Samson — A Strong Man with a Weak Mind

From Idiotic Things People Did in the Bible

that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head…” Judges 16:17

What He Did

He fell in love with Delilah, who tried multiple times to betray him—and yet he still told her the secret of his strength.

Why It Was Idiotic

She had already tied him up and called the Philistines on him several times! But he kept going back like a moth to the flame. Eventually, it cost him his eyes, his strength, and his freedom.

Here’s the Scoop

Samson was a unique figure in Israel’s history, set apart before birth to be a Nazarite—a man consecrated to God. His mother, previously barren, was visited by the Angel of the Lord, who told her she would give birth to a son who would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines, enemies of Israel. As part of his Nazarite vow, Samson was not to cut his hair, drink wine, or touch anything unclean.

God gave Samson supernatural strength, and he became a judge over Israel for twenty years during a time of Philistine oppression. Despite his calling, Samson struggled with personal weakness, especially in the area of women. He famously killed a lion with his bare hands, struck down a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, and tore down city gates with ease.

“God gave Samson supernatural strength, and he became a judge over Israel for twenty years during a time of Philistine oppression. Despite his calling, Samson struggled with personal weakness.”

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His downfall came through Delilah, who was bribed by the Philistines to discover the secret of his strength. After persistent coaxing, Samson revealed that his strength lay in his uncut hair. Delilah had his hair shaved while he slept, and the Lord departed from him. The Philistines captured, blinded, and imprisoned him.

In his final act, Samson prayed for strength one last time and pulled down the pillars of a Philistine temple, killing himself along with thousands of Philistines:

…So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life. (Judges 16:30)

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Samson had so much going for him. His birth was supernatural—his mother was barren, and yet God opened her womb specifically to bring forth a man who would do His will:

For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. (Judges 13:5)

He was set apart as a Nazarite from the womb, meant to live wholly dedicated to God. In a similar way, the moment we came to true saving faith in Jesus of Nazareth, we too were set apart and dedicated to God. In Romans 12:1, the apostle Paul instructs us to live out this reality:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Yet, though Samson was strong physically, he was weak spiritually. He lacked self-control when it came to sexual sin:

• He pursued Philistine women, directly violating God’s command not to intermarry (Judges 14:3).
• He visited a prostitute (Judges 16:1).
• He became entangled with Delilah, a woman who ultimately betrayed him (Judges 16:4–21).

The question must rise: “How could a man of God visit a prostitute?” Easily. This is because sin—especially sexual sin—has a way of blinding us.

From Idiotic Things People Did in the Bible