Old Testament Characters

Samson

Text:  of the sun, the son of Manoah, born at Zorah. The narrative of 
his life is given in Judg. 13-16. He was a "Nazarite unto God" from 
his birth, the first Nazarite mentioned in Scripture (Judg. 13:3-5; 
comp. Num. 6:1-21). 

The first recorded event of his life was his marriage with a 
Philistine woman of Timnath (Judg. 14:1-5). Such a marriage was not 
forbidden by the law of Moses, as the Philistines did not form one of 
the seven doomed Canaanite nations (Ex. 34:11-16; Deut. 7:1-4). It 
was, however, an illassorted and unblessed marriage. His wife was soon 
taken from him and given "to his companion" (Judg. 14:20). For this 
Samson took revenge by burning the "standing corn of the Philistines" 
(15:1-8), who, in their turn, in revenge "burnt her and her father 
with fire." Her death he terribly avenged (15:7-19). 

During the twenty years following this he judged Israel; but we have 
no record of his life. Probably these twenty years may have been 
simultaneous with the last twenty years of Eli's life. After this we 
have an account of his exploits at Gaza (16:1-3), and of his 
infatuation for Delilah, and her treachery (16:4-20), and then of his 
melancholy death (16:21-31). He perished in the last terrible 
destruction he brought upon his enemies. 

"So the dead which he slew at his death were more [in social and 
political importance=the elite of the people] than they which he slew 
in his life." "Straining all his nerves, he bowed: As with the force 
of winds and waters pent, When mountains tremble, those two massy 
pillars With horrible convulsion to and fro He tugged, he shook, till 
down they came, and drew The whole roof after them, with burst of 
thunder Upon the heads of all who sat beneath, Lords, ladies, 
captains, counsellors, or priests, Their choice nobility and flower." 
Milton's Samson Agonistes.