The Bible Stories: Samson and Delilah DVD

The Bible Stories - Samson and Delilah DVD

The Bible Stories: Samson and Delilah is the incredible Biblical story of the Old Testament strong-man Samson brought to life on film. A judge from the Biblical book of Judges, Samson was a very unique character, known for his rebellious nature and uncontrollable anger. In this story, a simple shepherd becomes well-known for his unbelievable strength and has several violent encounters that only help to further his name as the strongest man alive. While he may have seemed generally uncouth and completely useless for God's will, God was still able to work incredible things through the bizarre life of this man.

As Samson grew up, he ended up meeting a Philistine woman by the name of Delilah. Succumbing to her beautiful looks and sultry personality, he ended up marrying her. After many attempts at finding out what gave Samson his supernatural power, he eventually revealed it to be his long hair that had never been cut. Quickly after telling her, Samson found himself tied up with Philistines cutting his hair. Delilah, a spy for the Philistines had uncovered his secret and had sent the Philistines in to finish him off. Rendered useless after having his hair cut, Samson becomes a prisoner to Philistines. A trophy to the Philistine army, Samson is taken and humbled. Here, he works his last and greatest deed, affirming his title as a judge of Israel.

The Birth of Samson

Back in the early days of the Israelite people, a man by the name of Manoah had a wife who was unable to give birth. God came to her and told her that she was going to give birth to a baby. He was to be a Nazirite, dedicated to serving God from birth. He told her that she was to never take a razor to his head, and that he would be the one responsible for delivering Israel from the Philistines.

Samson was then born and grew up into a strong young man. However, what he had in physical strength, he lacked in intelligence and sense. From a very early age, Samson allowed himself to be controlled by selfish desires and lust. One day while travelling through Timnah, he saw a young Philistine woman by the name of Delilah. He went back to his parents and told them that he wanted this woman to be his wife. While his parents did not want him marrying a woman from the Philistine nation, this was a divine appointment by God and would later be used as an opportunity to have victory over the Philistines.

Samson's First Failed Marriage

While enjoying his marriage feast, Samson told to his 30 male companions a riddle. He said if they could provide an answer for it, he would give them 30 sets of clothes, but if they couldn't provide the answer they must give him 30 sets of clothes. After they accepted, Samson gave them the riddle. After three days of being unable to solve it, they went to Samson's new wife and asked that she find out the answer. His wife demanded that Samson give him the answer and when he refused, she cried. She would continue to cry and manipulate Samson for the entire 7-day feast. Eventually, Samson would succumb and give her the answer.

Samson's wife quickly went and told the Philistine men who were then able to tell Samson the answer. Samson became enraged that his wife had manipulated the answer out of him. However, in a demonstration of his strength, he went down to Ashkelon, murdered thirty men and brought their clothes back to the men. His wife soon left him and was given to one of the other men at the feast.

Things continued to descend into chaos when Samson learned that his wife had been given to another man. In attempt to kill his wife and her father, he attempted to get into her room and finish the Philistines off. As it got worse and worse, he ended up taking the jawbone of a donkey and killing a thousand Philistine man. Samson's very bizarre way of dealing with problems was very unique in that it basically meant killing anyone who even remotely crossed paths with him.

Samson and Delilah

It was in the next phase of his life that he would meet the Philistine spy, Delilah. When travelling through the Valley of Sorek, he fell in love with a woman by the name of Delilah. When the Philistines noticed his attraction to her, they paid her off to find out what Samson's source of power was. They offered her a substantial amount of money if she could simply find out where Samson's strength came from, or if she could find his weakness. Accepting the offer, Delilah went a pretended to fall in love with Samson. After discovering his secret, she called in the Philistines and they quickly cut his hair and captured him.

Things went from bad to worse for Samson. Not only did he now realize that Delilah never loved him and was only in it for the money, he was captured and most likely headed to his death. After having his eyes gouged out, Samson was paraded around by the Philistines. They were proud of their accomplishment; they had brought down their greatest foe. The man that had killed a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey and was so strong he could pull city gates straight out of their posts had been defeated.

Samson's life was one of mistakes, trials, and failures. It would seem strange that he would be chosen by God to be a judge. But, in a beautiful story of how God takes those who are broken and sinful and uses them, God used Samson for one final task. While being displayed at a Philistine feast, Samson asked to be brought over to the pillar that held up the building. What the Philistines hadn't noticed was that during this time, Samson's hair had begun to grow back. With a great heave, Samson picked up the central pillar and brought down the whole building. Killing himself, Samson also killed hundreds of key Philistine leaders, delivering the Israelites, just like God said would happen.

Conclusion

While The Bible Stories: Samson and Delilah is most certainly a darker and more violent tale than your average Bible story, it tells a powerful story of redemption and God's ability to use anyone for his purpose. Starring Eric Thal and Elizabeth Hurley as Samson and Delilah, this is an epic Biblical drama you will never forget.