The conquest and the judges · Judges 13–16
Samson
The Philistines have dominated Israel for forty years. An angel tells the barren wife of Manoah, a Danite, that she will have a son dedicated to God: “no razor shall come on his head.” This is Samson. Seized by the Spirit of the LORD, he tears a lion apart with his bare hands, sets three hundred foxes with torches loose in the Philistines’ grain, and kills a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey. But he lets himself be seduced by Delilah, who is paid by the Philistine lords to uncover the secret of his strength. After three lies, he opens his heart to her. She has the seven locks of his head shaved off: the LORD has departed from him. The Philistines put out his eyes and make him grind grain at Gaza. At a feast for their god Dagon, Samson prays, “remember me, I pray thee,” then brings down the two pillars of the house, killing more Philistines at his death than in his life.
What happens
- An angel announces a son dedicated to God from the womb Judges 13:3–5
- Seized by the Spirit, Samson tears a lion apart with his bare hands Judges 14:5–6
- A thousand men killed with the jawbone of a donkey Judges 15:15–16
- Samson reveals the secret of his strength to Delilah Judges 16:17
- Shaved and blinded, he grinds grain at Gaza Judges 16:19–21
- “Remember me”: the house collapses on the Philistines Judges 16:28–30
Who is in this story
The lesson
Samson’s strength came from the Spirit of God and his consecration, not from his hair in itself; by playing with temptation, he lost everything. Yet God hears the cry of a broken man, and Samson is counted among the heroes of faith (Heb 11:32).
And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
Quick quiz on this story
Who gets Samson to reveal the secret of his strength?
Pressed day after day, Samson “told her all his heart”: “There hath not come a razor upon mine head.” Delilah immediately called for the Philistine lords. Judges 16:17–18
What does Samson use to kill a thousand Philistines?
“He found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.” The ox goad is Shamgar’s weapon. Judges 15:15
Complete Samson’s riddle: “Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth . . .”
The riddle comes from the honey found in the lion’s carcass: “out of the strong came forth sweetness.” For three days, the Philistines could not solve it. Judges 14:14
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