Nazirite judge · Judges, c. 1100 BC
Samson in the Bible
Samson's strength is tied to a Nazirite vow he treats carelessly. Betrayed by Delilah, blinded and set to grind at Gaza, he brings down the temple of Dagon in a final act that kills more Philistines than his whole life had.
Verses mentioning Samson
39 occurrences across 38 verses in the King James Version.
- Judges 13:24
And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
Read in context - Judges 14:1
And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
Read in context - Judges 14:3
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. pleaseth: Heb. is right in mine eyes
Read in context - Judges 14:5
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. against: Heb. in meeting him
Read in context - Judges 14:7
And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
Read in context - Judges 14:10
So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
Read in context - Judges 14:12
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: sheets: or, shirts
Read in context - Judges 14:15
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? take: Heb. possess us, or, impoverish us?
Read in context - Judges 14:16
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?
Read in context - Judges 14:20
But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
Read in context - Judges 15:1
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 chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
Read in context - Judges 15:3
And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure. more: or, blameless from the Philistines though, etc
Read in context - Judges 15:4
And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. firebrands: or, torches
Read in context - Judges 15:6
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.
Read in context - Judges 15:7
And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
Read in context - Judges 15:10
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.
Read in context - Judges 15:11
Then three thousand 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. went: Heb. went down
Read in context - Judges 15:12
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.
Read in context - Judges 15:16
And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men. heaps upon: Heb. an heap, two heaps
Read in context - Judges 16:1
Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her. harlot: Heb. a woman an harlot
Read in context - Judges 16:2
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. quiet: Heb. silent
Read in context - Judges 16:3
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, 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. bar: Heb. with the bar
Read in context - Judges 16:6
And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
Read in context - Judges 16:7
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. green: or, new cords: Heb. moist another: Heb. one
Read in context - Judges 16:9
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. toucheth: Heb. smelleth
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