Samson

Summary

In a poignant tale of love, deceit, and redemption, the childless Manoah and his wife are blessed with a son, Samson, after the wife's fervent prayers. An angel prophesies that Samson will deliver Israel from the Philistines, but his hair must never be cut. As Samson grows, his extraordinary strength becomes the marvel of his community. He falls in love with Zorah, a Philistine's daughter, and marries her despite his father's objections. However, their happiness is short-lived, as Zorah's deceit and the Philistines' threats drive Samson to anger and renunciation. His subsequent exploits, including slaying a thousand soldiers with a jawbone and striking terror into the hearts of the people of Gaza, only serve to further inflame the Philistines' hatred. Samson's eventual downfall comes at the hands of Delilah, who, enticed by the Philistine ruler Sihon, discovers the secret of Samson's strength and cuts off his hair, leading to his capture, blindness, and enslavement. Yet, even in his darkest hour, Samson finds the strength to exact a final, devastating revenge on his tormentors, bringing the temple crashing down upon them.

Synopsis

Manoah and his wife mourn deeply because both have passed the middle-age mark and remain childless. As they become older, their sorrow increases until one day the old wife calls upon the Lord and prays that they may have a child to gladden their declining years. An angel appears in answer to her prayer and prophecies that she shall have a son but that his hair must never be cut. The angel also declares that the son shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines. In due time Manoah's wife has a son and names him Samson. As he grows to manhood, his extraordinary strength is the marvel of his parents and the community. When he has attained a man's estate he goes to Timmath, where he meets and learns to love Zorah, a Philistine's beautiful daughter. Samson overcomes his father's objections to his marrying a Philistine maiden, and he conducts his parents to Timmath that they may see his bride. While they are nearing the Vineyard of Timmath a young lion roars at Samson. He becomes imbued with the spirit of the Lord, and after struggling with the beast he breaks its jaws. Arrived at Timmath with his parents the nuptial feast is arranged for and the betrothal is announced. During the interim before his marriage, Samson returns to the spot where he slew the lion and finds that bees have gathered there and have deposited honey in the carcass, Thus at his wedding feast he proposes to his guests the riddle, "Out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetness," and he offers to give to him who solves the riddle 30 sheets and 30 changes of garments. Unable to answer the riddle, the Philistines go to Zorah, and threaten her with death unless she draws Samson out and obtains for them the answer. She fights against their threats and persuasions but she finally weakens and after obtaining the answer from Samson she tells the Philistines. When the final day arrives and they answer the riddle Samson is deeply wrought up against his wife because he realizes her deceit. In his anger he renounces her and leaves her with her father. However, when his anger cools he returns and wishes to become reconciled. But in the meantime Zorah's father has given her to another. Samson's anger knows no bounds and he goes into the cornfields of the Philistines' and applies the fire brand. Driven to despair, the Philistines blame Zorah's father as the author of their misfortunes and they burn his house consuming Zorah and her father. Weary of the world, Samson seeks a cave on the top of the rock of Etan and dwells there. But the Philistines cannot rest in their hatred for Samson. They gather an army together and go to take their revenge on their enemy and upon the field of Ramath-Lehi, Samson meets the army of the Philistines and single-handed, with the jawbone of an ass he gives them battle, slaying a thousand soldiers in putting the remainder to flight. Samson then goes to the city of Gaze and strikes terror into the hearts of the people by his feats of strength. Sihon, the ruler of the Philistines, plots to take Samson prisoner, and he has the gates of the city locked against him. But when Samson is ready to leave, he wrenches the huge gates from their hinges and carries them away. Samson now meets the beautiful Delilah and is fascinated by her charms. Neither is she blind to the beauty or his strength and she receives him with favor. Making capital of their love Sihon entices Delilah to ascertain from Samson wherein his great strength lies. She refuses but Sihon convinces her that it is a matter of loyalty to her religion and people and she consents. She leads him to her home and employs her charms to fascinate him and she soothes and coaxes him as only a woman can until he is overcome and tells her: "There hath not come a razor upon mine head. If I be shaven then my strength will go from me." Then a prey to her seductions, he falls asleep and she cuts off his locks and summons Sihon and the soldiers. Then Samson is bound and thrown into prison where his eyes are put out with hot irons. He is then made to grind in the prison house and he is whipped as he works like an animal. When Samson's strength is gone he is for the moment forgotten and as the time passes his hair begins to grow out again. And when Samson's hair is again grown out the Philistines gather in the Temple and make merry and call for Samson that he may make sport for them. Samson is taken from the prison and led into the temple by a small boy. He is jeered and hooted at by the Philistines and is made to bow and do homage to Dagon the fishguard. Then Samson whispers to his boy guide to lead him to the sustaining pillars of the temple that he may lean upon them. Samson now calls upon the Lord for strength that he may be avenged for the loss of his eyes. The populace are wild with insane joy as they behold the once mighty man now their clown. As they rail and jeer him he places his mighty shoulders to the huge pillars. The frenzied mocking is frozen upon their lips and there is an awful silence. Then the massive pillars totter and crumble before his touch, the magnificent temple curves, collapses and tumbles upon the multitude. In that hour of death, the old, blind, dying Samson totters and crawls over the ruins until he finds a certain form, Delilah, and he falls upon the body of the faithless one he loved.