Samson
Samson (Hebrew: שִׁמְשׁוֹן Shimshon "of the sun") was a Judge renowned for his great physical strength. This was linked to his being a Nazirite since birth. One of the principal vows of the Nazirites was to never cut their hair. When Samson eventually revealed this link to his Philistine wife Delilah she had his head shaved while he slept and betrayed him to the Philistines, who took him captive and gouged out his eyes. Samson was put to work as a slave grinding grain in the mill of a prison, where his hair began to grow again.
The Philistines gathered to celebrate Samson’s capture and offer sacrifice to their “god” Dagon. They brought Samson to their celebration for their entertainment. Samson prayed for his strength one last time, and collapsed the pillars of the building, killing himself and about three thousand Philistines.
Samson’s life is recorded in the book of Judges in the Old Testament of the Bible
Although granted great physical strength, the record of his life shows a great weakness of character.
Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman.2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”3
His father and mother replied, “Isn't there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She's the right one for me.”4 Judges 14:20 Samson's Marriage.
So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.” Judges 16:6
See also
- Rembrant The Blinding of Samson.
- Judges of Israel
- Bible history
