Samson was not a leader of an army (like other Judges), but he was equipped with a powerful strength that allowed him to fight the Philistines without the help of others. In this article, you will learn some of the characteristics that made Samson special, as well as the person responsible for weakening his strength. In the end, Samson is triumphant.
However, with many great heroes, he was not born without any weaknesses. He loved the girls of Philistine. God tried to warn Samson, but he continuously found himself in situations where evil women influenced him to sin repeatedly. This pattern would eventually catch up to him when he falls in love with one who tests him to prove his love by revealing the secret to his strength.
From ripping a terrifying lion apart to burning all the crops of the Philistines, Samson was feared and hated by the Philistines. He was making the people look like fools, and they disliked the fact that he came in and out of their city as he pleased. They tried to trap the hero inside the walls and lock the gates, but this was an unsuccessful attempt to hurt Samson. After pulling the large gates off of the hinges, he carried them up a hill. Around this time, Samson fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah. She begged him over and over again to learn his secret. Delilah wished to tell her people what made Samson so strong. He refused to tell her.
One time, he told her that if he were tied up with seven bow-strings, he would be just as weak as any other man. With the Philistines waiting close by, she bound Samson with the strings. After Delilah shouted, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you,” he quickly broke away. He continued to tell Delilah falsehoods about his weakness, including being tied up in new ropes or braiding his hair into the cloth on a loom. Each time, she attempted to trap Samson and all times he broke free.
Delilah would not give up until she knew his secret. Finally, Samson told her that if his hair were cut, he would be like any other man. While he was sleeping, Delilah cut his hair. She yelled, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” but this time, he was captured. They put out his eyes and sent him to prison. However, when his hair grew back, his strength returned. No one thought anything of it and one day, thousands of Philistines assembled in the temple of their idol Dagon to make fun of the blind Samson.
This time, Samson was ready. He acted as if he needed a place to lean and had his guide lead him to the pillars of the temple. He prayed to God to give him strength one last time, which he granted. Pushing the middle pillars apart, he collapsed the temple on top of the Philistines. Samson died in the rubble, but taught the Philistines a lesson.
