself a "servant," but the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Bamidbar 14:24) "But My servant Calev, etc." Elyakim did not call himself a "servant," but the Holy One Blessed be he called him a "servant," viz. (Isaiah 22:20) "And I will call My servant Elyakim, etc." Zerubavel did not call himself a "servant," but the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Chaggai 2:23) "Zerubavel ben Shaltiel, My servant." Daniel did not call himself a "servant," but Scripture called him a "servant," viz. (Daniel 6:21) "The king spoke and said to Daniel: Daniel, servant of the living G-d." Chananiah, Mishael, and Azaryah did not call themselves "servants," but the Holy One Blessed be He called them "servants," viz. (Daniel 6:23) "Shadrach, Meshach and Aved-nego, servants of the exalted G-d." The early prophets did not call themselves "servants," but the Holy One Blessed be He called them "servants," viz. (Amos 3:7) " … but He revealed His secret to His servants, the prophets."

“Dan will avenge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel” (Genesis 49:16).
“Dan will avenge his people, as one [ke’aḥad] of the tribes of Israel” – like the most outstanding [kamyuḥad] of the tribes.⁸¹Like Judah.¬ Samson, from the tribe of Dan, was a leader who battled against Israel’s enemies like David, who was from the tribe of Judah. Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya said: Had it not cleaved to the most outstanding of the tribes, it would not have produced even the one judge that it produced. Who is that? It is Samson son of Manoaḥ. Like the unique One [kiḥido] of the world – just as the unique One of the world needs no assistance, so, Samson son of Manoaḥ needed no assistance. Rather, “he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, [and he extended his hand and took it, and he smote one thousand men with it]” (Judges 15:15). What is “fresh [teriya]”? It was [from a donkey that was] three days old.⁸²Thus, it was small and soft relative to other jawbones of donkeys. Rabbi Avun said: Two [terein] in its womb.⁸³The mother of this donkey had given birth to twins. Therefore, the jawbone was underdeveloped even in comparison to other jawbones from donkeys that had been three days old. This is the opinion of Rabbi Avun, as Rabbi Avun said: “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps [ḥamor ḥamoratayim]…” (Judges 15:16).⁸⁴Samson was boasting that he smote one thousand men with a soft jawbone that came from one donkey [ḥamor] of two donkeys [ḥamoratayim], i.e. twins .
“He became very thirsty” (Judges 15:18) – one who prattles becomes thirsty. Rabbi Ḥunya and Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Even if there had been a jug of water, he would not have been able to extend his hand and take it.⁸⁵This was due to his extreme exhaustion as a result of his thirst. Instead, “He called to the Lord, and he said: You have delivered [this great salvation] at the hand of Your servant; [shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?]” (Judges 15:18). He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, if the only difference between them and me is this circumcision, it is sufficient for me not to fall into their hands.’ Immediately, “God split the hollow [hamakhtesh] that was in Leḥi, [and water emerged from it]” (Judges 15:19). Rabbi Levi and the Rabbis: Rabbi Levi said: Leḥi was the name of that place. The Rabbis said: Makhtesh was the name of that place. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: It teaches that the Holy One blessed be He brought him a spring between his teeth. By what merit? It was from the blessing of Moses, who said: “Leaps from [min] the Bashan” (Deuteronomy 33:22) – from between his teeth [mibein shinav],