Bible moment
The Bible moment
Judges 16:4–22 tells how Delilah discovered that no razor had touched Samson’s head because he had been a Nazirite to God from his mother’s womb. After a man shaved Samson’s seven locks, the LORD departed from him, and the Philistines seized him. They took him to Gaza, bound him with bronze shackles, and made him grind grain in prison. Samson’s imprisonment followed repeated impulsive choices and Delilah’s betrayal. The passage connects his consecration, his uncut hair, the LORD’s departure, and his loss of strength; it does not present hair as magic. His hair beginning to grow again is noted, but the recorded prayer comes later, at the temple scene.
Look closely
What children can notice
A solemn, non-graphic scene of Samson in the Philistine prison at Gaza, with bronze shackles and a grain mill visible. His hair is beginning to grow again, suggesting the passage’s detail without implying magical power.
Talk together
Talk about it
- What consequences did Samson face after Delilah learned his secret?
- Why should we not think of Samson’s hair as magical?
For families, church, and class
Use this page
Use this image with Judges 16:4–22 when teaching about calling, betrayal, consequences, and dependence on God. Explain the captivity briefly and non-graphically. Remind children that Samson’s prayer belongs to the later temple scene, and present the ending as solemn rather than as a model for revenge.
Source note
From this passage
Judges 16:4–22 · Samson
A solemn, non-graphic scene of Samson in the Philistine prison at Gaza, with bronze shackles and a grain mill visible. His hair is beginning to grow again, suggesting the passage’s detail without implying magical power.
