Samson (Discussion Questions)

Read Judges 13-16

Birth

• What was unusual about Samson's birth? (Judges 13:3)
• What did the angel tell his mother? (Judges 13:3-5)
• What instructions did the angel give Samson's mother? (Judges 13:6-7)
• What are the vows of a Nazarite? (see above: no strong drink, no eating of unclean food, and no hair cuts)
• Did Manoah believe his wife?
• Why do you think he insisted he hear the message from the angel?
• What was unusual about Samson? (strength) Who was Samson's father? (Judges 13:8-9)

Marriage

• Who did Samson want to marry? (Judges 14: 2)
• Why didn't this please his parents? (Judges 14:3)
• Do you have any rules about who you can date?
• What did Samson do to the lion? (Judges 14:5-6)
• What is Samson's riddle? (Judges 14:12-14)
• Is this a fair riddle? Why or why not?
• If you are the only one who can possibly know the answer, is it fair?
• What do the Philistines promise to do to Samson's wife if they don't get the answer to the riddle? (Judges 14:15)
• What does Samson's wife do? (she gets Samson to tell her and then she tells the Philistines)
• What does Samson do in his anger? (Judges 14:19)
• How does this affect his wife? (Judges 14:20)
• What rules did Samson break? (he ate unclean food, honey from the lion, he drank strong drink at the feast, he killed people unnecessarily)
• What happens when we break rules?
• When Samson tries to win back his wife, what happens?
• What does he do when his wife's father offers someone else?(Judges 15:3-5)
• How many foxes did he catch? (300)
• What do the Philistines do after Samson burns their crops? (Judges 15:6)
• How does Samson avenge this act? (Judges 15:7-8)
• What is revenge?
• What happens when people resort to revenge?
• What do we learn from Samson's experience about revenge?
• How many men did Samson kill with the jaw bone of a donkey? (Judges 15:15)
• After this carnage, he judged Israel for how many years?(Judges 15:20)

Failure of Samson

• Who did the Philistines use to entice Samson? (Judges 16:1-2 )
• What does Samson do with the massive gate to the city?
• Why do you think he did that?
• What was the name of the woman Samson loved in the valley of Sorek? (Judges 16:4)
• What was Delilah's motivation? (money)
• Did she love Samson?
• What mistake did Samson make with Delilah that he made with his wife? (told his secret)
• Do you keep secrets?
• What have you noticed when you tell someone a secret?
• Who do you trust to tell a secret? Why?
• How much money did the Philistines promise Delilah if she found the source of Samson's strength? (Judges 16:5)
• How many times did Samson lie to Delilah before telling her that his hair was the source of his strength? (three times)
• What four things did Samson tell Delilah would weaken him? (green withs, new ropes, weaving seven of his locks with the web, and a razor on his hair)
• What do the Philistines do to Samson after they cut his hair?
• What is Samson's final act?
• What do we learn from Samson's life?