Bible Verses About Samson: 12 Scriptures on Strength, Second Chances

"A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth. The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, "You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines." … Then Samson prayed to the Lord, "Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes." Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.""

— Judges 13:2-5; 16:28-30 (NIV)

People who search bible verses about Samson want Scripture on Shimshown — Samson the Nazirite judge whose strength and final prayer mark Judges 13–16 — not only strength alone, courage alone, or deliverance alone as generic themes. This page is a numbered list of twelve passages with the NIV text and a short note on each. Related lists: Bible verses about strength, Bible verses about courage, Bible verses about deliverance, Bible verses about faith, Bible verses about trust, Bible verses about hope, Bible verses about prayer, Bible verses about obedience, Bible verses about Deborah, Bible verses about Gideon, Bible verses about Ruth, Bible verses about Jesus, Bible verses about Christ, and Bible verse of the day. Samson here means the Danite Nazirite of Judges 13–16 — distinct from generic strength lists and from Deborah or Gideon exclusives alone.

Word study (lead theme). In Hebrew, שִׁמְשׁוֹן Shimshown (Strong's H8123; Bible Hub H8123) — Samson (related to "sun"). In Judges 13 he is dedicated as a Nazirite from the womb; in Judges 16 he prays and brings down the temple. This list tracks that Samson inventory — not strength-alone twelve or courage-alone twelve.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 13 presses Samson's birth announcement and Nazirite calling (Bible Hub MHC Judges 13; Blue Letter Bible, Matthew Henry on Judges 13). (Strength, courage, and deliverance pages live elsewhere; this list centers Samson.)

What does the story of Samson teach?

Samson was set apart as a Nazirite from birth. Judges 13:3-5 says he was dedicated to God from the womb and would take the lead in delivering Israel from the Philistines.

His strength was God's gift through the Spirit, not his own. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him when he faced the lion and again at Lehi (Judges 14:5-6; Judges 15:14-15). His compromises, and the secret he told Delilah, led to his capture (Judges 16:17; Judges 16:21).

God heard his final prayer in Judges 16:28: "Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more." Hebrews 11:32 names him among the faithful.

12 Bible verses about Samson

1. Judges 13:3-5. "The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, "You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines."" Nazirite from the womb — deliver Israel. See Bible verses about deliverance.

2. Judges 13:24-25. "The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol." Named Samson — Spirit began to stir. See Bible verses about faith.

3. Judges 14:5-6. "Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done." Spirit upon him — tore the lion. See Bible verses about strength.

4. Judges 15:14-15. "As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands. Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men." Jawbone — a thousand struck down. See Bible verses about courage.

5. Judges 16:4. "Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah." Delilah named — Valley of Sorek. See Bible verses about trust.

6. Judges 16:17. "So he told her everything. "No razor has ever been used on my head," he said, "because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother's womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man."" Nazirite secret told — strength would leave. See Bible verses about obedience.

7. Judges 16:20. "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." The Lord had left him — he did not know. See Bible verses about prayer.

8. Judges 16:21. "Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison." Eyes gouged — grinding in prison. See Bible verses about hope.

9. Judges 16:22. "But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved." Hair began to grow again. See Bible verses about hope.

10. Judges 16:28. "Then Samson prayed to the Lord, "Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes."" Remember me — strengthen me just once more. See Bible verses about prayer.

11. Judges 16:29-30. "Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived." Final push — more in death than in life. See Bible verses about strength.

12. Hebrews 11:32. "And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets," Samson named among the faithful. See Bible verses about Christ.

How to use these verses

Pick one verse when you need Samson — not twelve as a grind. If you need the Nazirite birth, start at Judges 13:2–5. If you need the final prayer, open Judges 16:28–30. If you need the Spirit's stirring, open Judges 13:24–25. For Deborah before him, open Bible verses about Deborah. For Ruth's loyalty after the judges, open Bible verses about Ruth. For a daily verse, open Bible verse of the day.

Questions people ask

What is a good Bible verse about Samson?

Judges 13:2–5 is the clear starting place; Judges 16:28–30 presses the final prayer and the pillars.

How do Bible verses about Samson differ from strength alone?

Strength pages gather God's strength in general. This list centers Samson the Nazirite judge of Judges 13–16.

What Hebrew word sits under Samson?

Shimshown (H8123) — Samson (related to "sun").

Why isn't a generic deliverance list the exclusive center of this page?

Those exclusive deliverance leads stay on the deliverance hub so the lists stay distinct (this page owns the Samson Nazirite and final-prayer inventory above).

How is Samson different from Gideon alone?

Gideon pages gather the fleece and the three hundred. This list centers Samson's Nazirite calling, Delilah, and the temple pillars.

Where did Samson's strength come from?

From the Spirit of the Lord, not from Samson himself. Judges 14:5-6 and Judges 15:14-15 say the Spirit came powerfully upon him. When the Lord left him, he could not shake himself free (Judges 16:20).

Is Samson in the Hall of Faith?

Yes. Hebrews 11:32 names Samson with Gideon, Barak, and Jephthah among the faithful.