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Samson

the man of great strength

Who was Samson?

The name
Samson probably comes from the Hebrew word that means “sun.” Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), “Samson”
From
Zorah, of the tribe of Dan Judges 13:2
Occupation
Judge of Israel for twenty years Judges 15:20; Judges 16:31
Samson, an artistic recreation

What the Bible says

Judges 13:2-3

2Now there was a certain man of Saraa, and of the race of Dan, whose name was Manue, and his wife was barren. 3And an angel of the Lord appeared to her, and said: Thou art barren and without children: but thou shalt conceive and bear a son.

Judges 13:5; Judges 14:6

Because thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall touch his head: for he shall be a Nazarite of God, from his infancy, and from his mother’s womb, and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.

Judges 16:18-21, 28

18Then seeing that be had discovered to her all his mind, she sent to the princes of the Philistines, saying: Come up this once more, for now he hath opened his heart to me. And they went up taking with them the money which they had promised. 19But she made him sleep upon her knees, and lay his head in her bosom. And she called a barber, and shaved his seven locks, and began to drive him away, and thrust him from her: for immediately his strength departed from him. 20And she said: The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And awaking from sleep, he said in his mind: I will go out as I did before, and shake myself, not knowing that the Lord was departed from him. 21Then the Philistines seized upon him, and forthwith pulled out his eyes, and led him bound in chains to Gaza, and shutting him up in prison made him grind. 28But he called upon the Lord, saying: O Lord God, remember me, and restore to me now my former strength, O my God, that I may revenge myself on my enemies, and for the loss of my two eyes I may take one revenge.

Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.

The path of Samson

  1. Before Jesus. The Philistines ruled over Israel. An angel told the wife of Manoah, who had no children, that she would have a son. Judges 13:1-3
  2. Before Jesus. The boy would be consecrated to God from the womb: no razor would touch his head. So Samson was born, and the Lord blessed him. Judges 13:5, 24
  3. With Jesus. He went to Timnah to marry a Philistine woman. On the way, with the strength of the spirit of the Lord, he defeated a lion with no weapon. Judges 14:1-6
  4. With Jesus. He fought against the Philistines and judged Israel for twenty years. Judges 15:15, 20
  5. With Jesus. Once, in Gaza, he tore out the city gates and carried them off on his shoulders. Judges 16:3
  6. Afterward. He fell in love with Delilah. The Philistine leaders offered Delilah silver to find out the secret of Samson’s strength. Judges 16:4-5
  7. Afterward. In the end, Samson told her the secret. His hair was cut, and the Philistines seized him and blinded him. Judges 16:17-21
  8. Afterward. In the temple of Dagon, he asked the Lord for strength one last time. He pulled down the columns and died with the Philistines. Judges 16:28-30

Words of Samson

“Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.” Judges 14:14

At his wedding, when he gave the Philistines a riddle.

“Thou hast given this very great deliverance and victory into the hand of thy servant: and behold I die for thirst, and shall fall into the hands of the uncircumcised.” Judges 15:18

After a battle, when he was very thirsty.

“The razor hath never come upon my head, for I am a Nazarite, that is to say, consecrated to God from my mother’s womb: if my head be shaven, my strength shall depart from me, and I shall become weak, and shall be like other men.” Judges 16:17

When he finally told Delilah his secret.

“O Lord God, remember me, and restore to me now my former strength, O my God, that I may revenge myself on my enemies, and for the loss of my two eyes I may take one revenge.” Judges 16:28

At the end, blind and a prisoner, in the temple of Dagon.

What they were like

The greatest thing they did

Not to be confused with

In the Church today

In art, recognized by: The gates of Gaza on his shoulders From Jue 16, 3; this is how Christian art shows him

What people ask

Where did Samson’s strength come from?

The Bible says the spirit of the Lord came upon him. When his hair was cut, the Lord left him. Judges 14:6; Judges 16:20

What is a nazirite?

Someone consecrated to God by a vow: he did not drink wine or cut his hair. Samson was one from his mother’s womb. Judges 13:5; NAB note on Jue 13, 5

How did Samson die?

Blind and a prisoner, he asked the Lord for strength. He pulled down the columns of the temple of Dagon and died with the Philistines. Judges 16:28-30

Does Samson appear in the New Testament?

Yes. The Letter to the Hebrews names him among those who lived by faith. Hebrews 11:32

His fall He revealed to Delilah the secret of his consecration. His hair was cut, and the Lord left him. Judges 16:17-20 Little known His riddle was about a lion…

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Who Samson is connected to

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All the people of the Bible · The Twelve Apostles · Women of the Bible

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