A hero whose strength was in his hair. Bible Tales: Samson and Delilah

The story of the life and death of Samson (Shimshon) has many ambiguities. The message that Samson judged Israel for twenty years, due to its lapidarity and incoherence with the narrative, looks like a late insert in order to find a hero, whose memory has been preserved among the people, a place among the Israeli leaders - judges.

In the guise of Samson and in his exploits, there are many features inherent in the heroes of the peoples of the Aegean, especially Hercules: innocence, unbridledness, love of love. Just like Hercules, Samson is a lion-slayer. Because of the woman, both of them fall into slavery. The strength of Samson, attributed to Yahweh, is a late, introduced trait. In Samson there is nothing of either a judge, or a hero of typical Israeli myths, and even more so of a Nazarene, who must be abstinent, not drink wine, not touch corpses, not waste his energy on women, especially foreign women.

For forty years Israel groaned under the power of the Philistines and, seeing their strength, did not even think about deliverance. And Yahweh wished to raise the spirit of his people, and sent a messenger from the land of the tribe of Dan to Zorah 1, instructing him to meet with the wife of a man named Manoah, who was barren. Meeting with her, the messenger said:

Here you are barren and do not give birth, but soon you will give birth to a son. Beware of wine and strong drink, do not drink anything intoxicating and do not eat anything unclean - for your son will be the Nazarene of God. Let him not eat anything that the vine produces, drink neither wine nor spirits, touch anything unclean, and let no scissors touch his head. And it will be given to him to save Israel from the power of the Philistines.

Having said this, the herald departed. And indeed, soon a son was born to Manoah, who was named Samson.

When Samson was already a young man and got to the city of Timna, he saw a beautiful Philistine woman there and followed her to her father's house. And then he returned to his parents and announced his desire to them. Samson's father and mother had no idea that this was not a whim of his son, but the Spirit of Yahweh in him was looking for an opportunity to take revenge on the Philistines.

Why do you need a Philistine, my son? Are there not enough brides among our people? the parents asked.

But since Samson stood his ground, his parents went with him to Timna. When the road cut through the vineyard surrounding the city, a menacing roar was heard. The Spirit of Yahweh entered Samson, and he went towards the lion, and tore apart the terrible predator with his bare hands, as if it were a newborn goat.

In Timna, Samson was talking to a girl he liked. After some time, he again appeared with her to arrange a wedding. At the same time, he made a detour to look at the corpse of a lion, the work of his own hands, and, to his surprise, saw that a swarm of bees was hovering over his mouth.

He took out honey and, continuing on his way, ate it and left it to his parents without telling them that the honey came from the corpse of a lion he had killed. Then his father went to the woman whom Samson had betrothed. And, according to the customs of that time, a wedding feast took place. Samson caused fear among the Philistines, so they sent thirty young men to be guests at his wedding. Samson addressed them:

I want to give you a riddle. If during the wedding, which will last seven days, you solve it, you will receive thirty linen garments and the same number of cloaks. Don't guess, give it all to me.

We agree! answered the Philistines in unison. Then he said:

From the devourer came grub, from the strong - sweetness. Days passed, but the wedding guests could not solve the riddles.

On the fourth day they turned to Samson's wife:

Persuade your husband to solve his riddle, otherwise we will burn you along with your stepfather's house. After all, not to rob, they called us to the wedding.

Then the woman threw herself on Samson's neck, weeping, and said to him:

You don't love me at all and make me suffer. Why did you ask a riddle to my fellow tribesmen, but I don't know it?

Why should I solve a riddle for you when I didn't solve it for my father and mother! Samson objected.

She wept for seven days in a row, all the time of the wedding feast. On the seventh day, Samson took pity on her and solved the riddle for her. She conveyed the decision to the sons of her people, and the Philistines answered before sunset that the dead lion had become food and sweetness.

You would not have guessed my riddle, - Samson said with annoyance, - if you had not plowed on my heifer.

After that, the Spirit of Yahweh descended on Samson, and he went to Ascalon, and killed thirty Philistine men there. He took off everything that was on them, and gave it to those who solved his riddle. Then he returned in anger to his father's house.

After some time, during the harvest days, Samson took the goat and went to his wife. His father blocked his path.

I want to go to my wife's bedroom! he said to him.

And it seemed to me, - answered the father-in-law, - that you hated her. So I gave your wife to one of the wedding guests. But isn't my youngest daughter prettier than her? You can visit her.

Samson shouted in rage:

Now I'll be right! Right, if I make a notch in the memory of the Philistines!

And he ran out of the city, caught three hundred foxes, tied them in pairs with their tails, put them in the middle of a burning torch and drove the Philistines to the arable land. The freshly folded mop, and the uncompressed cornfield, and the olive orchards burned down. The Philistines ran between the haystacks, asking, "Who did this?"

And those who were at the wedding answered:

Samson, son-in-law of the Timnites who took his wife. Then the Philistines broke into the city and burned the house

the one who caused their crops to be burned. Samson said:

Although you have done so, I will not rest until I have avenged you.

With these words, he rushed at the Philistines and broke their legs, and then withdrew, choosing for himself the gorge of Etam in the lands of Judah, a tribe that paid tribute to the Philistines. The Philistines, armed, followed him and reached Lehi. The elders were frightened and came to the soldiers to find out what they were guilty of.

You let in Samson, who harmed us. Give him away and we'll leave.

And three thousand warriors from the tribe of Judah went to the gorge under Mount Etam, and they turned to Samson:

Why are you here? Don't you know that the Philistines rule over us, and you have harmed them?

What they have done to me, I have done to them! Samson replied.

So we have come to tie you up and hand you over to them.

Knit! said Samson, holding out his hands. But swear you won't kill me.

And the soldiers of Judah tied him with two new ropes, and took him to the Philistines in Lech. Seeing Samson, the Philistines ran to meet him. And then the Spirit of Yahweh descended on Samson again, and the ropes on his hands were torn, as if they were from rotten flax. And Samson began to fumble with his eyes, looking for something to hit them. and beat a thousand men with it. And he sang, rejoicing in his victory.

donkey jaw

Crowd, two crowds 2,

donkey jaw

Killed a thousand people!

Samson dropped his jaw as soon as he sang it. Since then, that place has been called Ramat-Lehi (Mountain-Jaw).

Then a great thirst fell upon Samson, and he called to the Lord:

Behold, you saved me, your servant, and now I will die of thirst and fall into the hands of the Philistines.

Yahweh heard these words, opened the earth, and water gushed out. Samson drank spring water and came to life. This source has been preserved in Lehi to this day and is called the “Source of the Caller”.

After that day Samson judged Israel for twenty years. One day he went to Gaza. Seeing a prostitute sitting by her house, he went in to her. It was then that the Philistines saw Samson and remembered how many he had destroyed. They decided to set up an ambush in order to kill the enemy at dawn when he leaves the city. Guessing what awaits him, Samson did not wait for dawn, he went out when it was still dark. Leaving Gaza, he broke down its gate along with the jamb, put them on his back and carried them to the top of the mountain, which is east of Hebron. Those who were in ambush saw that there were no gates in the city, and howled like the wolves of the desert, for for the city to lose the gate is the same as for a warrior - a shield.

Samson walked light into the valley of Sorek. There he met the beautiful Philistine Delilah, whom he fell in love with at first sight. The rulers of the Philistines found out about this and rejoiced, confident that now they would put an end to the mighty enemy. Appearing to Delilah, they promised a lot of silver if she knew how to defeat Samson in order to bind and pacify him.

Caressing Samson, Delilah asked him how to bind him in order to overcome him, and whether it was possible.

Maybe! Samson replied between kisses. - It is necessary to tie me with seven ropes, fresh, not yet dry.

The Philistines who were hiding in the next room heard these words. As soon as the heroic snoring was heard, they handed over the rawhide belts to the insidious woman. Delilah wrapped them around Samson seven times, but when he woke up, he tore the bonds with such ease, as if it were tow burned by fire.

And many more times, reproaching Samson of insincerity and deceit, Delilah tried to find out the secret of his strength, until he, having had enough of her caresses, opened his heart to her.

The razor did not touch my head, because I am the Nazarene of God from my mother's womb. Until the scissors touch my head, the strength given to me by the Lord will not leave me.

And Delilah realized that this time Samson had not deceived her. And with joy she called the Philistines. And they came with the silver they had promised. She had already lulled him with caresses on her knees and called for the barber, who cut seven braids from his head. After that she shouted:

The Philistines are against you, Samson!

Samson rushed, but could not cope with the enemies that had fallen on him, because strength receded from him along with his hair.

The Philistines snatched out knives and, gouging out Samson's eyes, brought him to Gaza, which he disgraced, they chained him with two copper chains and took him to the guard's house, so that he, along with other prisoners, would turn a stone millstone. So he lived for several months, and his hair began to grow.

The holiday of the great god of the Philistines Dagon 4 was approaching. It was decided to commemorate it with a solemn sacrifice. The people gathered visibly-invisibly, and everyone rejoiced, glorifying Dagon. Then they remembered that Dagon had given them into the hands of the one who devastated their fields and killed many of them. They ordered to bring Samson. He was all white with flour, only the fetters gleamed on his arms and legs. The Philistines began to spit at Samson and throw whatever they could get at him. They showered him with curses and dishonored God, who did not want to save him. Since not everyone in the crowd could see how Samson was being mocked, many climbed onto the flat roof of the temple and watched from there. Samson endured shame and pain in silence. When the enemies were fed up with his humiliations, he called the guide boy to him and said to him in an undertone:

Lead me to the two pillars on which the roof is, so that I can lean against them.

The boy complied with his request. And Samson prayed to Yahweh:

Oh Lord, remember me and make it so that I can avenge the Philistines for both my eyes.

After that, Samson rested with both hands on two supporting pillars.

The temple shook. Those who watched Samson from the roof - and there were three thousand men and women - fell to the ground.

And then Samson exclaimed:

Die, my soul, with the Philistines!

He once again pushed the columns, and the temple collapsed, burying under its ruins everyone who was inside and on the roof. And there were more killed at his death than he had killed in his entire life. After that, Samson's tribesmen and the whole family came, removed Samson's corpse and buried his father Manoah in the crypt.

1 Tzora, Eshtaoya, Timna, Etom, Ramat-Lehi, Hebron, the So river valley - the settlements and areas appearing in the story of Samson belonged to the territory adjacent to the possessions of the Philistines and related to their sphere of influence.

2 Play on words: the donkey and the crowd in the Hebrew language were denoted by words close in sound.

3 Delilah (Heb.) - "Shame".

4 Starting from 2500 BC. e. Dagon was revered throughout Mesopotamia. His temple in Mari was decorated with bronze figures. His veneration has been certified in Bet-Shean during the time of Saul and David (XI-X centuries BC) and in Ashdod during the time of the Maccabees (III century BC). Dagon means "fish" in Semitic languages. On the coins of Arvad and Ashkelon, he was depicted with a fish tail.

SAMSON

SAMSON (Shimshon), the son of Manoah from the tribe of Dan, the "judge" (ruler) of the ancient Israelites, whose exploits are described in the biblical book of Judges (13-16). The story about him is more full of legends than the stories about other "judges".

The story of Samson's birth is a characteristic motif of God's miraculous gift of a son to a barren woman. An angel sent by God announced to the mother that she would give birth to a son, who should be a Nazirite already in the mother's womb, and therefore she was forbidden to drink wine and eat anything unclean, and when the child was born, he should not cut his hair. The angel also announced that the boy was destined to begin the deliverance of Israel from the yoke of the Philistines.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. Sacrifice of Manoah. 1641
Art gallery, Dresden.

The stories about Samson, which the book of Judges tells about, are associated with three Philistine women. The first lived in the Philistine city of Timna, or Timnata. Samson accomplished his first feat on the way to Timnata, killing a lion that attacked him with his bare hands.

Peter Paul Rubens. Samson tearing the mouth of a lion. 1615-16
Villar-Mir Collection, Madrid

In Timnath, at his wedding, Samson asked the Philistines a riddle based on the incident with the lion, which they could not solve, and persuaded the bride to extort the answer from Samson. When Samson realized that he had been deceived, he attacked Ashkelon in anger and, having killed 30 Philistines, returned to his parents' house. When Samson came to see his wife a few days later, it turned out that her father, believing that Samson had abandoned her, had given her in marriage to Samson's "marriage friend".

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. Samson threatens his father-in-law. 1635

In retaliation, Samson burned the fields of the Philistines by releasing 300 foxes with torches tied to their tails. Knowing the cause of Samson's anger, the Philistines burned his unfaithful wife and her father, but Samson considered this insufficient and inflicted severe injuries on many. The Philistines marched into Judea to capture and punish Samson. Frightened, the Israelites sent a delegation of 3,000 men to Samson demanding that they hand themselves over to the Philistines. Samson agreed to be tied up by the Israelites and handed over to the Philistines. However, when he was brought to the Philistine camp, he easily broke the ropes and, seizing the jaw of an ass, killed a thousand Philistines with it.

Gustave Dore. Samson smashes the Philistines with a donkey's jaw

The second story is connected with the Philistine harlot in Gaza. The Philistines surrounded her house in order to capture Samson in the morning, but he got up in the middle of the night, tore out the city gates and carried them to the mountain, "which is on the way to Hebron."

The third Philistine woman, because of whom Samson died, was Dlila (in the Russian tradition, Delilah, later Delilah), who promised the Philistine rulers for a reward to find out what Samson's strength was.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. Delilah's betrayal. 1629-30
Berlin State Museums

After three unsuccessful attempts, she still managed to find out the secret: the source of Samson's strength was his uncut hair.

Francesco Morone. Samson and Delilah

Having lulled Samson, Dlila ordered that "seven braids of his head" be cut off.

Peter Paul Rubens. Samson and Delilah.

Fragment

Having lost his strength, Samson was captured by the Philistines, blinded, chained and thrown into prison.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. Blinding of Samson.

Fragment. 1636

Soon the Philistines held a feast where they thanked their god Dagon for handing over Samson into their hands, and then brought Samson to the temple to amuse them. Meanwhile, Samson's hair had grown back, and strength began to return to him.

Peter Paul Rubens. Death of Samson. 1605
Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Having offered up a prayer to God, Samson moved the columns from their place, the temple collapsed, and the Philistines who had gathered there and Samson perished under the ruins. "And there were more dead that Samson slew at his death, than how many he slew in his life." The biblical story of Samson ends with the message of Samson's burial in the family tomb between Zor'ah and Eshtaol.

Samson's tomb today

The Book of Judge reports that Samson "judged" Israel for 20 years. Samson was different from the other "judges": he is the only one who, while still in his mother's womb, was destined to become the deliverer of Israel; the only "judge" endowed with superhuman strength, performing unprecedented feats in battles with the enemy; finally, Samson is the only "judge" who fell into the hands of the enemy and died in captivity.

Schnorr von Karolsfeld.The death of Samson

Nevertheless, despite its folklore coloring, the image of Samson fits into the galaxy of "judges" of Israel, who acted under the guidance of the "spirit of God" that descended on them and gave them the strength to "save" Israel. The biblical story of Samson reveals a combination of heroic-mythological and fairy-tale elements with historical narrative.

Slate bas-relief "Samson tears the mouth of a lion"

XI-XII centuries.

The historical image of the “judge”, which was Samson, is enriched with folklore and mythological motifs, which, according to a number of researchers, go back to astral myths, in particular, to the mythology of the Sun (the name “Samson” is literally `sunny’, “the braids of his head” - the rays of the sun, without which the sun loses its power).

"Samson tearing apart the mouth of a lion" - the central fountain

of the Peterhof Palace and Park Ensemble a. ( 1736)

The biblical story of Samson is one of the favorite topics in art and literature, starting from the Renaissance (the tragedy of Hans Sachs "Samson", 1556, and a number of other plays). The topic has become very popular. at 17., especially among the Protestants, who used the image of Samson as a symbol of their struggle against the power of the pope. The most significant work created in this century is J. Milton's drama "Samson the Wrestler" (1671; Russian translation 1911).

Among the works 18 in. it should be noted: a poem by W. Blake (1783), a poetic play by M. H. Luzzatto "Shimshon ve-ha-plishtim" ("Samson and the Philistines"), better known as "Ma'ase Shimshon" ("Acts of Samson"; 1727). AT 19 in. this topic was addressed by A. Carino (circa 1820), Mihai Tempa (1863), A. de Vigny (1864); in the 20th. F. Wedekind, S. Lange, L. Andreev and others, as well as Jewish writers: V. Zhabotinsky (“Samson the Nazarene”, 1927, in Russian; republished by the Library-Aliya publishing house, Jer., 1990); Lea Goldberg ("Ahavat Shimshon" - "Samson's Love", 1951-52) and others.

In fine arts episodes from the life of Samson are depicted on marble bas-reliefs of the 4th century. in the Naples Cathedral. In the Middle Ages, scenes from the exploits of Samson are often found in book miniatures. Paintings on the themes of the story of Samson were painted by the artists A. Mantegna, Tintoretto, L. Cranach, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Rubens and others.

In music Samson's plot is reflected in a number of oratorios by Italian composers (Veracini, 1695; A. Scarlatti, 1696, and others), France (J.F. Rameau, opera to Voltaire's libretto, 1732), Germany (G.F. Milton wrote the oratorio Samson, premiered at the Covent Garden Theater in 1744). The most popular opera by the French composer C. Saint-Saens "Samson and Delilah" (premiered in 1877).

It so happened that the Israelites, stronger than all other nations, were oppressed by the Philistines. The Philistines were warlike and strong, lived in fortified cities by the sea and were a real danger. They raided the Israelites, took their property for themselves, destroyed entire villages, all this went on for forty years.

The Lord, seeing this, sent Samson the strong man to his people. Samson's mother did not have children for a long time, but one day someone told her that she would give birth to a son. Before the birth of the child, she had to lead a particularly pious lifestyle, not drinking wine and not eating pork. After the birth of a child, he was not allowed to cut his hair, the knife should not touch his head, because the child will be dedicated to God.

Samson's mother was surprised and told her husband about this phenomenon, the husband asked the guest who reported this news to enter the house, but he refused, and Samson's father ordered to sacrifice a goat to the Lord. The flame above the altar carried away a mysterious messenger into the sky… It was the Angel of the Lord.

Samson really grew incredibly strong and once defeated a lion that attacked him with his bare hands. He protected the Israelites from the Philistine raids, but he himself fell in love with the young Philistine Delilah and married her. At the wedding, Samson asked those present a riddle that the Philistines could not solve and sent his wife to him with a request to tell the answer. After the wife found out the answer, she immediately told it to her compatriots. Samson got angry and punished 30 Philistines. Thus began their 20-year confrontation. The Philistines, dreaming of defeating Samson, came to Delilah and promised her many silver coins if she learned the secret of Samson's extraordinary strength.

Delilah, who had never known such wealth, betrayed her lover and asked how to defeat him. Samson told Delilah that if he was tied with new damp ropes, he would not break free. Delilah did just that when Samson fell asleep and woke him up, exclaiming “Samson! The Philistines are coming at you." Samson got up and broke the ropes. Delilah realized that she had been deceived and asked again to reveal the secret. Then Samson said that if only his hair was woven into a cloth and nailed to the log, he would lose his strength. Delilah did just that when Samson fell asleep again. Samson was able to free himself again.

Angry, Delilah threatened Samson that she would leave him if he did not tell the truth, and Samson was forced to admit that the strength lies in his hair.

How can you say: “I love you”, but your heart is not with me? Behold, you deceived me three times, and did not tell me what is your great strength.

And as she weighed him down with her words every day and tormented him, his soul became heavy to death. And he opened his whole heart to her, and said to her:

The razor did not touch my head, for I am a Nazarite of God from my mother's womb; but if you cut me, my strength will depart from me; I will become weak and be like other people.

Delilah, seeing that he had opened his whole heart to her, sent and called the owners of the Philistines, saying to them:

Go now; he opened his whole heart to me.

Then Delilah made Samson drunk with wine and called the Philistines, who cut off seven braids from Samson's head. Delilah received the promised payment, and Samson was captured, tortured, gouged out his eyes and thrown into prison, where he was forced to turn the millstones that grind the grain.

Once the Philistines gathered for a feast in honor of the pagan god Dagon. Cheered up, they asked to bring a blind strong man to mock him. But Samson's hair had already grown by that time. Having quietly prayed for his strength to return, Samson, exclaiming "die, my soul, with the Philistines," brought down the roof of the house. Under the rubble, he himself died along with the Philistines who tortured him.

The legend of Samson and Delilah: interpretation

The story of Samson and Delilah teaches us a lot, and it's not just about:

• betrayal;
• disappointment;
• Pain;

Samson began to resist the Philistines not only to protect the Israelites, personal grievances moved him and his physical blindness became a symbol of spiritual blindness and loss of orientation. The power that the Lord gave him to protect him from enemies, Samson used for other purposes. The story of Samson and Delilah is the story of the eternal struggle between good and evil for the soul of man.

L. Giordano "Samson and Delilah"

Historical facts

It is known that the Philistines in those days did indeed raid the Israelites.

Archpriest Nikolai Popov

First Judges: Othniel, Ehud and Samegar

The Lord was angry with the Israelites for their sins and delivered them into the hands of Hussarsafem, the king of Mesopotamia. They served Khusarsafem for 8 years. When the Israelites cried out to the Lord, He raised up for them Othniel, the son-in-law of Caleb, who defeated Hussarsafem. And the earth was calm for 40 years. The Israelites began to sin again, and God gave them into the hands of Eglon, king of Moab, and they served him for 18 years. The Israelites cried out to the Lord, and He raised up for them Ehod, who, when meeting with Eglon alone, stuck a knife in his womb, defeated the Moabites and destroyed them about 10,000 people. And the earth rested for 80 years. After Eod, Samegar delivered the Israelites from the Philistines by beating them with 600 people with an ox goad ().

Judges Deborah and Barak

For the sins of the Israelites, God delivered them into the hands of Jabin, the king of Canaan, who reigned in Acope and who oppressed them for 20 years. When they repented and turned to God, the Lord commanded, through the prophetess Deborah, a certain man named Barak to gather soldiers and destroy the army of the king of Hazor, who was under the command of Sisera. Barak said to the prophetess, “If you go with me, I will go; and if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” Deborah said: “Go, I will go with you, only the glory of the end of the victory will not go to you; The Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” Barak gathered an army (10,000 men) and ascended Mount Tabor. Upon learning of this, Sisera gathered an army. But Barak, according to the prophetic word of Deborah, attacked him, put him to flight, and destroyed his army. When Sisera was fleeing, a woman named Jael, whose husband was at peace with the king of Hazor, invited him into her tent, gave him milk to drink, put him to bed, and when he fell asleep, plunged a stake into his temple. After this victory, the Israelites gradually completely destroyed the kingdom of Jabin, king of Hazor, and enjoyed peace for 40 years. Deborah and Barak glorified the Lord for the victory with a song of thanksgiving ().

Judge Gideon

The Israelites began to do evil before the Lord, and God handed them over for this into the hands of the Midianites for 7 years. The Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern nomadic tribes began to devastate their fields and seize their livestock. The Israelites became poor and repented of their sins. God called on Gideon to deliver them from their enemies. One day, Gideon was threshing wheat in the grinder, preparing to hide from his enemies to a safe place. Suddenly the Angel of the Lord appears to him and says: “The Lord is with you, strong man!” Gideon answered, “If the Lord is with us, why has this affliction befallen us? And where are all His miracles that our fathers told us about?” The Lord told him, “Go and save Israel. I am sending you. I will be with you, and you will strike the Midianites as one man.” Gideon offered meat and unleavened bread to the Lord on a rock. The angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the end of his rod, and fire came out of the stone and burned them; The angel hid from his eyes. Then Gideon said in fear, “Woe to me, Lord! I saw the Angel of the Lord face to face." But the Lord said to him: “Peace be with you! Don't be afraid, you won't die."

The next night, Gideon, at the command of God, with ten of his servants, destroyed the altar of Baal, which was with his father, and cut down a tree by the altar; built an altar to the true God and offered sacrifice on it. In the morning, the inhabitants of the city of Opra, where Gideon lived, having learned that Gideon had done this, demanded that his father hand over his son to death. But Gideon's father told them, "If Baal is God, let him stand up for himself."

Meanwhile, the enemies of the Israelites crossed the Jordan and camped in the valley of Jezreel. The Spirit of God seized Gideon, he blew his trumpet and gathered an army (32,000 people). To give Gideon hope, God gave him a sign of victory. At the request of Gideon, one night God sent such dew onto the fleece (shorn wool) spread by him on the threshing floor that in the morning Gideon squeezed a whole cup of water out of it, while the whole earth was dry, and the next night sent dew to the ground, while the fleece remained dry. But lest the Israelites take credit for the victory, God first commanded Gideon to let go of all the fearful, and 10,000 remained. Then the Lord commanded to lead those who remained to the water, and those who would drink water from their hands, set apart from those who would bend down on their knees and drink. There were 300 people who drank from the hand. The Lord told Gideon to keep these 300 people in his possession to defeat the enemies, and let the rest go. When night fell, Gideon, at the command of God, entered the camp of the enemies, who settled down in the valley in such a multitude as locusts (there were 135,000 of them). And so, one of them tells his dream to another: "I dreamed that barley bread rolled up to the tent and hit it so that it fell." Another said to him: "This is the sword of Gideon: the Lord has given the whole camp into his hands." Returning to his camp, Gideon divided his 300 people into three companies, gave them all trumpets, jugs, and lamps in jugs, and ordered them to go around the enemies on all sides and do the same that he would do. After that, three detachments surrounded the enemy camp, at this sign they blew trumpets, broke jugs and, holding lamps, shouted: “The sword of the Lord and Gideon!” The sleeping enemies were terribly frightened, rushed to kill each other and fled. Gideon chased after them and destroyed them. In gratitude for being saved from their enemies, the Israelites said to Gideon, "You and your descendants rule over us." But he answered, "May the Lord rule over you." And the earth rested for 40 years ().

After the death of Gideon, his son, Abimelech, killed 70 of his brothers, except for Jotham, and reigned for 3 years in Shechem, but died during the indignation of his subjects at the hands of a woman who threw a stone from the tower at his head when he wanted to set fire to the tower. After that, he was a judge of the Israelites for 23 years of Fola, after Fola - 22 years of Jairus ().

Judge Jephthah

The Israelites began to serve the false gods of the neighboring pagan peoples, but left the true God. God was angry with them and delivered them into the hands of the Philistines and Ammonites, who oppressed and tortured them for 18 years. The Israelites repented of their sins, rejected idols, began to serve only the true God, and He had mercy on them and gave them a leader, Jephthah. Going to war against the Ammonites, Jephthah made a vow to God to offer Him after the victory over the enemies as a burnt offering that first of all would come out of the gate of his house to meet him. When he defeated the Ammonites and was returning home, his only daughter came out to meet him, accompanied by maidens gathered by her with tambourines and singing. Seeing her, Jephthah tore his clothes and said: “Oh, my daughter! You struck me: I promised you to the Lord, and I cannot go back on my word. She answered him: “My father! You promised me to the Lord, fulfill your vow, because God helped you to take revenge on your enemies, ”and she only asked him to mourn her virginity with her friends for two months. Two months later, Jephthah fulfilled his vow by dedicating it to God ().

The Ephraimites, jealous of Jephthah, crossed the Jordan and wanted to burn his house and himself because he did not call them to war. Jephthah defeated them. When they began to return home under false names, the inhabitants of Gilead, having occupied the crossing over the Jordan, began to force them to say: “Shibbolet” (ear), and when they said: “Sibboleth”, therefore they recognized them and killed them. So 42,000 people died (Jephthah was a judge for 6 years).

After Jephthah, the judges were: Eshbon (7 years old), who had 30 sons and 30 daughters, Elon (10 years old) and Abdon (8 years old), who had 40 sons and 30 grandchildren ().

Judge Samson

The Israelites did evil before the Lord, and He delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for 40 years. At this time in the land of Israel (in the city of Zor) there was one man, Manoah. His wife was barren and did not give birth. One day an Angel of the Lord appeared to her and said: “Soon you will give birth to a son. From now on, you do not drink wine and strong drink and do not eat anything unclean, and the razor will not touch the head of this son of yours, because from the very birth he will be a Nazarite of God (dedicated to God), and he will begin to save Israel from the Philistines. The wife told her husband about it. Through the prayer of Manoah, the angel appeared again to his wife. She brought her husband, and the Angel confirmed his instructions. Manoah asked him, "What is your name?" The angel replied: "It is wonderful." Manoah offered a sacrifice to the Lord on a rock. When the flame of sacrifice began to rise from the altar to heaven, the Angel rose up in flames. Manoah said in fear, "That's right, we will die because we have seen God." But the wife said: "If the Lord had wanted to kill us, he would not have accepted the sacrifice and would not have revealed this to us."

Manoah's wife gave birth to a son and named him Samson. Samson grew up, and the Spirit of the Lord began to work in him. He began to show extraordinary strength. He liked one Philistine woman from Timnath, and he began to ask his parents to marry him to her. For a long time, his parents did not agree to marry him to a foreigner, and finally gave in to his requests and went with him to Timnafa. On the way, Samson lagged behind his parents. Suddenly he sees: a young lion is walking towards him and roars. The Spirit of the Lord descended on him, he seized the lion and tore it to pieces with his hands like a kid, he overtook his father and mother and did not tell them what he had done. In Thimnath, Samson's proposal was accepted, and it was customary to celebrate the marriage after a while. A few days later, Samson from his house went the same way to Timnatha for marriage, went to look at the corpse of a lion and found in it a swarm of bees and honey. He took honey, ate it on the road, and gave it to his parents, but he did not say where he got it from. Samson made a wedding feast. The Philistines, fearing Samson, chose thirty marriage friends who would be with him. He gave them a riddle and promised, if they solve it during the seven days of feast, to give them 30 thin shirts and 30 changes of clothes. They agreed. Then Samson said, “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.” The Philistines forced Samson's young wife to extort from him and tell them what the riddle means, and at the end of the seventh day they said to him: "What is sweeter than honey and stronger than a lion?" Samson went to Ascalon, killed 30 Philistines there, took off their clothes, gave them to those who solved the riddle, and left his wife and went home. From that time on, Samson began to exterminate the Philistines in multitudes.

When Samson's anger passed, he came to his wife, but found out that she had been married to one of his former marriage friends. Then Samson caught 300 foxes, tied them two by two with their tails, tied their torches between their tails, lit the torches and released the foxes into the fields. Thus, he burned the grain in the fields, the vineyards and olive orchards of the Philistines. The Philistines, having learned why they suffered such a disaster, burned Samson's wife and her father's house. But Samson became even more angry with them, beat them severely and withdrew into a certain gorge of the rock in the tribe of Judah. Then many Philistines came to Judea and demanded that Samson be handed over. Samson allowed the Jews to bind him and bring him to the Philistines. Seeing him, the Philistines rushed to him, but he tore the ropes on himself, grabbed the jawbone of an ass and killed a thousand Philistines with it. After that, he felt a deadly thirst, prayed to God, and the Lord opened the pit, and water flowed from it. Samson got drunk and came to life.

One day Samson spent the night in the Philistine city of Gaza. The inhabitants, having learned about this, lay in wait for him all night at the gates of the city in order to kill him. But Samson left the city at midnight, grabbed the doors of the city gates with both jambs and a lock, put them on his shoulders and carried them to a nearby mountain.

Samson had the imprudence to reveal that his strength lay in the fact that he was a Nazarite of God, and that if his hair was cut, then the strength would depart from him. The Philistines, learning about this, cut off Samson's hair while he was sleeping, and his strength receded from him. The Philistines gouged out his eyes, brought him to Gaza, bound him with two copper chains, and forced him to grind with hand millstones in prison.

In adversity, Samson cleansed his former errors by repentance. The hair on his head began to grow, and with it his strength began to grow. The owners of the Philistines gathered to offer a sacrifice to their god Dagon, and said: "Our God betrayed us Samson." They brought Samson, and he amused them; they beat him on the cheeks and put him between the posts. Samson said to the boy who was leading him, "Bring me in so that I can feel the pillars on which the house is built and lean against them." The lad did it. The house was full of people; all the Philistine owners were there, and there were up to 3,000 men and women on the roof. Samson prayed to God, rested his hands on the two middle pillars on which the house was established, said: “Let me die with the Philistines,” and moved the pillars. The house collapsed on everyone who was in it. Thus, Samson, along with himself, killed the enemies of the fatherland for more than his whole life ().

High Priest and Judge Eli. Birth of Samuel

After the death of Samson, the Philistines continued to oppress the Israelites. At this time, the High Priest Elijah was the judge of Israel for forty years. Under him, the Lord raised up the prophet Samuel.

Samuel's father was a pious Levite Elkan, and his mother was Anna. Anna was childless. They lived in the city of Rama. On the appointed days they went to Shiloh, where the tabernacle stood, to pray and offer sacrifices to God. Once, after the sacrifice, Anna at the tabernacle prayed to God for a long time and with tears that He would give her a son, and promised to give him to serve the Lord. Her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Eli, seeing her, considered her drunk and said: “How long will you be here drunk? Get sober." Anna answered him: “No, sir, I am a woman grieving in spirit, I did not drink wine and strong drink, but I pour out my soul before the Lord.” Eli told her, "Go in peace, God will fulfill your request."

After some time, Anna gave birth to a son, named him Samuel (asked from the Lord) and, having suckled, gave him to serve the Lord at the tabernacle. At the same time, she sang a song to the Lord, in which she glorified the holiness and justice of God and predicted that the Lord would judge the peoples of the earth, give strength to His King and exalt the horn (strength, power) of His Anointed One. In this song, for the first time, the Savior of the World is called the Messiah, or Christ, that is, the Anointed One of God ().

Calling Samuel

The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, although they were the priests of the Lord, were unprofitable people and corrupted the people. Eli knew their iniquities, but did not restrain them. Therefore, the Lord announced his judgment to him through the youth Samuel. One night Eli lay in his place, his eyes began to close, and Samuel lay in the temple of the Lord. Suddenly the Lord called out to Samuel: "Samuel, Samuel!" Thinking that Eli was calling him, Samuel ran to him and said, "Here I am, you called me." But Eli said, “I didn't call you; go back and lie down." The same thing happened a second and a third time. Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling Samuel, and said: “If you still hear the call, you say: “Speak, Lord, your servant hears.” Samuel left and lay down in his place. The Lord again said to him, "Samuel, Samuel!" He answered: "Speak, Lord, your servant hears." Then the Lord said to him, “Behold, I will do such a thing in Israel that whoever hears of it will have both ears ringing. I will do everything with Eli that I threatened his house for the sins of his children.” In the morning, Eli asked Samuel what the Lord had said to him. Samuel told him everything. After listening to Samuel, Eli said, “He is the Lord; whatever He pleases, let Him do!” After that, all Israel knew that Samuel was worthy to be the prophet of the Lord ().

Philistine victory over Israelites. The destruction of the house of Elijah

The Philistines were about to fight the Israelites. There was a battle, and the Israelites were defeated. After this, the elders of Israel said, “Let us take the ark of the Lord from Shiloh, and it will save us from our enemies.” They brought the ark of the covenant of God to the army, and Hophni and Phinehas were with the ark. But the shrine did not help people who angered God with their sins. The Philistines fought the Israelites, defeated them and put them to flight, and took the ark of the covenant captive. Hophni and Phinehas were killed. On the same day, a messenger ran from the battlefield to Silom and told about the disaster. Eli at this time sat by the road at the gate of the tabernacle, and looked; his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the messenger told him that the Israelites were defeated, Hophni and Phinehas fell dead, and the ark of God was taken captive, he fell from his seat, broke his back and died (98 years old;).

The sojourn of the ark of the Lord in the land of the Philistines and the return

The Philistines, taking the ark of God, brought it to Azoth, to the temple of Dagon, and placed it near Dagon. The next morning they found Dogon lying before the ark of the Lord. They took and put Dagon in his place. The next morning they again found Dagon lying before the ark of the Lord, with his head, both feet and both hands on the threshold. Soon the Lord struck the inhabitants of Azot themselves with painful growths, and mice began to devastate their land. They carried the ark of the Lord to Gath; but the same plagues of the Lord struck Gath. From Gath the ark of the Lord was transferred to Ascalon, and the same disasters occurred here. Then the Philistines put the ark of the Lord on the chariot, on its side they put a box with five golden images of mice and five golden images of growths, according to the number of the rulers of the Philistines, harnessed two calving cows to the chariot and let them go at will, and kept their calves at home. The cows themselves brought the ark of the Lord to the land of Israel, to Bethshemesh. The Israelites welcomed the ark of the Lord with joy, and the Levites set it on a rock. Chopping up the chariot for firewood, they brought the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. On this occasion, many of the people touched the ark of the Lord with unsanctified hands and looked into it, and for this they were smitten with death from the Lord (50,070 people). After this, the ark of the Lord was placed in Karyafiarim, in the house of the pious Levite Aminadab ().

Deliverance from the Philistines. Samuel's reign

Oppressed by the Philistines and seeing the miracles from the ark of the Lord, the Israelites turned to the Lord with repentance and abandoned their idols. Then Samuel gathered the people of Israel to Mizpah to pray and offer sacrifices to God. The Philistines, as soon as they heard about this meeting, immediately went to fight with the Israelites. Samuel offered a sacrifice and prayed to God, and the Lord thundered over the Philistines with a strong thunder, terrified them, and the Israelites struck them down. Having freed the Israelites from the Philistines, Samuel was the judge of the Israelites all the days of his life ().

History of Ruth

At the time when the judges ruled over the Israelites, there was a famine in the land of Israel. On this occasion, one inhabitant of Bethlehem, Elimelech, with his wife Naomi and two sons, moved to the land of Moab. Here he died, his sons married Moabites and also died. One of these Moabites was called Orpah, the other Ruth. After the death of her sons, Naomi went to her city of Bethlehem. Orpah and Ruth followed her. Naomi told them of her poverty and urged them to return to their parents. Orpah returned home, but Ruth said to her mother-in-law: “Wherever you go, there I will go; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God; one will separate me from you. Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem at the time of the barley harvest. Having no food, Ruth went to the field to gather the remaining ears and came to the field of Boaz, a relative of her dead husband. Boaz, having come to his field, noticed Ruth, invited her to dine with the reapers and allowed her to go to his field to collect ears, and ordered the reapers to leave more of them. So Ruth gleaned in Boaz's field until the harvest was over. Naomi, having learned about Boaz's gracious disposition towards Ruth, advised her to ask Boaz to fulfill the Mosaic law of zhizhstvo, to marry her. Boaz agreed to this and married her. She gave birth to a son, Ovid, from whom Jesse, the father of David, was born. Thus, Ruth became the great-grandmother of David, from whose family the Savior of the world descended (Book of Ruth).

After the death of Joshua, before the Mesopotamian slavery, for some time there was the rule of the elders and anarchy. This time, not indicated in the Bible by the number of years, was short. Jepheah at one time told the king of the Ammonites, who took away the Jordanian lands from the Israelites, that the Israelites have been living on these lands for 300 years (). According to the testimony of the book of Judges, 301 years passed from the beginning of the enslavement of the Mesopotamian to the enslavement of the Ammonites. This means that the time of the rule of the elders and anarchy was so short that Jepheah did not count it. Ap. Paul, speaking of the times after the division of the land of Canaan to the Israelites, does not mention the time of the reign of the elders and anarchy (). Flavius ​​Josephus, although he appoints 18 years for this time, does not include these 18 years in the total amount of years from the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt to the foundation of the temple by Solomon. In all likelihood, the ancient biblical chronologists put this short time into account of those incomplete years, which in the book of Judges are considered complete. The duration of the time of the Judges, the Apostle Paul defines about 450 years. He says: God, having destroyed the seven peoples in the land of Canaan, divided their land for our fathers as an inheritance. And after that, for about 450 years he gave them judges until the prophet Samuel. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul. So 40 years have passed. (). According to the book of Judges and the 1st Book of Kings, starting with the Mesopotamian enslavement of the Israelites and ending with the enslavement of the Philistines, they count a little more than 451 years before the prophet Samuel, as follows: the Mesopotamian enslavement lasted 8 years (), the world of Hothoniel 40 years (); enslavement of Moab - 18 years (), the world of Eod - 80 years (), the reign of Samegar - an incomplete year (), enslavement of Canaan - 20 years (), the world of Barak and Deborah - 40 years (), enslavement of Midian 7 years (), world Gideon - 40 years (), the reign of Abimelech - 3 years (), Fola - 23 years (), Jairus - 22 years (), enslavement of the Ammonites - 18 years (), the reign of Jephthah - 6 years (), Eshbon - 7 years ( ), Elona - 10 years (), Abdon - 8 years (), Philistine enslavement, during which Samson judged 20 years, lasted 40 years (), Elijah's reign - 40 years (), Philistine enslavement - 20 years and 7 months ( )

Sacred Biblical History of the Old Testament Pushkar Boris (Bp Veniamin) Nikolaevich

Samson.

When the Jews again began to get involved in idolatry, their national unity began to weaken, and they soon fell under the power of the Philistines. The Philistines were one of the most warlike peoples in the land of Canaan. They came here from the sea and occupied the coastal valley in the southwest of the country. The very name of Palestine comes from the name of this people: the Philistines in Hebrew - Peleshet hence Palestine. The Philistines had five cities ruled by five princes. A little time passed - the aliens became crowded on the coast, and they moved deep into Palestine to the lands of the tribes of Judah and Dan. Battle-hardened warriors, clad in iron, which was then little common in Canaan, the Philistines quickly crushed the fragmented forces of the Israelites, so that for forty years Israel was forced to endure their yoke. The people lost heart and began to lose hope for their deliverance. And so, when the Jews realized their guilt before God, the Lord sent Israel a deliverer named Samson. In the tribe of Dan then lived a Jew named Manoah, whose wife was barren. One day, the Angel of the Lord appeared to the spouses and said that soon they would have a son who would be a Nazirite of God, would not drink wine, cut their hair, and save Israel from the Philistine yoke. Angel's prediction came true. The boy, who was named Samson, grew rapidly in front of his parents and soon matured. The young man with long hair on his head and a powerful physique possessed extraordinary physical strength. An ardent and impulsive character, he was distinguished by one weakness: he was unusually amorous. One day, while walking through the city of Thimnath, where the Philistines lived, he saw a Philistine girl, whom he liked at first sight, and he immediately decided to marry her. Samson told his parents about this. They began to persuade him not to enter into a marital union with the daughter of an uncircumcised Philistine, but the stubborn young man insisted on his own and even demanded from his father: "Take her to me, because I liked her"(Judg. 14:3). Seeing that their resistance would be futile, the parents decided to submit to the whim of their ardent son and agreed to marry him to a Philistine woman. Not wanting to postpone the wedding for a long time, Samson and his parents went to the bride to arrange a wedding day. On the way, he fell behind his parents, and suddenly a young lion rushed at him from the vineyard. The strong man grabbed the lion, tore it to pieces like a kid, and, as if nothing had happened, went on his way, not even telling his parents about what had happened. At the bride's house, Samson's proposal was accepted, and the day of the wedding was fixed. And finally, the long-awaited wedding day for Samson came. With his parents, he went to the bride. Passing by the place where the lion he had torn to pieces lay, he was surprised to see that a swarm of bees was nesting in the lion's skeleton and a fair amount of honey had already accumulated; Samson took honey, ate it all the way and treated his parents to honey.

According to Philistine custom, the wedding celebrations lasted seven days. During the feast, Samson offered the riddle to thirty of his Philistine marriage companions and promised that if they solved it, he would give them thirty thin shirts and thirty variable clothes in return. They gladly agreed. Then Samson said to them: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet”(Judg. 14:14). The Philistines were puzzled. For three days they puzzled over the strange riddle and could not decide what Samson meant. Desperate, they went to his wife and said to her: “Persuade your husband to solve the riddle for us; otherwise we will burn you and your father's house with fire; did you call us to rob us?”(Judg. 14:15). What was this woman to do? Frightened by a daring threat, she used all her feminine cunning so that Samson would solve this riddle for her. The woman cried, fawned over him and flirted until her husband gave her a secret. On the seventh day of the feast, the Philistines said to Samson with a triumphant smile: "What is sweeter than honey, and what is stronger than a lion!" (Judg. 14:18). Samson realized that his wife betrayed his secret. Suppressing his indignation, he answered them with feigned calmness: “If you had not yelled at my heifer, you would not have guessed my riddle”(Judg. 14:18). Enraged and offended, Samson after the wedding feast went to the city of Ascalon, killed thirty Philistines there, took off their clothes and gave them to those who “solved” the riddle. He did not even look at the treacherous wife and went to his parents. After some time, Samson cooled down from anger and began to yearn for his wife. Taking with him a kid for a meal as a sign of reconciliation, Samson hurried to his wife. But in the house of his father-in-law, a completely unexpected insult awaited him: he learned that his beloved wife had been given in marriage to another. Humiliated and offended, Samson became indignant and said: “Now I will be right before the Philistines if I do them harm”(Judg. 15:3).

Thus began Samson's war alone with the Philistines. First of all, he decided to take revenge on the Philistine city where his ex-wife lived. To this end, he caught three hundred foxes in snares, tied their tail to tail, tied burning torches to their tails and drove the frightened animals towards the city. The foxes rushed forward like crazy, setting fire to fields, vineyards and orchards along the way. In a short time, all the wealth of the Philistine farmers turned to dust. The inhabitants of Timnaf, mad with despair, killed Samson's ex-wife and her father. But this did not calm Samson. As if from under the ground, he grew up on the roads in front of passers-by, killed and sowed such fear that even the bravest of the brave were afraid of meeting with Samson. This could not go on for so long, and the Philistines decided to put an end to Samson's terror. Their troops invaded Judea and, threatening to devastate the country, demanded that Samson be handed over to them. The frightened Jews sent three thousand soldiers to the mountains, where Samson was hiding in one of the caves. Learning that the Jews did not want to kill him, Samson voluntarily left the cave and allowed himself to be tied with ropes. When he was taken to the camp of the Philistines and they began to insult him, Samson tore the ropes like threads, grabbed a fresh donkey's jaw lying on the ground, and in anger attacked his tormentors. Panic broke out in the Philistine camp and many fled. Samson took advantage of the confusion and killed a thousand people. Returning to his cave, he cheerfully hummed a boastful song: “With the jaw of a donkey, two crowds, with the jaw of a donkey, I killed a thousand people”(Judg. 15:16).

Samson did not remain long in the mountains, as the grateful Israelites chose him as judge. Since then, for twenty years, he ruled them, and his name made the Philistines tremble. Hoping for his own strength, Samson was not afraid to go alone to the Philistine cities. Once in the city of Gaza, he went to a harlot and stayed overnight with her. Upon learning of this, the city authorities closed the gates of the city in the evening and placed guards near them, who were ordered in the morning to suddenly attack Samson and kill him. But Samson somehow guessed that an ambush was being prepared against him, and at midnight he left the harlot's house. The guards, not expecting the sudden appearance of Samson, fled. Then Samson broke down the city gates with jambs and constipation, heaved them on his mighty shoulders and carried them to the top of the nearest mountain. Although this time Samson escaped death at the hands of the Philistines and even put them in a ridiculous position, but by his debauchery he defiled the Nazarite vow. Continuing on this immoral path, Samson went to his death, and, while still wearing long hair, he no longer carried the Spirit of God in himself. Soon the amorous Samson fell into the net of another Philistine harlot named Delilah. The Philistines found out about this and decided to act by bribery. For a lot of money, they persuaded the treacherous Delilah to find out from Samson the secret of his extraordinary strength. Waiting for the next tender meeting, Dalida, with the most innocent look, asked her lover what was the secret of his strength. However, Samson, taught by bitter experience, tried to keep his secrets secret and not tell even his loved ones about them. Suspecting his treacherous mistress of betrayal, Samson deceived her every time she pestered him with this question. But Delilah recognized the deceit and demanded sincerity from Samson. Finally, Samson could not stand it and confessed to her: “The razor did not touch my head, for I am the Nazarene of God from my mother’s womb, but if you cut me, then my strength will depart from me ...”(Judg. 16:17). Dalida immediately notified her countrymen to come to her with the promised monetary reward. Meanwhile, she herself put Samson to sleep on her knees and ordered that seven braids be cut from his head. Then, waking him up, she called out: "The Philistines are coming at you, Samson!"(Judg. 16:20). At that very moment, the Philistines ran up. Samson rushed at them, but his strength left him, and he ended up in the hands of his enemies. The Philistines put Samson in chains, gouged out his eyes and forced him to turn a millstone in the city of Gaza, in a dungeon. The Philistines decided to celebrate the victory over their enemy with sacrifices and a great feast in the temple of their god Dagon. The amused pagans demanded that Samson be brought to them in order to enjoy the sight of his fall and thus take revenge on him for all the moments of fear, for all the insults that they suffered from him. Pale, with empty eye sockets, Samson stood in the temple between the columns and patiently endured bullying and insults. He seemed to be helpless and mentally broken. No one guessed what changes had taken place during this time in his soul. Nor did anyone notice that his hair had grown back, the source of his great strength. Quietly moving his lips, he whispered a prayer: “Oh my God! remember me and strengthen me only now, O God! so that I can take revenge on the Philistines once for my two eyes"(Judg. 16:28). Then, with the help of a guide boy, he approached the two pillars on which the temple rested, rested his hands on them and exclaimed: "Die, my soul, with the Philistines! (Judg. 16:30). There was a sudden silence in the temple of Dagon. Only now the Philistines realized that they had not yet defeated Samson, but it was already too late. Samson strained his forces and moved the columns. The temple collapsed with a monstrous roar, burying the hero and three thousand Philistines who had fun there under its ruins.

So Samson, in the midst of general despondency and depression, dared to oppose the cruel oppressors and single-handedly wage a heroic struggle against them.

The story of Samson's life was deeply instructive for the entire people of Israel. The whole point of it was that he was a Nazirite. When he kept the Nazarite vow, he was unusually strong, but when he, carried away by sensual pleasures, violated his vow, he became weak. In both respects, he was not only a type, but also a mirror in which Israel could recognize itself and its history. Israel was also a kind of Nazarite, as a people consecrated to God, and as long as they kept their covenant with God, they were invincible. When he violated this covenant, indulging in sensual passions and idolatry - this spiritual adultery, then his strength weakened and he became a miserable slave of some pagan people. Thus, the history of Samson's life is, as it were, the personification of the history of the Israelite people themselves. She showed that the strength of the people lies in the zealous preservation of their union with God.

13:1–16:31 Samson The structure of Samson's story is clear. After an introductory verse (13:1) that gives a brief historical background, verses 13:2–25 tell of the miraculous birth of Samson. His adult life unfolds in two stages in chapters 14-16. The first tells of his visit to Timnah (14:1) and

XXVII Samson Three Israelite judges who followed Jephthah ruled the people in peace: Heshbon for seven years, Elon for ten years, and Abdon for eight years. They all enjoyed family blessings, had numerous sons, and also owned considerable wealth, so that,

Judge Samson When the Jews again began to get involved in idolatry, their national unity began to weaken, and they soon fell under the power of the Philistines. Battle-hardened warriors, clad in iron, which was then little common in Canaan, the Philistines quickly

Samson Long after Gideon, God sent the Philistines against them for the sins of the Jews. To save them from their enemies, God called Samson. Samson's father was Mana. Manoah's wife had no children for a long time, but one day an angel appeared to her and said: “Soon you will give birth to a son who will

Samson The stubborn opponents of the Israelites for a long time were the Philistines, who settled, as mentioned above, in the first half of the 12th century BC in the coastal part of Canaan. Their cities here were Ascalon, Gaza, Ashdod, Ekron and Gath. United State

Samson. Court. 13-17 When the Jews again began to be addicted to idolatry, their national unity began to weaken, and they soon fell under the power of the Philistines. The Philistines were one of the most warlike peoples in the land of Canaan. They came here from the sea and occupied

Samson Judge Samson was famous for his extraordinary, supernatural strength. From his very birth, according to the instruction of the angel of the Lord, he was dedicated by his parents to God and, as a sign of this, he did not have to cut his hair. One day a young lion attacked him in a field. Samson

SAMSON. Samson tears apart a lion. The following Israeli judges, Esevon, Elon, Avdon, were not remarkable in any way, except, perhaps, for their fertility, which was surprising even for those times. The Bible only mentions them. But Samson in the line of judges is the figure of the brightest Samson,

Samson The children of Israel continued to do evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.2 At that time there was a man from Zorah, from the tribe of Dan, named Manoah; his wife was barren and did not give birth. 3 And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman, and said to her, Behold, you

Samson and Delilah God Cures Another Barrenness The restless children of Israel continued to do evil in the sight of the Lord. By the will of the Lord, they were handed over this time into the hands of the Philistines for forty years. At that time there was a man from Zorah named Manoah. His wife was barren and

Samson and Delilah But one day Samson came to Gaza, and seeing a prostitute there, went in to her. Well, this is a common man's business: after all, the Lord forbade the use of wives and maidens, and harlots do not count, this is their job. The inhabitants of Gaza heard that Samson had come to their place. And walked

How Samson got screwed Completely got Delilah Samson, and he opened his whole heart to her. He, a roadside burdock, had no idea that it was not without reason that she wanted to find out a secret from him about his strength, that she was just a dummy prostitute. Tired of Dalidin's reproaches, Samson

Samson-kamikaze Meanwhile, the hair on his head began to grow, and strength returned with them. But the Philistines did not think about this, and if Samson had been assigned a local barber or even a simple sheep shearer, there would have been no subsequent worries. Once the Philistines

Samson The newborn Samson became a long-haired Nazarene. He will be stronger than all the Jews, And the lion will be defeated by him. And he will be faithful to God. Indeed, he will not sip wine, But he will be in love with a woman: And the woman will destroy him. And the children of Israel continued to do evil before their eyes

Samson Samson was blinded, was offended by the Lord, He was abused and humiliated by the children of sin, And was brought to the feast. There, lowering his blind eyes to the ground, he listened to laughter and cries, But the darkness flowed before him - and in this terrible darkness, menacing archangelic faces blazed. They grew like a whirlwind - and

Samson Samson was distinguished by his extraordinary strength. Once he was walking in a field and saw a young lion who wanted to rush at him, but Samson ran up to him, tore his mouth with his hands and killed him. Another time, when the enemies, the Philistines, surrounded Samson, he grabbed a bone,