Samson the Strong Man
Born as a Nazirite with supernatural strength, Samson battles the Philistines but struggles with his own weaknesses and passions.
Judges 13:1-25, Judges 14:1-20, Judges 15:1-20
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The Story
Again the Israelites did evil, and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.
An angel of the Lord appeared to a barren woman of the tribe of Dan. 'You will conceive and have a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from birth. He will begin the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines.'
The child was born and named Samson. The Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him.
Samson was immensely strong—able to tear a lion apart with his bare hands, kill thirty Philistines in anger, and catch three hundred foxes. But his strength was matched by his weaknesses: he desired Philistine women, lost his temper easily, and played dangerous games with his God-given power.
When the Philistines burned his wife and her family, Samson attacked them viciously. He struck them hip and thigh with great slaughter, then went and stayed in a cave.
The Philistines camped in Judah, demanding Samson. Three thousand men of Judah went to the cave. 'Don't you realize the Philistines rule over us? What have you done to us?'
'I merely did to them what they did to me,' Samson answered.
His own people bound him with new ropes and handed him over. But as he approached the Philistines, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. The ropes fell away, he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and with it he struck down a thousand men.
Samson judged Israel for twenty years. Yet his greatest victory—and his tragic fall—were still to come.
Super Strong Samson
Kids Version
A long time ago, an angel visited a woman. 'You're going to have a special baby boy! He will be dedicated to God. Never cut his hair. He will help save Israel from the Philistines.'
The baby was born and named Samson. As he grew up, something amazing happened—God made him SUPER strong! Stronger than anyone ever!
One time, a lion attacked Samson. ROAR! But Samson grabbed the lion and tore it apart with his bare hands! Wow!
The Philistines were mean people who ruled over Israel. Samson fought them again and again.
Once, the Philistines made Samson really angry. He caught 300 foxes, tied torches to their tails, and let them run through the Philistines' fields. All their crops burned up!
The Philistines were SO mad! They came after Samson. His own people tied him up with strong ropes and handed him over.
But the Spirit of God came on Samson. SNAP! The ropes broke like thread! Samson grabbed a donkey's jawbone and fought the Philistines all by himself. He won against 1,000 men!
Samson was super strong. But he had a big problem: he didn't always make good choices. He liked Philistine girls even though God said no. He played games with his special gift. He didn't always follow God's rules.
Samson's story shows us that even strong people need to be careful. Our strength comes from God, and we should use it His way!
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Characters in This Story
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Scripture — Judges 13:1-25 (KJV)
1And 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. did evil: Heb. added to commit, etc
2And 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.
3And 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.
4Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
5For, 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.
6Then 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:
7But 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.
8Then Manoah intreated 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 the child that shall be born.
9And 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.
10And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.
11And 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.
12And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him? How shall we order: Heb. What shall be the manner of the, etc how shall we do: or, what shall he do?: Heb. what shall be his work?
13And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.
14She 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.
15And 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. for thee: Heb. before thee
16And 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.
17And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
18And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret ? secret: or, wonderful
19So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
20For 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.
21But 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.
22And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
23But 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 shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
24And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
25And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol. the camp: Heb. Mahanehdan
Memory Verse
“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. did evil: Heb. added to commit, etc”
— Judges 13:1 (KJV)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the story of “Samson the Strong Man” in the Bible?
Born as a Nazirite with supernatural strength, Samson battles the Philistines but struggles with his own weaknesses and passions. This story is found in Judges 13:1-25, Judges 14:1-20, Judges 15:1-20.
Where is “Samson the Strong Man” found in the Bible?
“Samson the Strong Man” is found in Judges 13:1-25, Judges 14:1-20, Judges 15:1-20, in the book of Judges.
What can children learn from “Samson the Strong Man”?
This story teaches children about God's gift of strength, Human weakness, Purpose despite failures. Before Samson was born, God chose him for a special job. His hair was never to be cut, and God gave him super strength! He fought against the Philistines who were hurting God's people.