# Day 84

# The Strongman Samson

Judges 13:2–14:4

In time, Israel began to worship idols again. So God gave them over to their enemies. These enemies were the Philistines. They worshiped an idol called Dagon. This god had a fish’s head on a man’s body.

The Philistines took all the Israelites’ swords and spears so they couldn’t fight. They robbed Israel of their crops, so they starved. The people cried to God, and God heard them.

Among the tribe of Dan lived a man named Manoah. An angel came to Manoah’s wife and said, “You will have a son. When he grows up, he will save Israel from the Philistines. But your son must never drink any wine. His hair must grow long—he’ll be a Nazarite priest.

The child was born and named Samson. He became the strongest man mentioned in the Bible. He didn’t lead an army in war like Gideon. The things he did to set his people free he did alone.

Samson met a Philistine woman in Timnah. “I want her for my wife,” he told his father. This didn’t make Samson’s parents happy. But they didn’t know God would use this marriage. It would help free Israel from the Philistines.

Questions: What was different about Samson? Why were his parents unhappy about his choice for a wife?