Samson

Samson is a figure in the Hebrew Bible, featured as one of the Judges of Israel in the Book of Judges (chapters 13–16). He is set in the era of Philistine domination over the Israelites and is described as a Nazirite whose remarkable strength is attributed to the Spirit of the Lord.

According to the narrative, an angel announces his birth to his mother, who is unnamed, and instructs that he is to be a Nazirite from birth, dedicated to God and set apart from ordinary duties. Nazirites abstain from wine, avoid contact with the dead, and, in Samson’s case, have hair uncut. The Spirit of the Lord empowers him for feats of strength, and his exploits are presented as acts of deliverance for Israel, though they are interwoven with personal and relational failings.

Samson’s strength enables him to perform notable feats: he tears a lion apart with his bare hands, later discovers bees and honey in the carcass, and uses a donkey’s jawbone to kill many Philistines. He also participates in a riddle and a related conflict surrounding his Philistine wife from Timnah, which leads to violence and revenge. His most famous downfall comes through Delilah, who discovers that his strength lies in his uncut hair. After she has it cut, the Philistines capture him, blind him, and force him to grind grain in prison.

In the end, Samson prays for renewed strength, brings down the Philistine temple by collapsing its pillars, and dies along with many Philistines. Scholars debate the historicity of his story, but it remains a central narrative about strength, faith, vulnerability, and deliverance within biblical literature.