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Shimshon

Shimshon, often transliterated Samson in English, is a Hebrew given name meaning "sun" or "like the sun," derived from the root for sun, shemesh. The name occurs in the Hebrew Bible and is most closely associated with a legendary figure in the Book of Judges.

In the Hebrew Bible, Shimshon is described as a Nazirite judge of Israel who lived during the

His feats against the Philistines are the core of the narrative. He is said to have displayed

Shimshon’s downfall begins with betrayal by Delilah, who seeks to discover the source of his strength. After

Scholars view Shimshon within the literary and theological framework of Judges, highlighting themes of deliverance, the

period
of
the
Judges.
According
to
Judges
chapters
13–16,
his
mother
was
barren;
an
angel
announced
his
birth.
He
was
to
be
a
Nazirite,
which
imposed
vows
of
abstaining
from
wine,
avoiding
contact
with
the
dead,
and
not
cutting
his
hair,
a
sign
of
divine
gifting
of
strength.
extraordinary
strength,
defeating
opponents
through
combat
and
cunning.
Notable
episodes
include
slaying
a
lion,
transforming
a
later
encounter
with
the
carcass
into
a
source
of
honey,
and
killing
many
Philistines
in
a
variety
of
ways,
culminating
in
a
final
act
that
exploited
the
powers
granted
by
God.
his
hair
is
cut,
he
loses
his
power,
is
captured,
blinded,
and
imprisoned.
In
his
final
act,
he
prays
to
God
and
brings
down
the
temple
of
Dagon,
killing
many
Philistines
and
himself.
tension
between
strength
and
weakness,
and
cycles
of
apostasy
and
redemption.
In
culture,
Shimshon
remains
a
prominent
symbol
of
strength
and
flaw,
and
the
name
continues
to
be
used
in
modern
Israel.