I need help with Samson...?

Question

Samson was given strength and God promised to keep him strong if he didn't cut his hair right?

Well that lady (i forget her name) found out his hair was what made him strong, and people came into his house at night and cut off his hair.

Now...I know everything worked out because he asked God for strength to kill those people....but what I want to know is, why did God punish Samson by taking away his strength when it was not Samson's fault his hair was cut? When it was done against Samson's will??

Why did God punish Samson for something he did not do?!? I don't think that is right, and I'm having trouble trying to figure out why he would do so...

Answer 1

God doesn't consider mitigating circumstances. A contract is a contract.

Answer 2

The story of Samson isn't just about his hair. Delilah was not Jewish; God had commanded Samson from marrying a Jewish bride so that Samson would not be taught lies and things contrary to God's will. Samson knew Delilah as trying to undermine him and discover the secret of his great strength. Samson was too keep his hair a secret but always tested God and rebelled against God at every turn. Yes Samson's hair was cut not by him but Samson led them to the source of his spiritual strength. The story was about following Gods commandments and what happened to someone who was truly blessed by God when he ignored Gods commands.

Today people rebel against God saying that others are more blessed than they are or that others are better off then them. The story of Samson is a great reminder for all of us that it is not what God gives us that make us great but how our heart is with God. And how can our heart be good and open towards God if we have Satan’s arrogance in thinking we are equal to Him?

Answer 3

Samson was supposed to be a type of holy man. I forget the name but this type has requirements. The requirements were, of course, no haircuts, no touching of dead human or animals (he touched a jawbone of a donkey during a battle), and no mixing with people of other faiths (he did this several times). God punish Samson because he lost his way. Eventually God forgave Samson because Samson got his strength back and brought the temple of Dagon down.

Answer 4

His hair wasn't the only source of his strength. Judges 15:18, 19 says: "Because he was very thirsty, he cried out to the Lord, "You have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?" Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned and he revived. So the spring was called En Hakkore, and it is still there in Lehi."

Verse 20 of the next chapter shows that when Samson's strength left him, so had God.
"Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had left him."

Judges 14:17-19 shows that the previous time when Samson's previous wife had pressed him in regards to explaining a riddle, he had at first resisted telling her but he gave in. On that occasion, though, God stayed with him. "So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people.... Then the Spirit of the LORD came on him in power."

Maybe it was because he kept falling for the same trick, even though it was obvious that the ruse was so that the Philistines would capture him. He had led Israel for twenty years. He had previously been handed over to them by the Israelites but had killed 1000 with a donkey's jaw bone.

The Bible doesn't always say. It just leaves it as "God approved" or "didn't approve."

Answer 5

Here is the real reason. Samson was what is called a "Nazirite" This is a person who is dedicated to God and must never to cut his hair, never marry, and never drink or touch anything unclean. He was the spoiled son of a woman who was sterile. Her promise to God was the dedication of her son to God's work.
Samson, however disregarded many of the rules of the nazirites. He had a thing with women. He wanted to marry a Philistine woman (the enemy) and that turned out badly. He had a temper and did lots of things that God had forbidden him to do. Although he was to be the person that delivered Israel from the Philistines, he was not acting like a hero.
When he got with Delilah, (again with the women) She was paid big bucks by the philistines to get his secret from him. She tried 3 times to get the secret and he fooled her each time. Finally she pouted and threatened to withold his "fun" and he caved. God allowed Samson to be shorn in order to punish him for his misdeeds. It was Samsons fault he got his hair cut because he allowed a prostitute to lead him around by the ---- After samson was blinded and made a laughing-stock, he realized his error and asked God to forgive him. God did allow him to fulfill the mission he was given, but it cost him his own life.

Answer 6

God did not punish Samson. Samson got himself into a bind by messing around with an unmarried women who was working as a spy for the enemy and got himself captured and killed as the result.

the story ends well - Samson realizes he was in trouble because he ignored God's warnings. Then he repented.

Answer 7

I'm an agnostic, mind you, so I won't give the most spiritually enlightening answer to this in the world, but you need to re-read the story. It's actually a very funny commentary on how people will make the stupidest choices in order to "be with" someone they are attracted to.

Ever see someone who is in a terrible relationship with someone who is obviously wrong for them but they just won't get out of it? The story of Samson captures that so well.

He has the hots for D. She's a total babe, but a very naughty girl. The kind you don't take home to mother. She is in cahoots with the enemy gang. she coos to Samson "if you love me you'll tell me the secret of your strength." He's not a complete moron, he won't tell her. He just sleeps with her. She keeps needling him so eventually he tells her. He knows that she has no legitimate reason to ask and could hurt him, so he lies. She tells the enemy gang. They pounce. He beats them up since they do the wrong thing to weaken him. He goes back to sleeping with the D. babe.
She keeps whining and pouting and saying if he really loved her he'd tell her the truth. If he had a brain, he'd dump her in a minute. But he's clearly thinking with Little Samson." so, despite all the reasons not to, he tells her. She tells the bad gang, they jump him and take him prisioner and blind him and all.
Not his fault?!?! He had every reason not to tell his secret. But he was having too much fun in bed and acted stupidly in an obviously messed up relationship. It's funny because you probably know someone who has equally stayed with an abusive, cheating lover. Lust makes ya' make some monumentally dumb decisions.

Answer 8

Samson, did not keep himself holy unto God. He allowed himself to be tempted by The women Delila and slept with her after she got him drunk. It was not others who cut his hair. It was Delila who cut it. She tricked him and got him drunk and he told his secret because he trusted her and the wine mad him let his secret out. God did not punish him. Samson punished himself by allowing himself to be tempted away from a righteous path. Then after she cut his hair, the men came and put him in chains so he could not defend himself because he was not strong any more. He asked God to forgive him and asked for strength to push the pillars down. He killed himself as well as all those under the temple roof so it sounds to me.
The story is told so you will see that if we forget out path and disobey God, our strength in God will be forgotten or lost, but he is alwys there to forgive us and help us if we ask.
Rev. TomCat

Answer 9

God never said that.Re-read Samson's story and look at him as a big spoiled brat and I think you'll see him in a better light.
He saw the Philistine girl "Get her for me daddy!"
He eats honey out of the carcass of a Lion,and then takes some to his parents.That is SO not Kosher!
Then he has a fit when they guess his riddle and murders a bunch of guys for their clothes.
Basically ,he was ....if it looks good or feels good or smells good ,or tastes good...I want it and I want it now.He was supposed to be a judge in Israel and all he cared about was his own pleasure.Until the end of course.
It was the Holy Spirit that gave him strength.It's like us.There's no good in us but only the Spirit of God working in us.
He was spoiled by his older parents and God taught him a good lesson.That was the preincarnate Jesus Christ that spoke to the parents.That's why Minoah said "We saw God face to face and now we will die!"

Answer 10

I don't know, I just remember the strength was IN is hair. So to have it cut off, And it was Dahlia that cut his hair off. Samson and Dehlia,

Answer 11

Samson had other issues that God had to deal with in his life !!! He was fritzing around with the philistine women and that was a NO NO with God !!!