Judge
Samson
Strongest Man · Judges · c. 1100-1070 BC
Samson and Delilah — Peter Paul Rubens
Summary
Samson was a Nazirite with supernatural strength who fought the Philistines. His life of moral compromise ended in sacrificial death as he destroyed more enemies in dying than in living.
- Among the passages here, Samson is first named in Judges 13:24: “So the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson.”
- The record places Samson in Judges.
- 48 verses name Samson, in 2 books.
- 5 moments stand in order on this page, each with its verse.
On this page
Start here
and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.
Judges 14:6→- 5 key events in order
- 48 verses name Samson, across 2 books
In Scripture
- Verses
- 48
- Books
- 2
Samson
- Role
- Strongest Man
- Era
- Judges
- Dates
- c. 1100-1070 BC
- Tribe
- Dan
- Father
- Manoah
- Mother
- Manoah's wife
- Spouse
- Philistine woman, then Delilah
The life in order
from the events the row records, with the first and last verse that names the person among the passages this page stands on
1Where the passages this page records open
2What the record holds, in its own order
- Birth announcedJudges 13:2-24Now there was a man from Zorah named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, whose wife was barren and had no children.
- Killed lionJudges 14:5-6Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him,
- Killed 1000 with jawboneJudges 15:14-17When Samson arrived in Lehi, the Philistines came out shouting against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him. The ropes on his arms became like burnt flax, and the bonds broke loose from his hands.
- Betrayed by DelilahJudges 16:4-21Some time later, Samson fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
- Death in templeJudges 16:23-30Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands.”
3Where the passages this page records close
Biography
Samson was a Nazirite from birth, set apart by God to begin Israel's deliverance from forty years of Philistine oppression. His miraculous birth was announced by the angel of the LORD, who instructed his parents that no razor should touch his head. Empowered by the Spirit of the LORD, Samson possessed supernatural strength. He killed a lion with bare hands, slaughtered a thousand Philistines with a donkey's jawbone, and carried Gaza's city gates to a hilltop. Yet his great strength was paired with great weakness for Philistine women. His relationship with Delilah proved fatal. Repeatedly she pressed him for the secret of his strength, and repeatedly he lied—until finally, worn down by her nagging, he revealed that his hair had never been cut. She had his head shaved while he slept, and the LORD departed from him. Blinded and grinding grain in prison, Samson's hair began to grow. At a Philistine celebration where thousands gathered to mock him, Samson prayed for strength one final time. Bracing himself against the central pillars, he collapsed the temple on the Philistine lords. In his death, he killed more than in his life—a tragic hero whose potential was never fully realized.
and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.
The Spirit empowered Samson's strength
More key verses
Text: Berean Standard Bible.
Then Samson called out to the LORD: “O Lord GOD, please remember me. Strengthen me, O God, just once more, so that with one vengeful blow I may pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.”
“And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,”
What they got right, and what they got wrong
Strengths
Supernatural physical strength, faith in final moments, began Israel's deliverance
Weaknesses
Enslaved to lust, careless with his Nazirite vow, arrogant about his gifts, easily manipulated by women
Lessons
Great gifts carry great responsibility. Moral compromise leads to spiritual defeat. God can use even our failures. True repentance opens the door to restoration.
Spiritual significance
Samson warns that great gifts can be wasted through moral compromise. Yet his inclusion in Hebrews 11 shows that faith can shine even through tragic failure.
How Samson points to Jesus
Samson's death—stretching out his arms to destroy enemies and save his people—prefigures Christ on the cross, who through death destroyed the works of the devil.
Samson in Scripture
Open a book to read its mentions here. Text: Berean Standard Bible. Names repeat in Scripture, so some of these verses may speak of another person called Samson. The two marks are drawn from the chapters this page's own references stand in.
Old TestamentNew Testamentsegment width = share of mentions
Old Testament1 book · 47 mentions
Judges47 mentions
- Judges 13:24So the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The boy grew, and the LORD blessed him.
- Judges 14:1One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.
- Judges 14:3But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”
- Judges 14:5Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him,
- Judges 14:7Then Samson continued on his way down and spoke to the woman, because she was pleasing to his eyes.
42 further mentions in Judges, read them in the book.
New Testament1 book · 1 mention
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