Monday, April 16, 2012

Samson

010

Once there was a couple who had been married a very long time.  They wanted kids very much, but weren’t able to have them.  One day an angel appeared to them and said they were going to have a baby who was going to someday judge Israel.

011

They asked the angel, “How should we raise him?”

“He will be a Narazarite from birth.  He must not cut his hair, drink wine, or touch anything dead.”  After they offered a meal to God, the angel disappeared.

 

Their baby was born, a fine baby boy, and they named him Samson.  Samson grew up to be a strong and handsome boy, but he had a weakness.  He liked to kiss Philistine girls, and God had said only to kiss and marry Israelite women.

 

012

One day Samson came home and told his parents he was going to marry a Philistine girl, they weren’t happy, but they arranged the marriage.

 

As Samson walked to the wedding he saw a dead lion with a beehive in it and gathered some honey.

 

013

He shared the honey with everyone at the wedding and said, “I have a riddle for you, if you can’t guess it you’ll give me 30 outfits.”

 

“We agree,” they said.

 

“Out of the eater came something to eat.  Out of the strong came something sweet.”  The guests looked at each other and had no idea what to say.

 

014

The guests came to Samson’s bride and said, “Get us the answer or we’ll kill your family.”

 

So she went to Samson and cried and cried and said, “You don’t love me, you won’t tell me the answer.”

 

Finally he did, and she told them the answer.

 

015

They told him the answer and Samson got so mad.  “Very well, I’ll get your clothes.”  So he went out and killed 30 Philistines and took their clothes.

 

016

Some time passed and Samson wanted to go with his wife, but he found out she was now married to someone else.  So he got mad and took 300 foxes and tied their tails together and set them loose with torches.  He burned up their fields and their towns.

 

017

Time passed and Samson thought he was in love again.  This woman was named Delilah.  The men in the city came to Delilah  and said, “Find out what his weakness is and we’ll pay you.”

 

So she started pestering Samson to tell her what was his weakness.

 

018

She bothered him so much and for so long that finally he said, “If you tie me up with new ropes I will be as weak as anyone else.”  So, she tied him up and said “Samson the guards are coming!”  He got up and tore the ropes out.

 

019

She sobbed and sobbed at Samson, “You don’t really love me or you’d tell me the truth.”

 

Finally he couldn’t take it anymore, “The secret of my strength is my hair.”  So, she lulled him to sleep and shaved his head.  This time when the soldiers came they poked his eyes out.

 

021

They set Samson to grinding grain and making him work like he was a donkey.

 

022

One day they were throwing a big party and they wanted Samson to amuse them.  They brought him over, and he danced for them.  Finally he told a young boy he was tired and went over to the pillars.  He said one last prayer to God, “Please let me get revenge for my eyes.”  He pushed as hard as he could.

 

When the dust cleared, the temple had fallen and Samson with his last act had killed more Philistines than he had in his whole life.

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