Chapter 50: Samson

Study notes

A woman is told she will bear a son whose head no razor may touch and who will start saving Israel from the Philistines, and she names the boy Samson. After Delilah learns all that is in his heart, she calls the Philistine lords; at the end Samson pushes until a house falls on the lords and the people, and he dies.

From Judges 13:5 (KoS), Judges 13:24 (KoS), Judges 16:18 (KoS), Judges 16:30 (KoS).

These notes and questions are original study helps written for this site, not scripture. The verses shown with each question are quoted from the Kingdoms of Scripture Bible.

Notice and discuss

Read each passage, then think about the question on your own or talk it over with others. No answers are collected.

1. What reasons does the wife give her husband for thinking Yahweh did not mean to kill them?

   His wife said to him, If Yahweh had wanted to kill us, he would not have taken a whole offering and a grain gift from our hand, and he would not have shown us all these things, and at this time he would not have let us hear something like this.

   Judges 13:23 (KoS)

2. What do the men of Judah ask Samson when they come to Etam, and how does he explain what he did?

   Three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and they said to Samson, Do you not know that the Philistines are ruling us? What is this you have done to us? He said to them, As they did to me, so I did to them.

   Judges 15:11 (KoS)

3. What does Samson ask Yahweh for when he calls out to him, and what does he want to do?

   Samson called to Yahweh and said, Lord Yahweh, remember me, please, and strengthen me, please, just this once, O God, and let me take vengeance, one vengeance for my two eyes, from the Philistines.

   Judges 16:28 (KoS)

   Note · Translation Adonai YHWH is Lord Yahweh. The second word is the name. It is pointed in this line like Elohim. The name is printed Yahweh. The appeal “O God” later in the line is Elohim.