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"The young man, Samson, shall be a Nazarite to Yahveh."
Judges 13:5
The conquest and settlement of the Promised Land was a slow and painful process. The Israelites faced
constant harassment from the Canaanites and the Philistines. Although the Bible states that Yahveh put the children of
Israel in the hands of the Philistines for forty years, (Judges 13:1) there was no real war between them and the Philistines in
Samson's day and Samson did not actually lead an army.
An angel first appeared to the barren wife of Manoah, told her that she would give birth to a son, and
instructed her to abstain from strong drink and 'unclean' food. The boy, she was told, was to be raised as a Nazarite, and
he will 'begin to save Israel from the Philistines'. However, it would be over a century later, when King David finally
subdued the Philistines.
The angel, disguised as a man, appeared once more, and this time Manoah saw him
as well. He repeated that their son was to be a Nazarite as long as he lived. Refusing to partake in a meal or say who he
was, the angel ascended in the flames of the altar on which Manoah made a special offering. At that moment, Manoah
knew that his visitor was indeed an angel from Yahveh, and fearing for his life, said: "we will die, for we have seen Yahveh."
Judges 13:22 His wife, though, understood that Yahveh heard their prayers, accepted their offerings and would
give them a son, whom they later named Samson. She also knew that the Angel was sent to instruct them on how
Yahveh wanted them to bring up their son.
Samson 'grew up and Yahveh blessed him'. And as Yahveh instructed, Samson was not allowed to drink
wine or cut his hair. (Judges 13:5) Those restrictions would make him stand out in society. He would look different from
his fellows and be unable to participate fully in their social life, thus leading a life of a Nazarite - 'separated unto
Yahveh'.
Unlike the other judges, Samson's career did not end successfully. Killing a thousand Philistines
with the jawbone of an ass and bringing down the Temple of Dagon, crushing himself and many Philistines to death, did
not result in victory or peace for Israel. Rather, the Philistines defeated the Israelites under Samson's successor,
Eli, and captured the Ark of Yahveh in the battlefield. (I Samuel 4:10)
The next few decades brought the people of Israel many further struggles: Samuel, and later, Saul,
defeated the Philistines but never enough to prevent them from making further attempts, one of which cost King Saul his
life. Why was Israel unable to gain victory over their enemy?
"And he (Samson) shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand
of the Philistines." Judges 13:5
How was Samson the person who would "begin to save the Israelites from the Philistines"?
At the time of Samson's birth Israel did evil again in the eyes of Yahveh, and He put them into the
hands of the Philistines. (Judges 13:1) Even the most basic Torah practices were neglected, for the angel told Manoah's wife
to be careful not to eat anything that is impure. (Leviticus 11:4) Spiritual standards dropped to the extent that observance
of the Laws of Moses was at an all-time low. The Israelites were spiritually at their weakest while their enemies were physically
at their strongest. They needed a leader with physical and spiritual strength, to deliver them from disaster. Samson
performed his spectacular feats of strength only when 'the spirit of Yahveh came upon him.' (Judges 14:6) but it
was up to him to develop spiritual strength - self control - to match his physical prowess. That was the true purpose
of Yahveh's plan for Samson to be a Nazarite. It meant to show the people that Yahveh could give those who serve him unlimited
strength to overcome their trials and tribulations.
Yahveh desired to redeem Israel from the Philistines, both physically and spiritually, through Samson.
However, Samson failed to do his spiritual task. Instead he followed his instincts - with his Philistine wife, Delilah, becoming
the only recorded suicide killer in scripture. Still, despite Samson's failure, Israel witnessed his extra-ordinary strength
and saw that Yahveh's Spirit was on him. Hence, Samson did actually 'begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines.'
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