In this episode of our bible stories series, we focus on Samson and Delilah from the Book of Judges 14-16. Gaza was one of the five principal cities of the Philistines. Back then, it was known as "Hazat." Situated on the great caravan route between Mesopotamia and Egypt, at the junction of the trade route from Arabia, the city was an ideal rest stop and commercial center for merchants and travelers. In his last heroic act, Samson was humiliated in this city but destroyed many Philistines. But did you know that this is not the last time an Israelite destroyed the temples of their enemies?

00:00 Introduction of Samson's story
01:10 The Present-Day Location of the Former Philistine Temple
01:56 Timeline of the Restoration and Fall of the Religious Site
02:09 Who Was Samson?
02:26 Samson's Naririte Vow
02:54 Who Were "The Judges"?
03:39 Overview of Samson's Wives and Escort
04:21 The Philistine Wife in Timnah
05:23 Samson's First Wife Betrays Him
07:11 Samson's Revenge on the Philistines
08:43 How Samson Ended Up in Gaza
11:34 Samson Destroys the Philistine Temple in Gaza
13:12 Samson's Legacy


Gazan tradition states that the Great Omari Mosque stands on the site of the Philistine Temple, honoring Dagon, an ancient pagan god of fertility and water. Gazan local legend claims that Samson is buried under the present mosque. However, the Bible states that Samson's family brought his remains from Gaza to be buried between Zorah and Eshtoal in his father's tomb, Manoah. Believed to stand on the site of an ancient Philistine temple, the site was first used as a church by the Byzantines in the 5th century. Since then, it's been rebuilt and destroyed at least six times within the last 1,000 years.

In this video, we're sharing the story of Samson, a judge and hero of the Israelites, who lived during the Philistine oppression. He is found on the Bible Timeline between 1154 BC and 1124 BC. He was born with a special vow to God called the Nazirite vow, which meant that he could not cut his hair, drink wine, or touch anything dead. The judges in the Bible were leaders God appointed to deliver the Israelites from their enemies and to guide them back to God's ways. They were not judges in the modern sense of the word but military leaders, prophets, and arbitrators.

Samson had more than one wife in his life. His first wife was a Philistine woman from Timnah, whom he married against his parents' wishes. However, she betrays him by revealing the answer to his riddle to her people and is later killed by them. Samson fell in love with Delilah, another Philistine woman, who became his second wife. She also betrayed him by cutting his hair, the symbol of his Nazirite vow or the source of his strength, and delivered him to his enemies. Samson also had a brief relationship with a prostitute from Gaza, but she was not his wife.

His life clearly warns against the dangers of self-indulgence and lack of discipline. Despite his heroic physical deeds—killing a young lion, killing a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, and carrying away the massive gate of Gaza—he nevertheless violated all three aspects of the Nazarite vow: he touched a dead body, attended a drinking feast, and had his hair cut.

Samson also violated God's Word by marrying a Philistine, then visiting a prostitute in Gaza, and finally living with Delilah. His last act, killing thousands of the enemy Philistines, won him a place among the heroes of faith. Still, he is on the list of the faithful, which shows God's love and mercy towards imperfect believers who fall into sin.

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