Judges: The power of Samson's story

[Jozanny]

To put my money where my mouth is, I'd like to have a discussion about Samson. His story is my favorite biblical tale which is worthy of further examination, at least to me.

This is the edition of the book I will be using, because this is the edition my grandmother raised me on, but I welcome and encourage links or partial quotes to other verse variations of the tale.

What is the attraction here? Is it possible that Samson represents the corruption of the traditions of Abraham in the Judaic worldview, since he seems to have some Herculean traits and thus the author was influenced by the Hellenistic concept of the hero?

Is it a parable for those singled out for a special contract to be wary of becoming a bully? Why is Hollywood so taken with the tale?

Just a few things to start us off.

[Gladys]

Apart from showing once again God's gracious deliverance from invaders, Samson's story is a warning to favoured Israelites, the children of God, to be wary of marriage with pagan women and its dire consequences.

Judges 14:3
His father and mother said to him, "Can you find no wife among your kinsfolk or among all our people, that you must go and take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" But Samson answered his father, "Get her for me, for she pleases me."
4
Now his father and mother did not know that this had been brought about by the LORD, who was providing an opportunity against the Philistines; for at that time they had dominion over Israel.

Rather than Abraham, Samson reminds me of those heroes in antediluvian times:

Genesis 6:4
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

[DarkStormyNight]

Samson is a prime example of the Judaic God using imperfect, unrighteous people to accomplish a greater purpose for Israel. If anyone examines Samson's story, it's plain to see he's an arrogant, rebellious snot. I think the purpose of the story is to show that God can make even a moron like Samson a hero for the greater good.

[Red-Headed]

Samson (from the Hebrew: Shemesh = Sun) was almost certainly a Semitic variation of the Phoenician Melkart & the Greek Heracles. This has been conflated with a solar myth. The tale of Samson follows the sun-god through the year: Spring (Judges xiv), Summer (xv 1-8), Autumn & Winter, counted as one season in the Middle East, (xv - 8-19). Chapter xvi is his descent to the underworld, he breaks the gate of Hades (xvi 1-3) bound by Delilah (Heb = darkness) he loses his eyes & strength (solar eclipse cycle?) but eventually triumphs as a god over his foes (solar return after eclipse).

[Jozanny]

Samson (from the Hebrew: Shemesh = Sun) was almost certainly a Semitic variation of the Phoenician Melkart & the Greek Heracles. This has been conflated with a solar myth. The tale of Samson follows the sun-god through the year: Spring (Judges xiv), Summer (xv 1-8), Autumn & Winter, counted as one season in the Middle East, (xv - 8-19). Chapter xvi is his descent to the underworld, he breaks the gate of Hades (xvi 1-3) bound by Delilah (Heb = darkness) he loses his eyes & strength (solar eclipse cycle?) but eventually triumphs as a god over his foes (solar return after eclipse).

Interesting deconstruction Red, thank you. I do not know much about the competing myths which surrounded the development of Hebrew theology, and will have to google Melkart, but would like to know more.

[Red-Headed]

Interesting deconstruction Red, thank you. I do not know much about the competing myths which surrounded the development of Hebrew theology, and will have to google Melkart, but would like to know more.

I have studied a lot of mythology & theories of euhemerism & I got this from the introduction of an antique edition of Samson Agonistes in Blackwood's English Classics (1901). I believe the general argument put forward for the solar myth was from a note in Professor Moore's (I don't know his first name) exhaustive 'Commentary on Judges' (T.&T. Clark 1895). I doubt whether it is still in print.

[Nick Capozzoli]

I'm no expert in mythology, but wasn't Heracles an Earth god (or demigod)? So the Sun-god connection is an interesting twist to the Hebraic Samson story. The Sun/Earth dichotomy seems important in these myths. It's central to the Apollonian/Dionysian distinction, which I guess reflects a basic philosophical distinction. Heracles derived his power from connection to the Earth...the only way to defeat him was to lift him off the ground. I'm not sure how it does so, but I think that cutting Samson's hair represents a similar disempowerment. Perhaps his hair represents the cutting down of trees...but I'm just free-associating here. In any case, when Samson's hair grows back he plants his feet firmly on the ground and shakes the temple down, as if he were transmitting the power of an earthquake to the columns holding up the building. To top it off, he's blinded, which reinforces his status as an Earth-god. The Sun-gods were gods of light.

The Samson story is odd for an Earth-god in another respect...i.e., the Angel's admonition that his mother abstain from wine or indeed any fruit of the vine as well as from any unclean thing. Hardly like Dionysius "with his wine-skin full..."

[Red-Headed]

Who can tell with mythology? The Celtic King Arthur is probably related to the Celtic solar deity 'Artor' as is Merlin/Myrddyn who may also be related to 'Nudd' (as in Gwynn ap Nudd). Arthur may also have been a Brythonic (Welsh) Romano-Celtic chieftain fighting the invading Angles & Jutes in the fifth century after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Or both or neither.