Samson
Ilumi Kids · Stories
A long time ago, in Israel, there lived a couple who couldn't have children. One day, an angel of God appeared to the wife and told her she would have a very special baby. This boy would be named Samson.
The angel explained that Samson would be a Nazirite, someone set apart for God from birth. Because of this, he should never cut his hair. His long hair would be a sign of his promise to God and the strength God would give him.
Samson was set apart for God from birth, so he never cut his hair. God gave him amazing strength to defend Israel from the Philistines; he even defeated a lion with his bare hands. Delilah discovered his secret, his hair was cut, and Samson was captured. In the end he prayed, and God gave him strength one more time.
Where it is in the Bible: Judges 13—16
Our strength comes from God; even after we fail, we can come back to him in prayer.
After reading, use these questions to help your child remember and apply the story.
A long time ago, in Israel, there lived a couple who couldn't have children. One day, an angel of God appeared to the wife and told her she would have a very special baby. This boy would be named Samson.
The angel explained that Samson would be a Nazirite, someone set apart for God from birth. Because of this, he should never cut his hair. His long hair would be a sign of his promise to God and the strength God would give him.
When Samson grew up, he became the strongest man who ever lived. The Spirit of God came upon him and gave him incredible strength to protect his people, the Israelites, from their enemies, the Philistines.
One day, a fierce lion leaped at Samson. Without any weapons, he fought the lion and defeated it with his bare hands. It was a clear sign that his strength was not ordinary, but a gift from God.
"Then the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him..." — Judges 14:6
Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah. Samson's enemies, the Philistines, promised Delilah a lot of money if she could find out the secret of his great strength.
Delilah asked Samson many times, until he became very sad and tired. Finally, he told her his secret: his strength came from God, and the sign was his hair, which had never been cut.
Delilah: Please, tell me the secret of your great strength.
While Samson was sleeping, Delilah called the Philistines, and they cut his hair. When he woke up, his special strength was gone, because he had broken his promise to God.
The Philistines easily captured him. Without God's strength, Samson was like any other man. He was taken to prison, and his enemies made fun of him.
In prison, Samson's hair began to grow again. One day, the Philistines took him to a large temple to make fun of him. Samson then made one last prayer to God.
He asked God for strength just one more time. God heard his prayer and gave him extraordinary strength. Samson pushed the main pillars of the temple, which collapsed on him and on all the enemies of his people, fulfilling his mission to free Israel.
Samson: Sovereign Lord, please remember me. God, please give me strength just one more time.
