THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
guests until his bride coaxed its solution from him, whereupon he boldly slew thirty of the inhabitants of Ashkelon to obtain the garments to pay his forfeit (Judges xiw). The marriage was abruptly broken off, but Samson still regarded his bride as his lawful wife (Judges xv. 1) and avenged the giving of her to another man by burning the fields of the Philistines. The latter thereupon destroyed both father-in-law and wife, while Samson, in his turn, slaughtered large numbers of them. Delivered into the hands of the Philistines by the men of Judah, he nevertheless slew a thousand more Philistines with the jawbone of an ass (Judges xv.). Somewhat later, when captured while enmeshed in an amour in Gaza, Samson carried off the city gates by night (Judges xvi. 1—1). He was finally destroyed, however, by his intrigue with a Philistine woman named Delilah, who prevailed upon him to reveal the true secret of his strength and then betrayed him to her compatriots, who seized and blinded him, compelling him to work as a slave in the prison at Gaza (Judges xvi. 4-21). But the hair which Delilah had shorn grew again, and with it his strength returned, whereupon, with one last mighty revenge, he destroyed both the Philistines and himself by pulling down the temple of the god Dagon (Judges xvi. 22 sqq.).
The attempt has been made to connect this story with Semitic and Indo-Germanic myths, the hero's name, as a derivative of shemesh, " sun," being etymologized as " little sun " or as " sunlike " (although others derive it from shamem, "to be laid waste," while according to Josephus, Ant., V., viii. 4, it signifies " strong "), Samson being compared with the Greek Herakles, a view early current in the Church (Eusebius, Chron., ed. A. Schone, pp. 54- 55, Berlin, 1875-76; Philaster, Hcer., viii.; Georgius Syncellus, ed. G. Dindorf, i. 309, Bonn, 1829), which derived the Greek from the Hebrew story. In accordance with this supposed resemblance, the attempt has repeatedly been made to explain the account of Samson as a sun myth, the hair wherein Samson's strength lies being interpreted as the rays of the sun, the lion of Judges xiv. 5 sqq., being the zodiacal sign of Leo, Delilah representing Omphale, and the gates of Gaza being the Pillars of Hercules, etc. A common source of the traditions concerning Samson and Heracles, or a Semitic bond of union, has been sought in the Babylonian Gilgamesh epic; but since the points of difference from the account of Samson are far stronger than the points of similarity, which are often strained, and since many details in the Hebrew story can scarcely be explained as parts of a nature myth, other scholars regard Samson as a historical personality, despite certain legendary accretions. Still others exclude the nature myth entirely, although attributing more or less scope to local tradition. The life of Samson shows strong influence of local coloring and was restricted to a limited territory (cf. Judges xiv. 1, 5, 19, xv. 17 sqq., xvi. 1, 3-4); his entire figure is genuinely Hebraic ; and he was a trueXazirite, whose wonderful power, vanishing with his recreancy to his vows, is by this fact shown to have been divine in origin (cf. Gen. vi. 4) even though turned to unworthy purposes. (C. von Orelli.)
Bibliography: The most valuable treatment is given in the commentaries named under Judges, particularly those of Moore, Budde, and Nowack. For other discussions consult: G. G. Roskoff, Die Simsonsage und der Heraklesmythus, Lcipsic, 1860; Stein thai, in I. Goldziher, Hebrew Mythology, pp. 392-446, London, 1877; E. Wietzke, Der biblische Simson und der agyptische Horos- Ra, Wittenberg, 1888; F. Baethgen, Beitrage zur semitischen Religionsgeschichte, pp. 161 sqq., Berlin, 1889; Van Doorninck, in ThT, 1894, pp. 14-32, 1896, pp. 162-167; F. Vigouroux, La Bible et les decouvertes modernes, iii. 172- 220, Paris, 1896; idem, Dictionnaire, fasc. xxxv. 1434- 1435; J. S. Reuzer, Die Hauptpersonen des Richterbuches in Talmud und Midrasch, I., Simson, Berlin, 1902; A. Jeremias, Das Alte Testament itn Lichte des alten Orients, pp. 287-288, Leipsic, 1904; D. Volter, Aegypten und die Bibel, pp. 107 sqq., Leyden, 1904; P. Cams, The Story of Samson and its Place in the Religious Development of Mankind, Chicago, 1907; H. Stahn, Die Simsonsage, Gottingen, 1908; DB, iv. 377-381; EB, iv. 4268-70; JE, id. 1-2.
SAMSON, BERNHARfclN. See Sanson.
SAMSON, GEORGE WHITEFIELD: Baptist; b. at Harvard, Mass., Sept. 29, 1819; d. at New York Aug. 8, 1896. He was graduated from Brown University, 1839, and Newton Theological Institution, Newton Centre, Mass., 1843; was pastor of the E Street Church, Washington, D. C, 1843-50; at Jamaica Plain, Boston, Mass., 1850-52; E Street, Washington, D. C, 1853-59; president of Columbian College, Washington, D. C, 1859-71; of Rutgers Female Seminary, New York, 1871-75; pastor of First Church, Harlem, New York, 1873-81; from 1883 he was secretary in charge of Liberia College; after 1884 conducted private collegiate and theological instruction; and after 1886 was acting president of Rutgers Female College, New York. After his death Rev. Dr. Leighton Williams continued his class in theology in expanded form as the Amity Theological School, New York City. He was the author of To daimonidn, or the Spiritual Medium (Boston, 1852; 2d ed., under title Spiritualism Tested, 1860); Elements of Art Criticism (Philadelphia, 1867); Physical Media in Spiritual Manifestations, illustrated from Ancient and Modern Testimony (1869); The Atonement (1878); Divine Law as to Wines (New York, 1880); Guide to Self Education (1886); and Idols to Fashion and Culture (1888).