Samson SAMSON (Software for Adaptive Modeling and Simulation Of Nanosystems) is a computer software platform for molecular design being developed bOneAngstromand previously by the NANO-D group at the French Institute for Research in Computer Science an ...

was a character in the Biblical

Book of Judges The Book of Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. In the narrative of the Hebrew Bible, it covers the time between the conquest described in the Book of Joshua and the establishment of a kingdom in the ...

. He is said to have been raised up by God to deliver the

Israelites Israelites were a Hebrew language, Hebrew-speaking ethnoreligious group, consisting of tribes that lived in Canaan during the Iron Age. Modern scholarship describes the Israelites as emerging from indigenous Canaanites, Canaanite populations ...

from the

Philistines Philistines (; LXX: ; ) were ancient people who lived on the south coast of Canaan during the Iron Age in a confederation of city-states generally referred to as Philistia. There is compelling evidence to suggest that the Philistines origi ...

. In the story, God grants him unusual strength, which is facilitated by a

Nazirite In the Hebrew Bible, a nazirite or a nazarite ( ''Nāzīr'') is an Israelite (i.e. Jewish) man or woman who voluntarily took a vow which is described in . This vow required the nazirite to: * Abstain from wine and strong drink as well as all oth ...

vow prohibiting him from cutting his hair. His strength and violent temper are illustrated in several colorful stories portraying him as dominant over

man and nature ''Man and Nature: Or, Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action'', first published in 1864, was written by American polymath scholar and diplomat George Perkins Marsh (1801-1882). Marsh intended his text to show that "whereas thersthink t ...

. He also succeeds in his charge to battle the Philistines, more through acts of personal vengeance than by any formal military strategy. Eventually the Philistines defeat him by bribing his new love interest,

Delilah Delilah ( ; , meaning "delicate";Gesenius's ''Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon'' ; ) is a woman mentioned in the sixteenth chapter of the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible. She is loved by Samson, a Nazirite who possesses great strength and serves as t ...

, into extracting from him the secret to his strength. Once learned, the Philistines cut his hair while he sleeps, at which point he is easily defeated. The stories of Samson have inspired numerous cultural references, serving as a symbol of brute strength, heroism, self-destruction, and romantic betrayal. This article surveys these references in religion and mythology, art and literature, film and music, and folklore.

Religion and mythology

Israeli culture

"The figure of "Samson the hero" played a role in the construction of Zionist collective memory, and in building the identity of the 'new Jew' who leaves behind exilic helplessness for Israeli self-determination," Benjamin Balint, a writer in Jerusalem, has written.

Vladimir Jabotinsky Ze'ev Jabotinsky (born Vladimir Yevgenyevich Zhabotinsky; 17 October 1880 – 3 August 1940) was a Russian-born author, poet, orator, soldier, and founder of the Revisionist Zionist movement and the Jewish Self-Defense Organization in O ...

(1880–1940), the founder of

Revisionist Zionism Revisionist Zionism is a form of Zionism characterized by territorial maximalism. Revisionist Zionism promoted expansionism and the establishment of a Jewish majority on both sides of the Jordan River. Developed by Ze'ev Jabotinsky in the 1920s ...

wrote a 1926 novel in Russian (English translation in 1930), ''

'' in which the author makes Samson an assimilated Jew attracted by the surrounding, more sophisticated (and un-

philistine Philistines (; Septuagint, LXX: ; ) were ancient people who lived on the south coast of Canaan during the Iron Age in a confederation of city-states generally referred to as Philistia. There is compelling evidence to suggest that the Philist ...

) Philistine culture. Considered a basic text of

, Jabotinsky's followers found in it numerous hints of contemporary Zionist and Israeli politics. Among other things, the family name of present day Israeli politician

Dan Meridor Dan Meridor (; born 23 April 1947) is an Israeli politician and minister. A longtime member of the Likud party, in the late 1990s he became one of the founders of the Center Party. He rejoined Likud a decade later, and returned to the Knesset ...

is derived from this book. "Meridor" (literally "Generation of Rebellion") is the name given by Samson to a child in the book. Some important Twentieth century

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

poems have also been written about the Bible hero. More recently, elite Israeli combat units have been named "Samson", and the

Israeli nuclear program Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons. Estimates of Israel's stockpile range between 90 and 400 nuclear warheads, and the country is believed to possess a nuclear triad of delivery options: by F-15 and F-16 fighters, by Dolphin- ...

was called the "

Samson Option The Samson Option () is Israel's deterrence strategy of massive retaliation with nuclear weapons as a "last resort" against a country whose military has invaded and/or destroyed much of Israel. Commentators also have employed the term to refe ...

".Balint, Benjamin, "Eyeless in Israel: Biblical metaphor and the Jewish state," review of ''Lion's Honey: The Myth of Samson,'' by Benji Segal, ''

The Weekly Standard ''The Weekly Standard'' was an American neoconservative political magazine of news, analysis, and commentary that was published 48 times per year. Originally edited by founders Bill Kristol and Fred Barnes, the ''Standard'' was described as a ...

'', October 30, 2006, pages 35–36

Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American professor and public intellectual known for his work in linguistics, political activism, and social criticism. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a ...

and others have said Israel suffers from a "Samson complex" which could lead to the destruction of itself as well as its Arab enemies.

Basque mythology

There is an elaboration of the biblical character in

Basque mythology The mythology of the ancient Basques largely did not survive the arrival of Christianity in the Basque Country between the 4th and 12th century AD. Most of what is known about elements of this original belief system is based on the analysis o ...

which differs in its features from the original. Quite paradoxically, the Basque Samson does not stand for Christian values, but is represented as a giant living in the mountains far from other inhabitants of the villages and the valley; he is a

jentil {{Short description, Basque mythological giants The jentil (or jentilak with the Basque plural), are a race of giants in Basque mythology. This word meaning ''gentile'', from Latin ''gentilis'', was used to refer to pre-Christian civilizations an ...

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

pagan of the forest. As told in many folk accounts, endowed with might as he is, he launches rocks that lie at the origin of different prominences and hills all over the Basque Country, especially in the west, while in the east the preferred character to account for similar phenomena is the medieval hero

Roland Roland (; ; or ''Rotholandus''; or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. The historical Roland was mil ...

, ''Errolan'' in

Art

Anton van Dyck - Samson and Delilah - Google Art Project

Lovis Corinth - Der geblendete Simson - Google Art Project

London-Victoria and Albert Museum-Sculpture-05

Samson has been a popular subject for painting and sculpture: *

Alexander Anderson Alexander Anderson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Alexander Anderson (cartoonist) (1920–2010), American cartoonist, creator of "Rocky the Flying Squirrel" * Alexander Anderson (illustrator) (1775–1870), American illustrator * Alexander ...

, ''Samson Fighting the Lion'', ca. 1800

Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), comprising the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, is the largest public arts institution in the city of San Francisco. FAMSF's combined attendance was 1,1 ...

Jean Audran Jean Audran (1667–1756) was a French engraver and printmaker. The brother of Benoit, and the third son of Germain Audran, he was born at Lyons in 1667. After learning the rudiments of the art under his father, he was placed under the care of hi ...

, after F. Verdier, ''The Burial of Samson'', ca. 1700

Giovanni Francesco Barbieri Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as (il) Guercino (), was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vigorous na ...

(Guercino)
''Samson and the Honeycomb''
ca. 1657

* Niccolu Boldrini, after

Titian Tiziano Vecellio (; 27 August 1576), Latinized as Titianus, hence known in English as Titian ( ), was an Italian Renaissance painter, the most important artist of Renaissance Venetian painting. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near Belluno. Ti ...

, ''Samson and Delilah'', ca. 1540–1545,

Boucicaut Master The Boucicaut Master or Master of the Hours for Marshal Boucicaut was an anonymous French or Flemish miniaturist and illuminator active between 1400 and 1430 in Paris. He worked in the International Gothic style. He is named after his illustrat ...

, ''Samson and the Lion'', 1415,

Getty Museum The J. Paul Getty Museum, commonly referred to as the Getty, is an art museum in Los Angeles, California, United States, housed on two campuses: the Getty Center and Getty Villa. It is operated by the J. Paul Getty Trust, the world's wealthies ...

Hans Burgkmair the Elder Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473–1531) was a German Painting, painter and woodcut printmaker. Background Hans Burgkmair was born in Augsburg, the son of painter Thomas Burgkmair. His own son, Hans the Younger, later became a painter as well. From ...

, ''Samson and Delilah'', ca. 1500

Lovis Corinth Lovis Corinth (21 July 1858 – 17 July 1925) was a German artist and writer whose mature work as a painter and printmaker realized a synthesis of impressionism and expressionism. Corinth studied in Paris and Munich, joined the Berlin Secessio ...

, ''Samson Blinded'', 1912 *

Giuseppe Caletti Giuseppe Caletti or Calletti (c. 1600 - c. 1660) was an Italian painter and engraver of the Baroque period, active in Ferrara and Cremona. He often painted religious themes in a genre like dress and surroundings, including the theme of Bacchanali ...

( Il Cremonese), ''Samson and Delilah'', ca. 1625

Lucas Cranach the Elder Lucas Cranach the Elder ( ; – 16 October 1553) was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving. He was court painter to the Electors of Saxony for most of his career, and is known for his portraits, both of German ...

, ''Samson and Delilah'', 1529 **''Samson's Fight with the Lion'', 1520–25 *

Salomon de Bray Salomon de Bray (1597 – 11 May 1664) was a Dutch Golden Age painter and architect. Biography De Bray was born in Amsterdam, but established himself in Haarlem before 1617, where he is registered as being a member of the schutterij that ye ...

, ''Samson with the Jawbone'', 1636

Gerard de Jode Gerard de Jode (also known as Petrus de Jode; – 5 February 1591) was a Netherlandish cartographer, engraver, and publisher who lived and worked in Antwerp. In 1547, De Jode was admitted to the Guild of St. Luke, and began his work as ...

, ''Samson Tying the Firebrands to the Foxes' Tails'', ca. 1550

* Etienne Delaune, ''Samson Setting Fire to the Wheat of the Philistines'', ca. 1575

* H.B. ( John Doyle), ''Samson and Delilah'', ca. 1800

Gustave Doré Paul Gustave Louis Christophe Doré ( , , ; 6January 1832 – 23January 1883) was a French printmaker, illustrator, painter, comics artist, caricaturist, and sculptor. He is best known for his prolific output of wood-engravings illustrati ...

, ''Death of Samson'', 1865 **''Samson and Delilah'', 1865 **''Samson Carrying Away the Gates of Gaza'', 1865 **''Samson Destroying the Philistines'', 1865 **''Samson Destroys the Temple'', 1866 **''Samson Fighting with the Lion'', ca. 1496 **''Samson Slaying a Lion'', 1865 *

Albrecht Dürer Albrecht Dürer ( , ;; 21 May 1471 – 6 April 1528),Müller, Peter O. (1993) ''Substantiv-Derivation in Den Schriften Albrecht Dürers'', Walter de Gruyter. . sometimes spelled in English as Durer or Duerer, was a German painter, Old master prin ...

, ''Delilah Cuts Samson's Hair'', 1493 * Josephus Farmer, ''Samson'', 1982,

Smithsonian American Art Museum The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM; formerly the National Museum of American Art) is a museum in Washington, D.C., part of the Smithsonian Institution. Together with its branch museum, the Renwick Gallery, SAAM holds one of the world's lar ...

Philip Galle Philip (or Philips) Galle (1537 – March 1612) was a Dutch publisher, best known for publishing old master prints, which he also produced as designer and engraver. He is especially known for his reproductive engravings of paintings. Life Galle ...

, ''Samson Fighting the Lion'', ca. 1600 Lutheran Brotherhood's Collection of Religious Art *

Giambologna Giambologna (1529 – 13 August 1608), also known as Jean de Boulogne (French), Jehan Boulongne (Flemish) and Giovanni da Bologna (Italian), was the last significant Italian Renaissance sculptor, with a large workshop producing large and small ...

, Samson Slaying a Philistine, c. 1562. *

Luca Giordano Luca Giordano (18 October 1634 – 3 January 1705) was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples, Rome, Florence, and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain. Early l ...

, ''Samson and Delilah'', ca. 1675

Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as (il) Guercino (), was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vigorous n ...

, ''Samson Captured by the Philistines'' **'' Samson and Delilah'', 1654 (

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Strasbourg The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Strasbourg (Museum of Fine Arts of Strasbourg) is the old masters paintings collection of the city of Strasbourg, located in the Alsace region of France. The museum is housed in the first and second floors of the ...

) * Reinhold Hoberg, ''Samson and Delilah'', ca. 1900

Lord Frederic Leighton Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton, (3 December 1830 – 25 January 1896), known as Sir Frederic Leighton between 1878 and 1896, was a British Victorian painter, draughtsman, and sculptor. His works depicted historical, biblical, and class ...

, Illustrations for Dalziel's Bible Gallery, 1881,

Tate Gallery Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the UK ...

: **''Samson and the Lion'' **''Samson Carrying the Gates'' **''Samson at the Mill'' *

Andrea Mantegna Andrea Mantegna (, ; ; September 13, 1506) was an Italian Renaissance painter, a student of Ancient Rome, Roman archeology, and son-in-law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna experimented with Perspective (graphical), pe ...

, ''Samson and Delilah'', ca. 1500 *

Jacob Matham Jacob Matham (15 October 1571 – 20 January 1631), of Haarlem, was an engraver and pen-draftsman. Biography He was the stepson and pupil of painter and draftsman Hendrik Goltzius, and brother-in-law to engraver Simon van Poelenburgh, having ma ...

after

Peter Paul Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish painting, Flemish artist and diplomat. He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque painting, Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens' highly charged comp ...

, ''Samson and Delilah'', 1613 * Matthaeus Merian the Elder, 1625–30, ''Samson and Delilah'' **''Samson and the Gates'' **''Samson's Strange Weapon'' **''Samson Slays a Lion'' *

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...

, ''Samson and Two Philistines'', ca. 1530–50 *

Aureliano Milani Aureliano Milani (1675 – 1749) was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque period, active in Bologna and Rome. He was a pupil of Cesare Gennari and Lorenzo Pasinelli in Bologna, although he also adhered to a style derived from the Carracci. H ...

, ''Samson Slaying the Philistines'', 1720

National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of more than 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current di ...

, Canada *

Thomas Nast Thomas Nast (; ; September 26, 1840December 7, 1902) was a German-born American caricaturist and editorial cartoonist often considered to be the "Father of the American Cartoon". He was a sharp critic of William M. Tweed, "Boss" Tweed and the T ...

, The Modern Samson, 1868 *

Erasmus Quellinus II Erasmus Quellinus the Younger or Erasmus Quellinus II (November 19, 1607 – November 11, 1678) was a Flemish painter, engraver, draughtsman and tapestry designer who worked in various genres including history painting, history, portrait, allego ...

, ''Samson Killing the Lion'', ca. 1650

Archie Rand Archie Rand (born 1949) is an American artist from Brooklyn, New York, United States. Education and career Born in Brooklyn, Rand received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in cinegraphics from the Pratt Institute, having studied previously at the Art St ...

, ''Samson'', contemporary Bernice Steinbaum Gallery *

Guido Reni Guido Reni (; 4 November 1575 – 18 August 1642) was an Italian Baroque painter, although his works showed a classical manner, similar to Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, and Philippe de Champaigne. He painted primarily religious works, but al ...

, ''The Triumph of Samson'', 1611–12 *

Rembrandt van Rijn Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (; ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), mononymously known as Rembrandt was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman. He is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in the h ...

, ''

The Blinding of Samson ''The Blinding of Samson'' is a 1636 painting by Rembrandt, now in the Städel (in Frankfurt). The painting is the first of its kind in pictorial tradition. No other artist at the time had painted this specific narrative moment. This painting ...

'', 1636 **''Delilah Calls the Philistines'', ca. 1655 **''The Sacrifice of Menoah'', 1641 **''Samson Accusing His Father-In-Law'', 1635 **''Samson Betrayed by Delilah'', 1629–30 **''Samson Putting Forth His Riddles at the Wedding Feast'', 1638 * Kirk Richards, ''Delilah'', 1997 * Paul Roorda, ''Samson'', contemporary *

, ''The Death of Samson'', ca. 1605

**''Samson is Seized'', 1609–10 * Jacob Savery I, ''Samson Wrestling with the Lion'', (after), ca. 1595

* Hans Leonhard Schaufelein, ''Samson Destroying the Temple'', Fifteenth to Sixteenth centuries

Solomon Joseph Solomon Solomon Joseph Solomon (16 September 1860 – 27 July 1927) was a British painter, a founding member of the New English Art Club and member of the Royal Academy. Solomon's family was Jewish, and his sister, Lily Delissa Joseph (née S ...

, ''Samson and Delilah'', 1887

Walker Art Gallery The Walker Art Gallery is an art gallery in Liverpool, which houses one of the largest art collections in England outside London. It is part of the National Museums Liverpool group. History The Walker Art Gallery's collection dates from 1819 ...

Jan Steen Jan Havickszoon Steen ( – buried 3 February 1679) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, one of the leading genre painters of the 17th century. His works are known for their psychological insight, sense of humour and abundance of colour. Life ...

, ''Samson and Delilah'', 1667–70 *

Matthias Stom Matthias Stom or Matthias Stomer ( – after 1652) was a Dutch people, Dutch, or possibly Flemish people, Flemish, Painting, painter who is only known for the works he produced during his residence in Italy. He was influenced by the work of non-I ...

, ''Samson and Delilah'', 1630s *

James Tissot Jacques Joseph Tissot (; 15 October 1836 – 8 August 1902), better known as James Tissot ( , ), was a French painter, illustrator, and caricaturist. He was born to a drapery merchant and a milliner and decided to pursue a career in art at a y ...

, 1896–1900.

Christian Theological Seminary Christian Theological Seminary is an ecumenical seminary related to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It provides five degree-level education courses, three dual-degree programs, a Doctor of Minist ...

, Indianapolis, ''Samson Breaks His Cords'' **''Samson Kills a Young Lion'' **''Samson Puts Down the Pillars'' **''Samson Slays a Thousand Men'' *

Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (26 March 1794 – 24 May 1872) () was a German painter, chiefly of Biblical subjects. As a young man he associated with the painters of the Nazarene movement who revived the florid Renaissance style in religious ...

, 1851–60' World Mission Collection, ''The Death of Samson'' **''Samson Kills the Lion'' **''Samson Kills the Philistines'' **''Samson is Seized'' *

Christiaen van Couwenbergh Christiaen van Couwenbergh, (8 July 1604 – 4 July 1667)Couwenbergh, Christiaen Gillisz. van< ...

, ''The Capture of Samson'', 1630 *Sir

Anthony van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck (; ; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Flemish Baroque painting, Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Spanish Netherlands and Italy. The seventh child of ...

, ''Samson and Delilah'', 1620. *

Gerrit van Honthorst Gerard van Honthorst (Dutch: ''Gerrit van Honthorst''; 4 November 1592 – 27 April 1656) was a Dutch Golden Age painter who became known for his depiction of artificially lit scenes, eventually receiving the nickname ''Gherardo delle Notti' ...

, ''Samson and Delilah'', ca. 1615. * Israhel van Meckenem the Younger, ''Samson and the Lion'', ca. 1475

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art is an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of charge, the museum was privately established in ...

Frans van den Wyngaerde Frans van den Wyngaerde or Frans van den WijngaerdeHis name is sometimes also spelled Francis vanden Wyngaert (baptised 8 July 161417 March 1679) was a Flemish printmaker, draughtsman and publisher.Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), comprising the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, is the largest public arts institution in the city of San Francisco. FAMSF's combined attendance was 1,1 ...

* Claes Jansz Visscher the Elder, ''Delilah Cutting Samson's Hair'', ca. 1610.

* Les Drysdale, ''Samson'', contemporary *

Jean-Michel Basquiat Jean-Michel Basquiat (; December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was an American artist who rose to success during the 1980s as part of the neo-expressionism movement. Basquiat first achieved notoriety in the late 1970s as part of the graffiti ...

, ''Obnoxious Liberals'', 1982. L. Broad Collection, Los Angeles (A painting mixing a depiction of the shorn Samson in chains with a slave auction and a contemporary art collector). *''Samson and the lion'' in Peterhof, Russia. A fountain celebrating the victory over Sweden in the battle of Poltava (occurred on 27 June, St Sampson's Day). Anonymous: *''Samson Destroying the Pillars of the Philistine Temple'', ca. 1600.

*Display Cabinet (with figure of Delilah cutting Samson's Hair), 1620s.

. * ''The Women at the Tomb'' (with scene from Samson and the Lion), Unknown German, c. 1170s.

*''Samson Destroys the Temple'', Unknown German

Literature

*In the 14th century in Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", in the Monk's tale, Samson is described. His name is also used to describe the sound of a drunkard's snoring in the Pardoner's tale. *In 1656, the Spanish crypto-Jew,

Antonio Enríquez Gómez Antonio Enríquez Gómez (Cuenca 1601 - Seville 1663), Spanish dramatist, poet and novelist of Spanish-Jewish origin, was known in the early part of his career as Enríque Enríquez de Paz. Furthermore, certain of his works feature the alternate ...

, published ''Sansón Nazareno: Poema heróico,'' a Spanish-language heroic epic version of the Samson story. *In 1671,

John Milton John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet, polemicist, and civil servant. His 1667 epic poem ''Paradise Lost'' was written in blank verse and included 12 books, written in a time of immense religious flux and politic ...

made him the sympathetic hero of his blank verse tragedy ''

Samson Agonistes ''Samson Agonistes'' (from Greek Σαμσών ἀγωνιστής, "Samson the champion") is a tragic closet drama by John Milton. It appeared with the publication of Milton's '' Paradise Regained'' in 1671, as the title page of that volume st ...

''. *In 1724,

Moshe Chaim Luzzatto Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (; also ''Moses Chaim'', ''Moise Vita'', ''Moses Hayyim'' or ''Luzzato''; 1707 – 16 May 1746), also known by the Hebrew acronym RaMCHaL (or RaMHaL; ), was an Italian Jewish rabbi, kabbalist, and philosopher. Biograph ...

wrote the first

play ever written on the subject of Samson. *

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

is credited with the witty quatrain: "Jack, eating rotten cheese, did say, / Like Samson I my thousands slay: / I vow, quoth Roger, so you do, / And with the self-same weapon too." * In 1842,

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include the poems " Paul Revere's Ride", '' The Song of Hiawatha'', and '' Evangeline''. He was the first American to comp ...

published his poem "The Warning", included in his '' Poems on Slavery'' - in which the poet warned Americans of a coming violent outbreak because of

Slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

and compared the Black slaves with the chained Samson who pulled down the Gaza Temple. *In 1847,

Charlotte Brontë Charlotte Nicholls (; 21 April 1816 – 31 March 1855), commonly known as Charlotte Brontë (, commonly ), was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë family, Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood and whose novel ...

compared Rochester to Samson in ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The firs ...

'': "The caged eagle, whose gold-ringed eyes cruelty has extinguished, might look as looked that sightless Samson." *In

William Makepeace Thackeray William Makepeace Thackeray ( ; 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was an English novelist and illustrator. He is known for his Satire, satirical works, particularly his 1847–1848 novel ''Vanity Fair (novel), Vanity Fair'', a panoramic portra ...

's 1848 novel '' Vanity Fair'', the characters

Becky Sharp Rebecca "Becky" Sharp, later describing herself as Rebecca, Lady Crawley, is the main protagonist of William Makepeace Thackeray's 1847–48 novel '' Vanity Fair''. She is presented as a cynical social climber who uses her charms to fascinate ...

and

Rawdon Crawley ''Vanity Fair'' is a novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray, which follows the lives of Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley amid their friends and families during and after the Napoleonic Wars. It was first published as a 19-volume m ...

are compared to Samson and Delilah. *In 1903

Paul Laurence Dunbar Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – February 9, 1906) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Dayton, Ohio, to parents who had been enslaved in Kentucky before the American C ...

published the poem "Black Samson of Brandywine" about a Black soldier during the 1777

Battle of Brandywine The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777, as part of the Am ...

in ''Lyrics of Love and Laughter''. *In 1926,

published his historical novel, ''

'' (see "Israeli culture" above for details). The Biblical setting served Jabotinsky as a metaphor for contemporary Zionist politics and the current situation in

Mandatory Palestine Mandatory Palestine was a British Empire, British geopolitical entity that existed between 1920 and 1948 in the Palestine (region), region of Palestine, and after 1922, under the terms of the League of Nations's Mandate for Palestine. After ...

. The book earned Jabotinsky a credit on the 1949 Hollywood movie '' Samson and Delilah''. 2 *In 1952,

Ralph Ellison Ralph Waldo Ellison (March 1, 1913 – April 16, 1994) was an American writer, literary critic, and scholar best known for his novel '' Invisible Man'', which won the National Book Award in 1953. Ellison wrote '' Shadow and Act'' (1964), a co ...

made reference to Samson in his novel ''

Invisible Man ''Invisible Man'' is Ralph Ellison's first novel, and the only one published during his lifetime. It was first published by the British magazine Horizon in 1947, and addresses many of the social and intellectual issues faced by African American ...

'' saying, "Whoever else I was, I was no Samson. I had no desire to destroy myself even if it destroyed the machine; I wanted freedom, not destruction." *In 1961,

Joseph Heller Joseph Heller (May 1, 1923 – December 12, 1999) was an American author of novels, short stories, plays, and screenplays. His best-known work is the 1961 novel '' Catch-22'', a satire on war and bureaucracy, whose title has become a synonym for ...

Catch-22 ''Catch-22'' is a satirical war novel by American author Joseph Heller. It was his debut novel. He began writing it in 1953; the novel was first published in 1961. Often cited as one of the most significant novels of the twentieth century, it ...

includes a character named Kid Sampson, a young, strong soldier who was cut in half by the propeller of a plane by a dare devil pilot flying too close to the beach. *In 1961, the biblical Samson appeared in a

DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...

"imaginary story" in ''Action Comics'' #279, briefly marrying

Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...

's childhood friend

Lana Lang Lana Lang is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is a ''Superman'' supporting character and love interest of the teenage Clark Kent. She was created by writer Bill Finger and artist John Sikela ...

. In 2005, a character based on Samson also made an appearance in

Grant Morrison Grant Morrison (born 31 January 1960) is a Scottish comic book writer, screenwriter, and producer. Their work is known for its nonlinear narratives, Humanism, humanist philosophy and counterculture, countercultural leanings. Morrison has writt ...

All-Star Superman ''All-Star Superman'' is a twelve-issue American comic book series featuring Superman that was published by DC Comics. The series ran from November 2005 to October 2008 (on sale date). The series was written by Grant Morrison, drawn by Frank Qu ...

alongside

Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of world map, maps of Earth or of a continent or region of Earth. Advances in astronomy have also resulted in atlases of the celestial sphere or of other planets. Atlases have traditio ...

. *In 1971 the

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

character

Doc Samson Doc Samson (Leonard Skivorski Jr.) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as a superhero and psychiatrist in the Marvel Universe, known as a supporting character in ...

debuted in ''

The Incredible Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book ...

''. He is a psychiatrist who is exposed to gamma radiation that causes his hair to grow long and green. Also, like the real Samson, his strength depends on the length of his hair. *In 2006, David Grossman's novel ''Lion's Honey: The Myth of Samson'' was published. *In 2006,

David Maine David Maine (born November 28, 1963) is an American novelist. Personal life David Maine was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in Farmington, Connecticut. He attended Oberlin College (1981–1985) and the University of Arizona (1988–199 ...

published his novel ''The Book of Samson'', the third of his Biblical series of novels which also includes ''Fallen'' and ''The Preservationist''. *

Carol Ann Duffy Dame Carol Ann Duffy (born 23 December 1955) is a Scottish poet and playwright. She is a professor of contemporary poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University, and was appointed Poet Laureate in May 2009, and her term expired in 2019. She wa ...

's poetry anthology '' The World's Wife'' contains a poem entitled "Delilah", which sympathetically follows the eponymous character in the Biblical story. *In the

Image comics Image Comics is an independent American American comic book, comic book publisher and is the third largest direct market comic book and graphic novel publisher in the industry by market share. Its best-known publications include ''Spawn (comics) ...

series ''

Invincible Invincible may refer to: Film and television * ''Invincible'' (2001 theatrical film), a drama by Werner Herzog about Jewish cabaret during the rise of Nazism * ''Invincible'' (2001 TV film), a fantasy/martial arts TV movie starring Billy Za ...

'' an African-American character with great strength is named

Black Samson ''Black Samson'' is a 1974 American blaxploitation film, starring Rockne Tarkington, Carol Speed, William Smith and Connie Strickland. The film was written by Daniel B. Cady (who also produced) and Warren Hamilton Jr., directed by Charles Bail a ...

. *In 2002, Mario Ruiz and Jerry Novick published a graphic novel version called ''Samson: Judge of Israel'' through the American Bible Society. *In 2011, Ginger Garrett published her novel, ''Desired: The Untold Story of Samson and Delilah,'' which tells the story of Samson from the perspective of the three main women in his life: his mother, his wife, and Delilah. *In 2012, Justin Reed published a graphic novel, "Samson: Blessed Savior of Israel," which draws from a wide range of resources in previous scholarship and literature on Samson to create a fresh perspective on the Samson story.

Film

The most detailed film version of the Biblical Samson was the 1949

Cecil B. deMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...

film '' Samson and Delilah'', starring

Victor Mature Victor John Mature (January 29, 1913 – August 4, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor who was a leading man in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. His best known film roles include '' One Million B.C.'' (1940), '' My Darli ...

as Samson. Two made-for-TV films, in

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

and

1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...

, retold the story of Samson and Delilah. Another film, ''

'', was made in 2018. The Samson character was featured in a series of five sword-and-sandal adventure films made in Italy in the 1960s, as follows: *''

'' (Italian title ''Sansone'') (1961) portrayed by

Brad Harris Bradford Harris (July 16, 1933 – November 7, 2017) was an American actor and stuntman. He appeared in a variety of roles in over 50 films, mostly in European productions. He was an inductee in the Stuntman's Hall of Fame. Early life Born i ...

*''Samson vs. The Pirates'' (1963) a/k/a ''Samson and the Sea Beast'' *''Samson Challenges Hercules'' (1963) a/k/a ''Hercules, Samson and Ulysses'' *''Samson vs. the Black Pirate'' (1963) a/k/a ''Hercules and the Black Pirate'' *''

Samson and His Mighty Challenge ''Samson and His Mighty Challenge'' is a 1964 Italian sword-and-sandal film, released in 1965 at the very tail end of the peplum craze. Its original title was ''Ercole, Sansone, Maciste e Ursus gli invincibili'' (''Hercules, Samson, Maciste, and ...

'' (1965) a semi comedy/satire co-starring Hercules, Ursus & Maciste Other films based on the story of Samson and Delilah include: *'' Aurat'' (1953), Indian film adaptation of the Biblical tale by B. Verma, starring

Premnath Premnath Malhotra, better known as Prem Nath (21 November 1926 – 3 November 1992) was an Indian actor and director, who was best known for his works in Hindi films. Nath made his debut with the film ''Ajit'' (1948), and went on to appear in ...

and

Bina Rai Bina Rai (13 July 1931 – 6 December 2009), sometimes referred to as Beena Rai, was an Indian actress, primarily of the black and white era of Hindi cinema. She is most known for her roles in classics such as '' Anarkali'' (1953), '' Ghunghat ...

in the lead roles. *''Samson'' (1964), Indian action-adventure film by

Nanabhai Bhatt Nanabhai Bhatt (12 June 1915 – 24 April 1999) was an Indian film director and producer who worked in Hindi cinema, Hindi and Gujarati cinema. He is known for making over a hundred fantasy and mythological films, including ''Mr. X'' (1957), ' ...

where the hero is portrayed by

Dara Singh Dara Singh Randhawa (born Deedar Singh Randhawa; 19 November 1928 – 12 July 2012) was an Indian professional wrestler, actor, director and politician. He started acting in 1952 and was the first sportsman to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha ...

. *'' Aaj Ka Samson'' (1991), adaptation of the story set in modern-day India, starring

Hemant Birje Hemant Birje (born 19 August 1965) is an Indian actor who works primarily in Hindi language films. In 1985, he debuted as Tarzan in Babbar Subhash's ''Adventures of Tarzan (1985 Hindi film), Adventures of Tarzan'', also starring Kimi Katkar. H ...

as Samson.

Music

Classical

* ''

'' was an opera by

Jean-Philippe Rameau Jean-Philippe Rameau (; ; – ) was a French composer and music theory, music theorist. Regarded as one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the 18th century, he replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of ...

with a libretto by

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778), known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' Voltaire (, ; ), was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, philosopher (''philosophe''), satirist, and historian. Famous for his wit ...

. It was never staged for censorship reasons and the music is now lost. * ''

'', an oratorio by

George Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

premiered in 1743. * ''

Samson et Dalila ''Samson and Delilah'' (), Op. 47, is a grand opera in three acts and four scenes by Camille Saint-Saëns to a French libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire. It was first performed in Weimar at the (Grand Ducal) Theater (now the Staatskapelle Weimar) on 2 ...

'', an opera by

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (, , 9October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano ...

premiered in 1877. * In 1977,

Joseph Horovitz Joseph Horovitz (26 May 1926 – 9 February 2022) was an Austrian-born British composer and conductor best known for his 1970 pop cantata '' Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo'', which achieved widespread popularity in schools. Horovitz also com ...

wrote ''Samson'' for

baritone A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...

mixed choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

and

brass band A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting primarily of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands (particularl ...

Other

Blind Willie Johnson Willie Johnson (January 25, 1897 – September 18, 1945), commonly known as Blind Willie Johnson, was an American gospel blues singer and guitarist. His landmark recordings completed between 1927 and 1930, thirty songs in all, display a combinat ...

– "If I Had My Way / I'd Tear the Building Down" (recorded 1927), the lyrics relate to Samson's marriage to Delilah and his slaying of the lion, often covered as "Samson and Delilah"

Louis Jordan Louis Thomas Jordan (July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975) was an American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and bandleader who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the King ...

– Ain't That Just Like a Woman (1946): "Samson thought Delilah was on the square, Till one night she clipped him all his hair" In 1965,

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

wrote "Tombstone Blues" in which he makes a reference to

in the lines "I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill/and set him in chains on top of the hill/Then send out for some pillars and

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...

." The second and third lines are references to Samson's death, while Cecil B. Demille is the director who made the movie depicting the Samson story. Michael Hurd's pop cantata "Swingin' Samson" (1973) is a toned-down children's musical version of the story. British rock band

Procol Harum Procol Harum () were an English rock music, rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1967. Their best-known recording is the 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", one of the few singles to have sold more than List of best-selling si ...

has a song called "As Strong as Samson" on their album "Exotic Birds and Fruits" from 1974. Samson (referred to as 'Sam' and 'Sammy') and Delilah are among the couples mentioned in B.A. Robertson's 1979 song on the pitfalls of love, '' Bang Bang''.

Bad Manners Bad Manners are an English Two-tone (music genre), two-tone and ska Musical ensemble, band led by frontman Buster Bloodvessel. Early appearances included ''Top of the Pops'' and the live film documentary ''Dance Craze'' (1981). They were at ...

have a song called "Samson And Delilah" that is available in a single version and in a longer "Biblical Version" on the album " Forging Ahead" from 1982.

Mark Alburger Mark Alburger (born April 2, 1957 in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania; died June 20, 2023 in Vacaville, California) was a San Francisco Bay area composer and conductor. He was the founder and music director of the San Francisco Composer ...

's opera-oratorio, ''Samson and Delilah (The Frank Judges)'', dates from 1998, with an updated short version, "Sex and Delilah" written for and performed by San Francisco Cabaret opera in May 2009. Drone/Experimental band

Earth (American band) Earth is an American rock music, rock band originally based in Olympia, Washington and led by the guitarist Dylan Carlson (musician), Dylan Carlson. Initially active between 1989 and 1997, their early work is characterized by heavily distortion ...

released an album in 2008 entitled ''

The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull ''The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull'' is the fifth full-length studio album by the American musical group Earth. The 2008 album continues bandleader Dylan Carlson's creative evolution away from the experimental drone-grunge-metal outpu ...

'', a reference to

Samson's riddle 250px, '' The Wedding Feast of Samson'', Rembrandt, 1638 Samson's riddle is found in the biblical Book of Judges, where it is incorporated into a larger narrative about Samson, the last of the judges of the ancient Israelites. The riddle, with w ...

. Although instrumental, the album explores the theme of beauty arising from rot and decay. Heads Held High, (a

melodic hardcore Melodic hardcore is a broadly defined subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on melody in its guitar work. The style often includes guitar harmonies, riffs using octave chords, as well as broken chords. Additionally, lyrics tend towar ...

band from Cleveland, Ohio), has a song titled "Samson Gets a Haircut" on their 2008 release, ''So Say We All''. Samson's interactions with Delilah are referenced in the

Moses Hogan Moses George Hogan (March 13, 1957 – February 11, 2003) was an American composer and arranger of choral music. He was best known for his settings of spirituals. Hogan was a pianist, conductor, and arranger of international renown. His works ...

piece "Witness," at which point Hogan describes Delilah's cutting of Samson's hair and Samson's reaction towards the Philistines

Freddie Mercury Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991) was a British singer and songwriter who achieved global fame as the lead vocalist and pianist of the rock band Queen (band), Queen. Regarded as one of the gre ...

, the former lead singer and pianist of

Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...

, wrote a song called "My Fairy King" (from their debut album) that has the lyric "dragons fly like sparrows through the air/and baby lambs where Samson dares". The song "Rastaman Live Up" on

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...

's posthumously released album ''

Confrontation Confrontation is an element of conflict wherein parties confront one another, directly engaging one another in the course of a dispute between them. A confrontation can be at any scale, between any number of people, between entire nations or cu ...

'', contains the lyrics "Samson slew the Philistines, with a donkey jawbone". The

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...

played the song "Samson & Delilah" from the mid-1970s and throughout their career. The song is a traditional song, cataloged by

Alan Lomax Alan Lomax (; January 31, 1915 – July 19, 2002) was an American ethnomusicologist, best known for his numerous field recordings of folk music during the 20th century. He was a musician, folklorist, archivist, writer, scholar, political activ ...

in his encyclopedic "Folk Songs of North America" which

Bob Weir Robert Hall Weir ( ; né Parber, born October 16, 1947) is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the group disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with the Other Ones, later known as the Dead ...

learned from

Reverend Gary Davis Gary D. Davis (April 30, 1896 – May 5, 1972), known as Reverend Gary Davis and Blind Gary Davis, was a blues and gospel singer who was also proficient on the banjo, guitar and harmonica. Born in Laurens, South Carolina and blind since infanc ...

. Dave Van Ronk also sings the song on his "Folksinger" album. The lyrics cover some parts of Samson's history, notably his fight with the lion.

Shirley Manson Shirley Ann Manson FRSA (born 26 August 1966) is a Scottish singer, songwriter, and musician who is the lead singer of the rock band Garbage. Known for her distinctive deep voice, forthright style, and rebellious attitude, her accolades include ...

Garbage Garbage, trash (American English), rubbish (British English), or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or ...

fame recently recorded a cover of "Samson & Delilah" for the TV show " Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" Season Two premiere episode which is also called "Samson & Delilah". Indie-rock artist Boy in a Jar has a song called "Six Thieves" that heavily references the story of Samson. The album ''

Birds of Prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as (although not the same as) raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively predation, hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and smaller birds). In addition to speed ...

'' by

Godley and Creme Godley & Creme were an English rock duo formally established in Manchester in 1977 by Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. The pair began releasing music as a duo after their departure from the rock band 10cc. In 1979, they directed their first music vid ...

features a song "Samson" with references to Delilah. The song " My Defenses Are Down" from the musical ''

Annie Get Your Gun Annie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Annie (Malayalam actress) (born 1975), Indian actress who works in Malayalam-language films * ...

'' contains the line, "Like Samson, without his hair". The

Pixies Pixies may refer to: * Plural of Pixie * Pixies (band) The Pixies are an American alternative rock band from Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1986 by Black Francis (vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), Kim ...

' song "Gouge Away" is based on Samson's story.

Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian songwriter, singer, poet, and novelist. Themes commonly explored throughout his work include faith and mortality, isolation and depression, betrayal and redemption, soc ...

wrote the song "Hallelujah" which makes references to Samson and Delilah. A later album,

Popular Problems ''Popular Problems'' is the thirteenth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released on September 19, 2014 in Friday-release countries (such as France and Ireland) and on September 22, 2014 elsewhere. Overview Most of the ...

contains the song 'Samson in New Orleans', which contains the lines "Stand me by those pillars/Let me take this temple down".

The Cranberries The Cranberries were an Irish rock music, rock band formed in Limerick in 1989. The band was composed of lead singer and guitarist Dolores O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan (Noel's brother), and drummer Fergal Lawler. O'Riord ...

have a song called "Delilah" written from the perspective of a woman fighting off a conniving temptress. Mandy Moore and Jonathon Foreman (from Switchfoot) have a song called "Someday We'll Know" for the movie ''

A Walk To Remember ''A Walk to Remember'' is a 2002 American coming-of-age romantic drama film directed by Adam Shankman and written by Karen Janszen, based on Nicholas Sparks' 1999 novel of the same name. It stars Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote and Da ...

'' with references to Samson and Delilah in the chorus.

Bishop Allen Bishop Allen is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, United States. The band's core members are Justin Rice and Christian Rudder, who are supported both on stage and in the studio by a rotating cast of musical collaborators. The ...

released a song called "Empire City" that references Samson with the lines: "Samson suffered the same fame fate, powerless and losing his hair." New Radicals made a song called "Someday We'll Know" which referenced Samson and Delilah.

Eric "Monty" Morris Eric "Monty" Morris (born c.1942)Campbell, Howard (2016)Eric 'Monty' Morris to perform at Grace Jerk Festival, ''Jamaica Observer'', 12 November 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016 is a Jamaican ska singer, known for his work with the Skatalites an ...

, vocalist of

The Skatalites The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including "Guns of Navarone (song), Guns of Navarone." They also played on records by Prince Bus ...

, made a song called "Strongman Samson" with clear references to the biblical story. Samson is hereby portrayed as "the strongest of men" hero, although all his strength is taken from a woman. Saying that "it's so clear to understand", Morris suggests that women always had such a power over men.

Regina Spektor Regina Ilyinichna Spektor (, ; born February 18, 1980) is a Russian Americans, Russian-born American singer, songwriter, and pianist. After self-releasing her first three records and gaining popularity in New York City's Indie music scene, in ...

has a song called "Samson". The song is told from the point of view of his first wife, telling an alternate version of Samson's story in which she cuts his hair and he never kills any Philistine, therefore ending up not being mentioned by the Bible. Indie-rock band

mewithoutYou MewithoutYou, usually stylized as mewithoutYou, was an American rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The band consisted of Aaron Weiss (vocals), Michael Weiss and Brandon Beaver (guitars), Greg Jehanian (bass guitar), and Rickie Mazzott ...

references the story of Samson twice in the song "In a Market Dimly Lit" from the album ''Brother, Sister''. In the first chorus, the lyrics read, "I'm a donkey's jaw," referencing the weapon used by Samson to slay a thousand Philistines. In the second chorus, singer Aaron Weiss proclaims, "If I was Samson, I'd have found that harlot's blade and cut my own hair short." Samson is a recurring subject in songs by Christian parody band

ApologetiX ApologetiX is an American Christian parody band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band was founded in 1990, and since then, has played in almost all 50 states, and as of 2024 has released 75 studio albums, and built up a fan club that includ ...

, being the subject of "Enter Samson" (a parody of "

Enter Sandman "Enter Sandman" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It is the opening track and lead single from their self-titled fifth album, released in 1991. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Vocalist ...

" by

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

), "Play Fair Delilah" (a parody of "

Hey There Delilah "Hey There Delilah" is a song by American pop rock band Plain White T's, for whom it remains their signature song. It was released on May 9, 2006, as an EP from their third studio album, '' All That We Needed'' (2005). The song was later release ...

" by

Plain White T's The Plain White T's are an American pop rock band from Lombard, Illinois, formed in 1997 by high school friends Tom Higgenson, Dave Tirio, and Ken Fletcher, and joined a short time later by Steve Mast. The group had a mostly underground followin ...

), I Know a Riddle" (a parody of "I Know a Little" by

Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (, ) is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1964. The group originally formed as My Backyard and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom ...

), "Someone Shaved My Locks Tonight" (a parody of "

Someone Saved My Life Tonight "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" is a song with music by British musician Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, from John's 1975 album ''Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.'' It was released as a single on 20 June 1975, the only singl ...

" by

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...

), "Clip It" Whip It" by Devo">Whip_It_(Devo_song).html" ;"title="ne of two parodies (the other being "Wicked") of "Whip It (Devo song)">Whip It" by Devo">Whip It (Devo song)">Whip It" by Devo">Whip_It_(Devo_song).html" ;"title="ne of two parodies (the other being "Wicked") of "Whip It (Devo song)">Whip It" by Devo and "You Just Might Need Kung Fu" (a parody of "You Make My Dreams" by Daryl Hall and John Oates). Big Daddy Kane references Samson in his song "Ain't No Half Steeppin'." Deathwish Of Samson is a new metalcore band hailing from the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada. The song "En Hakkore" by Christian thrash metal band

Tourniquet (band) Tourniquet was an American Christian metal band that formed in Los Angeles in 1990. It was founded by Ted Kirkpatrick, Guy Ritter, and Gary Lenaire. Tourniquet primarily played a mixture of thrash and progressive metal and was influenced b ...

is about the story of Sampson, En Hakkore being the name of the spring that burst forth in answer to his final prayer.

Neil Sedaka Neil Sedaka (; born March 13, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Since his music career began in 1957, he has sold millions of records worldwide and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collabo ...

recorded the song "Run, Samson, Run" which is based upon the Biblical account. He refers to Delilah as "a cheatin' gal who brought him tragedy" and advises Samson to run from her. At the end of the song, he advises all guys that "there's a little of Delilah in each and every gal." Alternative singer

PJ Harvey Polly Jean Harvey (born 9 October 1969) is an English singer-songwriter. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments. Harvey began her career in 1988 when she joined local band Automat ...

mentions the story of Samson and Delilah in her song "Hair." The Arctic Monkeys music video Black Treacle is a take on the story of Samson and the lion. Christian comedian Tim Hawkins wrote a parody of the Plain White-T's song "

Hey There, Delilah "Hey There Delilah" is a song by American pop rock band Plain White T's, for whom it remains their signature song. It was released on May 9, 2006, as an EP from their third studio album, ''All That We Needed'' (2005). The song was later released ...

" based on the story of Samson and Delilah. Bruce Springsteen wrote a song called "

Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...

" which makes reference to Samson and Delilah. R&B singer-songwriter

Frank Ocean Frank Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987) is an American singer and songwriter. He has been credited by several music journalism, music critics as a pioneer of the alternative R&B genre. Ocean has won two Grammy Awards and a B ...

refers to Samson in his song "

Pyramids A pyramid () is a Nonbuilding structure, structure whose visible surfaces are triangular in broad outline and converge toward the top, making the appearance roughly a Pyramid (geometry), pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid ca ...

," with the line "I found you laying down with Samson and his full head of hair." Florence Welch refers to the biblical story of Samson and Delilah in the Florence + The Machine's song "Delilah", with lines like "As I pull the pillars down" or "why can't you let me know?" referring to Delilah asking Samson for the secret of his strength. In the music video of the song, an empowered Welch is seen cutting the hair off to an unknown lover.

Commerce

Lyle's Golden Syrup Lyle's was a Michelin-starred British restaurant in Shoreditch, London. It opened in April 2014 under chef James Lowe and closed in 2025. See also * List of British restaurants * List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Greater London As of the ...

has a picture of bees in the lion which Samson had killed, with

''Out of the strong came forth sweetness''.

Architecture

The famous Harland & Wolff cranes in Belfast are known as

Samson and Goliath (cranes) Samson and Goliath are the twin shipbuilding gantry cranes at Queen's Island, Belfast, Northern Ireland. The cranes, which were named after the Biblical figures Samson and Goliath, dominate the Belfast skyline and are landmark structures. His ...

respectively.

Samson parades

Annual parades of Samson figure in 10 different villages in the

Lungau Bezirk Tamsweg is an administrative district (''Bezirk'') in the federal state of Salzburg, Austria. It is congruent with the Lungau region (). The administrative centre of the district is Tamsweg. Geography The area of the Lungau plateau is 1 ...

Salzburg (state) Salzburg (, ; , also known as ''Salzburgerland''; ) is an Austria, Austrian Federal states of Austria, federal state. In German it is called a , a German-to-English dictionary translates that to ''federal state'' and the European Commission calls ...

and two villages in the north-west

Steiermark Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian state in the southeast of the country. With an area of approximately , Styria is Austria's second largest state, after Lower Austria. It is bordered to the south by Slovenia, and clockwise, from the southwest, ...

(Austria). For more information see Wikipedia in German :de:Samsonfigur or French :fr:Samson (géant processionnel). Samson is also one of the giant figures at the "Ducasse" festivities, which takes place at

Ath Ath (; , ; ; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. The municipality consists of the following districts: Arbre, Ath, Bouvignies, Ghislenghien, Gibecq, Houtaing, Irchonwelz, Isières ...

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

Television

In a 1967 ''

Lost in Space ''Lost in Space'' is an American science fiction television series created and produced by Irwin Allen, which originally aired between 1965 and 1968 on CBS. Lightly dramatic, sometimes comedic in tone, the series was inspired by the 1812 J ...

'' episode, " Collision of Planets," Dr. Smith gains Samson-like strength dependent on his new head of green hair. The story of Samson is parodied in the animated television series ''

Pinky and the Brain ''Pinky and the Brain'' is an American animated sitcom created by Tom Ruegger for the Kids' WB programming block of The WB, as a collaboration of Steven Spielberg with his production company Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television Ani ...

'', in the episode "A Little Off the Top." In this story, the Brain attempts to learn the source of Samson's strength, so that he may acquire it and use it to take over the world. The version of Samson that appears here is based on

's performance in the film '' Samson and Delilah.'' Inexplicably, the Delilah character speaks only

Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...

. One of the main characters of the animated series ''

The Venture Bros. ''The Venture Bros.'' is an American adult animated action comedy television series created by Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer for Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim. Following a pilot episode on February 16, 2003, the s ...

'' is named Brock Samson. Like the Biblical hero, he has long flowing hair and incredible strength, as well a short, violent temper. He also is capable of unarmed combat with wild animals (gavials and polar bears, among others), like the Biblical Samson who fought a lion. He also engages in romantic relationships with morally ambiguous women. However, his strength seems to have no relation to his hair; indeed, he cuts it off himself at one point to lay a trap for hitman pursuing him, with no ill effects. Season 4, episode 10 "Pomp and Circuitry", a direct reference to the biblical story of Samson is made. However, the person referred to as "...that Jewish guy who lost all his powers when they cut his hair off" is not the presumed biblical Samson (or jokingly Brock Samson), but rather

Lenny Kravitz Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. His debut album ''Let Love Rule (Lenny Kravitz album), Let Love Rule'' (1989) was characterized by a blend of Rock music, rock ...

. In the proposed '' Gargoyles'' spin-off series, '' Gargoyles 2198'', the lead character was named Samson. Like his ancestor,

Goliath Goliath ( ) was a Philistines, Philistine giant in the Book of Samuel. Descriptions of Goliath's giant, immense stature vary among biblical sources, with texts describing him as either or tall. According to the text, Goliath issued a challen ...

, he was strong and chosen for a leadership role at a young age. He leads a small group of gargoyles and humans in a resistance against an alien threat that has invaded the Earth. Little else is known of his character or similarities to his Biblical counterpart, as the series never came to fruition. In the

Donkey Kong Country ''Donkey Kong Country'', known in Japan as is a 1994 platform game developed by Rare (company), Rare and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It is a Reboot (fiction), reboot of Nintendo's ''Donkey Kong'' ...

animated television series, the first episode of the first season, titled "Bad Hair Day", contains explicit references to the Samson story. In the show, Donkey Kong is the protector of the Crystal Coconut, a powerful magical artifact, and the antagonist of King K. Rool curses Donkey Kong to remove his strength to allow him to gather the power he so craves. The curse is set through a verbal incantation and the cutting of the target's hair, the latter of which connects to Samson, and Donkey Kong's strength is only restored when his hair grows back through the usage of Diddy Kong's "Banana bulls-eye".

Other

Within the Marvel franchise, there is a character known as '

' (born Leonard "Leo" Samson), who was exposed to gamma radiation and gained incredible strength. As with most comic book heroes there are multiple versions of this, however, a common trait seems to be that after the radiation exposure, Samson's hair grows at least a foot and takes on a green colouring. Samson is a playable character in the video game series The Binding of Isaac, first being introduced in the ''Wrath of the Lamb'' expansion of the original game. He becomes more powerful the more damage he takes thanks to his ''Bloody Lust'' item. The same game also features an item named ''Samson's Lock'', referring to a lock of cut hair, which acts in a similar way to its namesake character. As of the release of the ''Repentance'' DLC for the game, a "tainted" variation of each character was released. Each of these characters has their own unique mechanic, with the mechanic of ''Tainted Samson'' being his use of the item ''Berserk!'', which when activated will grow the character's hair, switch the method of attack to the use of a donkey's jawbone, give temporary immortality, and has the description "Slay a thousand". Samson appears as a Berserker-class Servant in the 2023 video game '' Fate/Samurai Remnant''.

References

{{Samson Biblical topics in popular culture Cultural References To Samson