Bible Story Lessons

Samson was a special person who God chose to be leader over Israel.   He realised that God had given him a special gift of being very strong.  He was able to kill a lion with his bare hands and fight against a thousand Philistines.  What would you do if you met a lion walking down your street? (Let the children respond).

Well, the Philistines certainly didn't like Samson and tried to find out the secret behind his strength.  Samson liked girls, especially one named Delilah.  Do you think she was beautiful and Samson fell head over heals in love with her? (Let the children respond).

The rulers of Philistine noticed that Samson was in love, and when they heard that Samson was in town, they went to Delilah and said:

"Get Samson to show you the secret of his great strength
and then we'll tie him up and give you lots of money!"

And so Delilah brought Samson into her room, and made him a tasty supper.  When he was relaxed, she asked him to tell her the secret of his great strength.

Samson decided to tease her so he told her to tie him up with seven leather strings, and then he would become as weak as any other man.  Would string be strong enough to tie up one of you children? (Let the children respond).

Well, Delilah waited until Samson fell asleep on her bed, and then tied him up with seven leather strings.  She probably used two for his hands, two for his arms and three for his legs and feet.

While he was asleep, she let some Philistine men come into her room and hide behind some curtains.  She then shouted, "Samson, the Philistines are here!"  Samson woke up and snapped those strings like they were cotton and the secret of his strength was safe!

Samson laughed at Delilah while she stamped her foot in anger and shouted, "You have made a fool of me and you lied to me!"  But, Samson just laughed again at her.

Later Delilah tried again and Samson said, "If anyone ties me with new ropes, I'll become as weak as any other man."  I'm sure rope would be strong enough to tie up any of you children! (Let the children respond).

Anyway, while he was asleep, Delilah tied him up with new rope and then called, "Samson, the Philistines are here!"  Samson bounded off the bed and snapped those ropes off his arms as if they were cotton threads!

Delilah was getting desperate as she really wanted all that money!   Next Samson told her to weave his hair into some cloth.  He was getting sleepy again and while he was asleep, she took his long hair and weaved it into some strong threads.

Do you think she was quite proud of the hair-cloth she had made? (Let the children respond)

She then shouted, "Samson, the Philistines are here!"  Samson woke up with a yawn and broke her weaving loom into pieces!  Delilah was really mad and screamed, "How can you say, you love me, when you won't trust me and won't tell me the secret of your great strength!"

Delilah nagged Samson day after day until he finally he told her that if his hair was cut off, he would become as weak as any other man.   Delilah excitedly told this to the Philistines rulers and they gave her all the money they had promised her.  They then hid in her room, waiting to catch Samson.

Delilah put Samson to sleep on her lap.  I think he was a very sleepy man, as he always seems to be sleeping! (Let the children respond).  This time while he slept like a baby, a man shaved off all his hair!  Again Delilah called, "Samson, the Philistines are here!" Samson woke up from his sleep, but didn't know that his gift from God had left him.  And so the Philistines caught him, and easily overpowered him and tied him up and led him away.  He could do nothing to fight them because he had lost his strength!

They put out Samson's eyes and threw him into prison.  Samson had to grind maize everyday in prison, but soon his hair started to grow again.  God still had plans for him and when the Philistines decided to have a big party, they called for Samson to entertain them.

Samson was led between two large pillars that held up their temple and stood with a hand on each pillar.  He then prayed, "O Lord God, please strengthen me just once more".  God heard his prayer and Samson pushed against the two pillars with all his might.

His muscles strained mightily and there was a sudden load crack.   The Philistines and their guests looked up, but it was too late!   With a roar, the temple came crashing down and over three thousand Philstines died!  And that was how God freed the people of Israel from the Philistines.

Sadly, Samson died because he ended up breaking all his promises to God and not obeying God's rules.  God still used Samson to defeat the Philistines, but he could have done so much more good if he had obeyed God.

Children need to be obedient to their parents too, and say "No" to doing wrong things.  God wants you to think first when you want to do something that you know is wrong, and then choose to do what is good and right!

Let's ask God to help you make the right choices.  And if you have done wrong things, you can ask Jesus to forgive you, and He will make you clean inside again.

God bless!