THREE PART STORY OF SAMSON
Part 1: The Riddler
(Judges 14:10 - 15:2)
Samson was set apart by God,
To be a Nazarite.
He was never to cut his hair,
For in it was his might.
From among the Philistine people,
Samson took a wife.
A string of events were set in motion,
That would one day end his life.
It started with fun at the wedding,
With a riddle he would amuse.
The prize was 30 pairs of clothes,
And no one wanted to lose.
When the answer escaped the Philistines,
They sought out Samson’s wife.
They told her she must help them,
Or she would lose her life.
She cried to her husband for several days,
And when told how the riddle was solved,
She promptly told the Philistines,
Then the worst of events evolved.
God’s Spirit came over Samson,
Who killed thirty of their men.
He took their clothes and paid his debt,
But, oh, what would happen then.
The tit for tat continued,
To another his wife was given.
When Samson went to see her,
With his best man she was livin’.
Part 2: Foxfire
(Judges 15:3 - 20)
Samson gathered 300 foxes,
In pairs their tails were tied.
When lit, they became torches,
In the crops they ran far and wide.
The fire burned through the vineyards,
Through olive groves it spread.
When the enemy got their own revenge,
Samson’s wife and her father were dead.
Samson retaliated,
And many more he slayed.
Then he returned to Judah,
Where in a cave he stayed.
The Philistines went to Judah,
To seek the strong man out.
The townspeople were afraid,
They feared what would come about.
And so they chastised Samson,
For causing them such fear.
They tied him with new ropes,
Which he broke as his foes came near.
The Spirit of the Lord came on Samson,
And he grabbed a donkey’s jawbone.
He used it to slay a thousand men;
After that he was left alone.
But there is more to the story;
His actions would not be forgotten.
Another woman would catch his eye,
And her intentions were rotten.
Part 3: Samson Brought Down the House
(Based on Judges 15:21 - 16:31)
Samson led Israel 20 years,
Though still the Philistines reigned.
God’s plan would then unfurl;
It’s why Samson was ordained.
It began with a dame named Delilah,
Who was but a beautiful witch.
If she could learn where he got his strength,
The Philistines would make her rich.
She tested three answers Samson gave,
After he fell asleep in the room.
She tied him with leather and next new ropes,
Then wove his braids on a loom.
But Samson grew tired of her nagging,
It was more than he could bear,
So he finally disclosed the truth to her:
His strength was in his hair.
She ran and told the Philistines.
While he slept, they shaved Samson bald.
That was when God left him.
After that, Samson was mauled.
They put him in bronze shackles,
And they gouged out both of his eyes,
They made him grind in prison.
A loose tongue is never wise.
Soon his hair began to grow,
Though not as long as before.
Samson prayed, “Oh Sovereign God,
Strengthen me once more.”
A party was held at the temple,
To offer a sacrifice.
The god they served was Dagon,
Whose worshipers would pay a price.
Samson stood by two pillars;
The pillars held up the temple.
He was brought there to entertain,
And the act he chose was simple.
He pushed the pillars with all his might,
He had everyone’s attention.
And when the temple collapsed,
There was a permanent intermission.
Leaders and important people all died —
Three thousand who made God frown.
When Samson entertained them,
One could say he brought the house down.
Becky Wall
