Who was Samson?

Samson grew to become the strongest man of the Bible. In the tribe-land of Dan, which was next to the country of the Philistines, there lived a man named Manoah. One day an angel came to his wife and said:

"You shall have a son, and when he grows up he will begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines. But your son must never drink any wine or strong drink as long as he lives. And his hair must be allowed to grow long and must never be cut, for he shall be a Nazarite under a vow to the Lord.” (See Judges 13.)

Under the Nazarite vow, when a child or man was consecrated to serve God, he was forbidden to drink wine, and as an outward sign, his hair was left to grow long. In this manner, that person was sanctified or set apart for a holy service. Such a person was called a Nazarite – meaning "one who has a vow”.

The child was born and named Samson. He grew up to become the strongest man of the Bible. Samson was no general, like Gideon or Jephthah, to call out his people and lead them in war. He, even, did much to set his people free; but all that he did was by his own strength.

When Samson became a young man, he went down to Timnath in the land of the Philistines. There he saw a young Philistine woman, whom he loved, and wished to have as his wife. His father and mother were not pleased that he should marry among the enemies of his own people. They did not know that God would make this marriage the means of bringing harm upon the Philistines and of helping the Israelites. (See Judges 14.)

Samson played many pranks upon the Philistines-the most of which involved the killing of thousands of Philistines (Judges 15:15).

Samson later met a Philistine woman named Delilah. She tried to learn the secret of his great strength. Samson originally lied to her, but finally explained he could not cut his hair (due to the Nazarite vow). Delilah betrayed him, told her people the secret of his strength, and while Samson was asleep, she had Samson’s hair cut.

The Philistines rushed in, captured Samson, and gouged out his eyes. They bound him with brass fetters and put him to work grinding grain in prison. While in captivity, his hair began to grow back. Likewise, Samson’s faith in God must also have grown.

One day, the Philistines sacrificed to their god, Dagon, and credited Dagon with Samson’s capture. When the prisoner Samson was brought to their celebration, Samson prayed to God for his strength to return. God heard his prayer, and Samson pulled down two of the main pillars of a very large temple. He and thousands of Philistines died, so that “…He killed many more people in his death than he had killed during his life.” Judges 16:30 (NET)