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Bible Dictionaries
Samson
People's Dictionary of the Bible
or Samson (săm'son), sunlike. The son of Manoah, and noted as the strongest man. He was judge of a portion of Israel for 20 years, during the latter part of "the 40 years" period, and partly contemporary with Ell and Samuel. Judg. chaps. 13-16. His birth was miraculously foretold; he was a Nazirite from infancy; celebrated for his fearless and wonderful exploits, for his moral infirmities, and for his tragical end. He was not a giant in size; his exploits were wrought by special divine aid; "the Spirit of God came mightily upon him." Judges 13:25; Judges 14:6; Judges 14:19; Judges 15:14; Judges 16:20; Judges 16:28. The providence of God was signally displayed in overruling for good the hasty passions of Samson, the cowardice of his mends, and the malice of his enemies. Samson is ranked with the heroes of the faithful. Hebrews 11:32-33. But we must, of course, not judge him from the standpoint of the New Testament. He lived in the wild anarchial period of the judges, when might was right, and he was just the man for that time.
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Rice, Edwin Wilbur, DD. Entry for 'Samson'. People's Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/rpd/s/samson.html. 1893.
