head. This would be the secret to the magnificent power which Samson would

Transcription

1 Samson 1. There was a man in the Old Testament who will always be remembered, because of some peculiar facts concerning his life. He was a man who had what we might think of, as supernatural strength. He had power which men in general usually do not possess. But there was a secret to the power which he was able to maintain, which we will discover as we read about his life. This was a man named Samson. 2. We read first of the news of the birth of Samson, in Judges 13:1-7: And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son, and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name: But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. A. The children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord. Hebrew-ra (rah): bad things, acts of adversity, affliction, calamity, displeasure, distress, grief, harm, hurt, mischief, misery, sadness, sorrow, wickedness, wretchedness, or trouble (against God); or to become good for nothing, or of no benefit to God. B. And the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. Israel was continually sinning against God, and causing Him to have to allow them to have to suffer great punishment, at the hands of the Philistines; just as He had to allow one generation to have to die in the wilderness, before He delivered the next generation of Israelites into the promised land by the hand of Joshua. And also, just as He later had to allow Israel to be taken into bondage by the Babylonians for the wrong which they done. C. Manoah, who was a man of Zorah, had a wife who was barren, and bare

2 not. Hebrew-agar (aw-kawr): sterile, or to be unable to bare children. D. But the angel of the Lord came unto the wife of Manoah, and told her that she would bear a son, in spite of her barrenness. The angel also told her to neither drink wine nor strong drink, nor to eat any unclean thing. Hebrewtumah (toom-aw): impure, filthy, foul, polluted, or contaminated. She was to be very careful and selective in the foods which she ate during her period of pregnancy. E. For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head. This would be the secret to the magnificent power which Samson would possess. His hair was never to be cut. For as we will later see, once Samson s hair was cut, he would no longer be able to maintain the great power which would be given unto him of God. F. The child was to be a Nazarite unto God from the womb. Hebrew-naziyr or nazir (naw-zeer): separate, concentrated, unpruned, undressed, or to be different from others, as a prince; to be set apart for sacred purposes. G. And he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. God had in his perfect will, plans to use Samson to bring deliverance unto Israel from the hands of the Philistines. But Samson had to go exactly by the leadership of God, and do the delivering exactly as he was instructed by God Almighty. No other way would do except God s way. H. Manoah s wife came and told him of the encounter which she had with the angel of God; and of how his countenance (facial expression) was like that of an angel of God; very terrible. Hebrew-yare (yaw-raw): fearful, or frightening; as to put one in fear, or cause one to show much respect. The angel had to be sure that Manoah s wife paid very close attention to the news that he was to bring to her. This does not mean that we have to always be fearful, or afraid of having an encounter with an angel. For God does not send his angels to us to scare us. But if we should ever have an encounter with an angel of God, we must listen and show our utmost respect; just as Samson s mother had to do. She told her husband that she did not ask the angel any questions; not even his name. I suppose that she was so surprised, or frightened at the appearance of the angel, that she done absolutely nothing except listen closely to his words, and show the utmost respect. And she told her husband Manoah all that the angel had told her; how that she would conceive and bear a son, and how that she was not to drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean thing; and how that her son would be a Nazarite to God all the days of his life. 3. We will now read of Manoah s meeting with the angel, in Judges 13:8-21: Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto

3 the child that shall be born. And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her. And the woman made haste, and ran, and showed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day. And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am. And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him? And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe. And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord. And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor? And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel of the Lord did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. But the angel of the Lord did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the Lord. A. Then Manoah intreated the Lord. Hebrew-athar (aw-thar): to seek by way of prayer, or to worship by burning incense, as a way of getting one s (God s) attention. B. Manoah asked God to let the angel that had previously appeared unto his wife, appear unto them again; so that the angel might teach them what they should do with the child which would be born unto them. C. God answered Manoah s request, and sent the angel unto his wife once again, as she sat in the field; but Manoah was not present with her at this time. So Manoah s wife ran and found her husband once again, and told him that the same angel whom had previously appeared unto her, had appeared unto her once again. D. So Manoah arose and followed his wife, and came unto the man, or the angel; asking him if he was the man who had appeared unto his wife; and the angel acknowledged that he was the same man who had appeared unto

4 Manoah s wife previously. E. Once again, Manoah requested that the angel tell them how that they should raise the child, and how they should treat him. F. The angel reminded Manoah that his wife was to do exactly as he had previously informed her; eating nothing that cometh from the vine, drinking no wine nor strong drink, nor eating any unclean thing. G. Manoah requested that the man remain with him and his wife until they prepared a kid (goat) for him. The angel informed Manoah that he would not eat of his bread; and that if they offer a burnt offering, they must offer it unto the Lord; for at this time, Manoah still did not know that this was truly an angel of the Lord. H. And then Manoah asked the angel what his name was; for he wanted to do him honor, when his prophesies concerning the child came to pass. But the angel told Manoah that his name was a secret. I. Then Manoah offered a kid with a meat offering upon a rock unto the Lord; and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. Hebrew-pala (paw-law): to act in a distinguished manner, or in a great or wonderful way; as to bring surprising or astonishing effects upon those who are witnesses. J. When the flames from the fire on the altar went upward toward the heavens, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flames. And Manoah and his wife witnessed it, and then fell on their faces to the ground; as if to humble themselves before the Lord. K. This gave proof unto Manoah, that the man was an angel of the Lord. However, the angel did not appear unto Manoah or his wife any more. 4. Fear fell upon Manoah, because he thought that he and his wife would die; believing that they had seen God. We read in Judges 13:22-25: And Manoah said unto his wife, we shall surely die, because we have seen God. But his wife said unto him, If the Lord were pleased to kill us, He would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would He have showed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these. And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol. A. Manoah s wife explained to him, that if the Lord had desired for them to die, then He would not of received their burnt offering and their meat offering. Neither would He of revealed unto them the things which He revealed unto them through the angel. B. She then bare a son, and named him Samson; and the child grew and was blessed of the Lord. And Samson was moved at times by the Spirit of the Lord; in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

5 5. We will now read further into the life of Samson after he had grown up. It was first intended by the Lord that Samson marry a Philistine woman. For the Lord sought an occasion against the Philistines as a result of this marriage of Samson. Judges 14:1-4 tells us: And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that He sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. A. The first woman whom Samson was to marry, was from Timnath, which was on the northeast border of the land of the Philistines. B. Samson came home and told his father and his mother that he had met a woman in Timnath, of the daughters of the Philistines; and he wanted them to go and get her to be his wife. His father and his mother were very displeased with this idea; and they questioned Samson as to why he had not found a woman among their own people to be his wife. But Samson continued to insist that his father and his mother get this Philistine woman to be his wife; for he was well pleased with her. C. Samson s father and mother had no idea that the Lord had placed this desire within their son s heart; to marry this Philistine woman. For God had planned to use this martial occasion as a chance to come back against the Philistines. For at this time, the Philistines had dominion or rule over Israel. 6. Next, we will read of some of Samson s mighty experiences, and of his marriage to the Philistine woman; and of how his new bride deceived him, in order to please the men of her own country. We read in Judges 14:5-20: Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken

6 the honey out of the carcase of the lion. So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle that we may hear it. And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father s house with fire: Have ye called us to take that we have? Is it not so? And Samson s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father s house. But Samson s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend. A. After Samson along with his father and his mother had went down to the vineyards of Timnath, a young lion roared against him. Hebrew-shaag (shawag): to rumble, moan, or to growl in an endangering manner; as if to desire to kill or to destroy. B. The Spirit of the Lord fell upon Samson, and gave him the power to rent the lion; without a weapon of any kind in his hand. Neither did Samson tell his father and his mother about this mighty encounter with the lion. Hebrewshaca (shaw-sah): to split, or to tear apart. C. Samson went down and talked with the Philistine woman, and she pleased Samson well. a. Pleased-Hebrew-chaphets (khaw-fates): to be very desirable, delightful, or

7 pleasant. b. Well-Hebrew-towb (tobe): to be good in the greatest sense, or to do something (please Samson) to the best possible extent. D. After a period of time, Samson returned to Timnath to take the woman to be his wife; and he stopped by to see the carcase of the lion which he had previously killed. And Samson discovered a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. And Samson took some of the honey in his hands, and ate it as he continued on his way to Timnath. He also brought some of the honey to his father and his mother, and they ate the honey also. But Samson did not tell his father and his mother that he had taken the honey from the carcase of the lion. Hebrew-mappeleth (map-peh-leth): a dead body, or the remains of something or someone who has deceased. E. Then Samson s father went down to see the Philistine woman whom his son Samson had planned to marry; and Samson prepared a feast; for this was a custom for the young men to do so in the days of Samson. F. When the Philistines saw Samson, they sent thirty men to be his companions. Their true purpose was not to do so as nice and compassionate men; but as spies to keep watch over him, because he was a very strong and courageous man. The Philistine men were not to be trusted, and Samson knew so. This was another reason why Samson kept the matter of his encounter with the lion a secret from them. G. Samson announces a riddle unto the Philistines, and also makes a wager or a bet with them; and he gives them seven days to figure out the answer. If the Philistines could figure out the answer to Samson s riddle, then Samson would have to give them thirty sheets, and thirty changes of garments. If they could not figure out the riddle, then the Philistines would have to give him the same. The riddle was that out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. It was not just to be a merry time, and spend all of their time eating and drinking; and to listen to music, dancing, and having shows, that friends gathered together during the days of Samson. But also, that they might propose questions to one another, in order to try and improve their learning and integrity. a. Riddle-Hebrew-chiydah (khee-daw): a puzzle, trick, proverb, or joke. b. Sheets-Hebrew-cadiyn (saw-deen): referring to a shirt, or a garment to wrap oneself in; or a piece of fine linen. H. The Philistines attempted for three days without success to figure out the answer to Samson s riddle. So on the seventh day, they told Samson s wife to entice Samson, that he might declare unto them the answer to the riddle. Hebrew-pathah (paw-thaw): to trick, flatter, or to deceive. I. Samson s wife was threatened by the Philistine men; that they would burn

8 her and her father s house, if she did not do as they had told her to do. So she yielded unto their demands. They also accused her of attempting to take what they had. J. The wife of Samson wept or cried before him. She accused Samson of hating her; rather than being in love with her; because he had placed the riddle before her people, and had not told her the answer. But Samson declared unto his wife that he had also not even told the answer to the riddle to his own father and mother; so why should he give the answer unto her. She continued to weep before Samson until the end of the seventh day of the feast. And on the seventh day, Samson told his wife the answer to the riddle; because she lay sore upon him. And then she told the answer to the riddle to the children of her own people. Hebrew-meod (meh-ode): diligently, exceedingly, continually, or in a pitiful manner; not because one is performing a particular act (crying) with an honest heart; but for a way of deceiving or tricking another person. K. And on the seventh day before the sun went down, the Philistine men told Samson the answer to the riddle which he had spoken unto them. And Samson told them in his own way, that if they had not of fooled with his wife, then they would not of ever known the answer to his riddle. L. After the Philistine men had told Samson the answer to his riddle, the Spirit of God came upon Samson, and he went down to Ashkelon; which was on the west coast of Philistia, or the land of the Philistines. And there Samson slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and then gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. a. He took their spoil. Hebrew-chaliytsah (khal-ee-tsaw): armor, equipment, food, and all necessities. b. He gave change of garment unto them which expounded the riddle. Hebrew-nagad (naw-gad): to announce, expose, declare, explain, report, or to tell. M. Samson was very upset, or angered; and he went back up to his father s house. And it is plain to see that Samson needed some time to cool off, and to forgive his wife for how that she had done him wrong. And thinking that Samson wanted nothing else to do with this woman, her father turned her over to his companion, or his bestman of his wedding, whom had previously been his friend; Samson knowing nothing whatsoever about this situation. 7. We will next read of Samson s act of revenge upon the Philistines, because of his anger which he held, after finding out that his wife had been wed to a Philistine; the bestman of his wedding. We read in Judges 15:1-8: But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the

9 chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in. And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: Is not her younger sister fairer than she? Take her, I pray thee, instead of her. And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure. And Samson went and caught three-hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between the two tails. And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives. Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire. And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease. And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam. A. After a little while; during the time of the wheat harvest; Samson forgave his wife for what she had done, and he decided to go down and visit her, and take a kid with him to give unto her. But her father would not allow Samson to see her. This was when Samson first gained knowledge that her father had given his wife to be the wife of the bestman of his wedding. B. Samson s father-in-law used the excuse that he thought that Samson had developed hatred for his wife, as his reason for giving her to be the wife of another man. And he also attempted to persuade Samson to accept his wife s younger sister to be his new wife; declaring that his younger daughter was fairer than Samson s wife. Hebrew-towb (tobe): more beautiful, cheerful, more loving, kinder, and more pleasant in every way. C. Samson declared that he would be more blameless than the Philistines, and would do them a displeasure. a. Blameless-Hebrew-naqah (naw-kaw): clean, guiltless, innocent, or spiritually whole. Samson felt as though he had every right to do what he was about to do. b. Displeasure-Hebrew-ra (rah): distress, evil, harm, mischief, trouble, or to bring misery upon someone. D. Samuel went out and caught three-hundred foxes, and tied their tails together in pairs; having one-hundred and fifty pairs of foxes. He then set the tails of the foxes on fire, and turned them loose into the cornfields of the Philistines; allowing them to set on fire and destroy all the cornfields of the Philistines; as well as their stacks of harvested crops and wheat, their

10 vineyards, and their olive trees. E. When the Philistines found out what had been done to all their crops, vineyards, and their olive trees, they immediately demanded to know who had done such to them. And when they found out that it had been caused by Samson, they went and burned to death Samson s wife and her father. F. After the Philistines burned Samson s wife and her father to death, Samson still made the threat to the Philistines that he would get even with them before he stopped with his acts of disaster. G. After this, Samson killed many of the Philistines; and then he went down and dwelt in a cave in the top of the rock Etam. 8. After this had happened, Samson was delivered into the hands of the Philistines by his own people; because the Philistines came into Judah seeking to find Samson. But the Spirit of God gave Samson victory over the Philistines once again. We read in Judges 15:9-20: Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi. And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us. Then threethousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? What is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them. And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock. And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith. And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men. And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-lehi. And he was sore athirst, and called on the Lord, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi

11 unto this day. And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years. A. The Philistines came up and pitched their tents in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi, which was about midway between the Philistine border and the Salt Sea. B. The people of Judah questioned the Philistines as to why they came up against them. And the Philistines said that they had came up to bind or to capture Samson; to do unto him as he had done unto them. C. Then three-thousand of the men of Judah went up to the rock where Samson dwelled, and questioned him as to his knowledge of the Philistine rule over them; and what he had done to bring the Philistines against them in revenge. And Samson s answer was that he had only done unto them as they had done unto him. D. The men of Judah told Samson that they had came to bind him, so that they might turn him over to the Philistines. Samson pleaded with them not to kill him. They declared unto Samson that they would not kill him, but they would bind him and turn him over to the Philistines. So they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock. E. When Samson was brought up to Lehi, then the Philistines began to shout against him. But the Spirit of the Lord fell mightily upon Samson once again, and the cords and his bands were broken from off his body. F. And then Samson found the jawbone of an ass, and slew a thousand Philistines with the bone. And then Samson declared it unto the people. And when he had finished with his speech to the people, he disposed of the bone; and he called the place Ramath-lehi. G. After Samson s victory, he was very thirsty. And he was afraid that he would die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised Philistines. But God opened up a hole in the ground, and water came out; after which Samson drank and felt better. And Samson called the name of the place Enhakkore, which means Caller s Spring; and it still remains in Lehi. And Samson judged the Israelites for twenty years, during the days of the Philistines. 9. Now we read of where Samson tore down and carried away the post and the gates of the city of Gaza. Judges 16:1-3 tells us: Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her. And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city,

12 and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron. A. Samson went up to Gaza and found a prostitute, and went in and had an affair with her. B. The Gazites heard about Samson being in the city, so they decided to hide and wait for him near the gates of the city. They had planned to wait until morning, until it became daylight again, and then pull a sneak attack upon him, and kill him. C. But Samson only remained with the prostitute until midnight; probably while the guards were asleep; surprising the Gazites as he left. And when he left the city, he tore down the doors to the city gate, the two door posts, and the bar, or the holders, and carried them upon his shoulders to the top of the hill that faces the city of Hebron; which was several miles away. 10. It is my belief, that since Samson had chosen to enter into sin, by entering into fornication with a prostitute, that God was no longer able to help Samson. For God has absolutely no connection with deliberate sin, which Samson now had chosen to enter into. Even though God allowed Samson to break down the doors and the posts and the bar to the city, we will see shortly ahead, that Samson s connection with God began to diminish; and Samson began to lose his mighty power. We read in Judges 16:4-22: And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee eleven-hundred pieces of silver. And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known. And Deliah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off

13 his arms like a thread. And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web. And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web. And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? Thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother s womb: If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord had departed from him. But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house. Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. A. Later, Samson fell in love with a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. As we will see, it is very evident that Delilah did not love Samson as he loved her. For all that she done from the beginning of their relationship, was to try and trick Samson into telling her his secret to his mighty power; for the purpose of being paid by the lords of the Philistines. B. The lords of the Philistines told Delilah to entice Samson; or trick and deceive him; to find out the secret to his mighty strength; so that they may prevail against him, and bind him, and bring affliction upon him. Any woman who truly loved a man at all, would not of even considered the idea; not for any amount of money. But when the lords of the Philistines told her that they would give her eleven-hundred pieces of silver to do so, Delilah immediately jumped at the opportunity.

14 C. First of all, in my opinion, if Samson had of used any wisdom at all, he would of knew from the very start, that Delilah was not fit to be spending his time with; seeing as how she began from the very beginning of their relationship, to try to persuade him to tell her the secret to his power. But instead, Samson immediately started telling Delilah lie after lie, as to the key to his mighty power. So it is very evident, that Samson is not being led by the Holy Spirit of God any longer. Samson first told Delilah that he would be as weak as any other man, if they bound him with seven green withs that were never dried. Hebrew-yether (yeh-ther): a small rope. But when the Philistines gave Delilah the small withs, she bound him as the Philistines waited with her in her chamber. And when she told Samson that the Philistines had come for him, he immediately broke loose the withs as thread, and remained strong. D. Then Delilah accused Samson of mocking her, and pleaded with him once again to tell her his secret to his strength. Samson should have had enough wisdom to know, when he first seen that the Philistines awaited in the chamber of Delilah, that all that she was attempting to do, was to blackmail him. He should of gotten rid of her immediately. This time, Samson told Delilah another lie; claiming that if she bound him with new ropes, which had never been occupied, or used, that he would then be weak, just as any other man. So Delilah bound him with new ropes, and told him once again that there were Philistine come for him, and that there were liers (hiding men) abiding in the chamber. Once again, Samson just tore off the ropes, or broke them from off his arms like thread. E. Once again, Samson had mocked, or made a fool of Delilah. So she pleaded with him once again, to give her the secret to his mighty strength. Once again a third time, Samson lied to Delilah concerning the secret to his mighty power. This time he told her that the key to his secret is for her to weavest the seven locks of his head with the web. So Delilah fastened it with a pin, and told Samson once again, that the Philistines had come for him. So he woke up, and just escaped with the pin of the beam, and with the web. F. Delilah by this time was getting very frustrated with Samson, for lying to her on three different occasions. She sure had a lot of ungodly nerve, to ask Samson how he could say to her that he lover her with all his heart. I believe that if I had been Samson, I would of asked her, how that she could ever say that she loved me at all; and continue to attempt to doublecross him, in a way that would eventually cost him his life, as she was doing. But Delilah continued to torture Samson day after day, until he finally told her the truth to the secret of his mighty power; that a razor had never come upon his head since he came from his mother s womb. And if his head be shaven, then

15 he would be weak, just as any other man. And after Samson told Delilah the truth, she called for the lords of the Philistines, and told them to come up; for Samson had told her the truth from his heart. So the Philistine came up, with money in their hands. And Delilah waited until Samson went to sleep upon her knees; and then she called for a man to come and shave off the seven locks of hair from his head. And then Delilah began to afflict Samson, and his strength went from him. G. Then Delilah woke Samson from his sleep, and he thought that he would be able to escape just as he had been able to do before. But Samson did not know at this time that his strength was gone from him; because the Lord had departed from him, after he revealed the secret of his power unto Delilah. H. The Philistines took Samson and plucked out both his eyeballs, and brought him down to Gaza; and there they bound Samson with fetters of brass. Then they put him to turning the grinding wheel in the prison house; which was a very hard job. The victim (Samson) had to walk round and round in circles, continually pushing a very heavy long rod, which was attached to a large grinding wheel in the center of the room; a very dreary and straining job. But after Samson s head was shaven, the hair of his head began to grow again. 11. Next comes the death of Samson. But before he died, he prayed to God, and God restored the power within Samson to knock down the pillars which held up the house; probably referring to a social hall, or a large auditorium where the Philistines gather together for social events; destroying more Philistines than he had ever destroyed in his entire lifetime. We read in Judges 16:23-31: Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand. And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us. And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars. And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there, and there were upon the roof about three-thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. And Samson called upon 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

16 once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. And Samson took hold of the middle pillars, upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life. Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying place of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years. A. The Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god, Dagon, and to have a great, joyful celebration. For they declared that Dagon had delivered their enemy Samson into their hands. Of course Dagon was nothing more than an idol statute, and had no power whatsoever. The only thing which had caused the Philistines to be able to capture and torment Samson as they did, was his own disobedience to the true and living God Jehovah. The Philistines declared Samson to be the destroyer of their country, who had slain many of their people. B. When the Philistines became merry, they wanted Samson to be brought before them, so that they could mock and make fun of him; probably dancing around him, making fun of his missing eyeballs, smacking him in the face, and everything else that they could think of to do to intimidate him. C. The Philistines set Samson between the pillars of the building. And Samson began to persuade the lad whom had been placed in charge of him, to allow him to lean against the pillars that held up the building. D. The house was full of men and women, plus all the lords of the Philistines, plus about three-thousand men and women that were upon the rooftop of the house. And Samson prayed and asked the Lord to please give him strength just one more time; that he might get even with the Philistines for plucking out his eyes. E. Samson then took hold of the two pillars; one with his right hand, and the other with his left hand; and he asked God to let him die with the Philistines. And then Samson put forth all his might; and the whole house fell and killed all the lords of the Philistines, and every one in the house; plus all the people who stood upon the roof of the house; more than he had ever killed during his whole lifetime. F. Then all of Samson s brethren and all those of his father s house, came and rescued his body, and took him and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol; where his father owned a burying place. And as we mentioned earlier, Samson judged Israel for twenty years.

17 Conclusion: We all remember Samson, as a man of extraordinary physical strength. Not that Samson was what we think of when we think of Big Hulk, or Mr. Incredible, or Hulk Hogan. I believe that Samson was just an ordinary man; but a man who had supernatural strength. But the mystery of his strength which he had was a secret which was to be kept between him and God Almighty. But Samson allowed Delilah to deceive him into revealing this secret unto her; and this was what brought about Samson s fall. It cost him his freedom, his eyesight, and eventually his life. May we always be faithful unto God, with any secrets which He may entrust us with. For if God gives us a secret to keep, it is because He has plans which He desires for no one else to know about except He and us. Calvin Smith