Has Samson's Physical Appearance Been Portrayed Correctly?

[ForHisGlory37]

As a kid growing up, I've always seen cartoons or pictures of the story of Samson and they always portrayed him as some big and muscular guy much like Hercules or someone like that.  I just love how the Holy Spirit will open one's eyes and reveal something new every time you read His Word.  Such was the case with the story of Samson.  A few years back, while reading on Samson, I found it puzzling that his enemies in Judges 16:5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.

Now if Samson was such a huge and muscular guy, why would they be wondering where he got his strength from?  It doesn't help when all the Christian pictures in your Sunday School lessons and cartoons portray Samson as a strong man.  In my opinion, I think Samson was actually a scrawny, runty, and small guy.  Maybe he was an average Joe.  I lean towards the runty guy just because God always uses the "foolish" things of the world to confound the wise. 

[ForHisGlory37]

8 minutes ago, Yowm said:

Most likely just a guy. His strength was in the Lord, not his buff or his tuff of hair lol.

You are probably right, but it galls me when they portray Samson as a huge Herculian looking guy because it portrays God as having to use a big guy.LOL

Edited January 3, 2018 by ForHisGlory37

[HisFirst]

I think Samson had some muscle mass.

He slew a few men with a weapon (donkey jaw bone from memory)

lifted a wooden gate (heavy timber I'd say)

shifted stone block columns

....I think he was physically built but it was supernatural strength .

People back then worshipped all kinds of "gods", so I can understand them wondering where his supernatural strength derived from.

The average guy back then would have been more physically fit than now, due to their physical lifestyle.

 

[Neighbor]

1 hour ago, ForHisGlory37 said:

As a kid growing up, I've always seen cartoons or pictures of the story of Samson and they always portrayed him as some big and muscular guy much like Hercules or someone like that.  I just love how the Holy Spirit will open one's eyes and reveal something new every time you read His Word.  Such was the case with the story of Samson.  A few years back, while reading on Samson, I found it puzzling that his enemies in Judges 16:5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.

Now if Samson was such a huge and muscular guy, why would they be wondering where he got his strength from?  It doesn't help when all the Christian pictures in your Sunday School lessons and cartoons portray Samson as a strong man.  In my opinion, I think Samson was actually a scrawny, runty, and small guy.  Maybe he was an average Joe.  I lean towards the runty guy just because God always uses the "foolish" things of the world to confound the wise. 

Well then  one has to also picture a smallish and runty guy able to lift the gates of a Garza  bar and all, up off it's city wall then carry that load forty miles up to the top of a hill by Hebron.  Perhaps a distance of forty miles.

He ruled as Judge of Israel twenty years and had never in his life had his hair trimmed. That would be some long time creating one huge ball of hair needing some support, perhaps not a picture of a runt. He also was rather active with the ladies, perhaps a privilege of stature, but also of capacity. Capacity of a runt? His strengths preceded even his own conception, and so he was strong by the will  of God from before his own physical development.

But as to images, the idea of cartoons with arms stretched apart in shackles and chained to pillars far apart may be  inaccurate, based upon archiology  alone, since temples have evidently been unearthed with  what seem to be supporting stone bases and twin wood pillars a mere three feet apart that would have been the main support for the structure's roof.

To push the twin support wooden pillars apart off their base stones is a different image, but requires a strength  likely beyond that  of even a strong man, perhaps it requires the will and desire of God to make His judgement known. For no matter how strong a man is of his own flesh, sinew, and bone, he does not move pillars that are capable of supporting  a roof  with three thousand individuals standing on it. That's perhaps 450,000 pounds resting upon shared supports and walls. Might be a bit much  for a runt or even a strongman, but not God.

Or it might be  that the wooden pillars were compressed by the excessive load of humans on the roof that just the extra touch  of any man's weight against the sides of the twin support pillars would have snapped them like a breaking bow. Might be it took no strength at all, just logistics, - that and God's will to make judgement(s).

Very interesting question, kind of fun to consider. Thanks.

[The_Patriot21]

I suspect that no matter the size of his muscles, the strength was far in excess what was to be expected. Walking off with a citys gates the way he did, would be something unbelieveable even for someone of Dwayne Johnsons Physique. 

[HisFirst]

Just now, The_Patriot2017 said:

I suspect that no matter the size of his muscles, the strength was far in excess what was to be expected. Walking off with a citys gates the way he did, would be something unbelieveable even for someone of Dwayne Johnsons Physique. 

Exactly.

But personally I don't think he was skinny.

 

[ForHisGlory37]

33 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Well then  one has to also picture a smallish and runty guy able to lift the gates of a Garza  bar and all, up off it's city wall then carry that load forty miles up to the top of a hill by Hebron.  Perhaps a distance of forty miles.

He ruled as Judge of Israel twenty years and had never in his life had his hair trimmed. That would be some long time creating one huge ball of hair needing some support, perhaps not a picture of a runt. He also was rather active with the ladies, perhaps a privilege of stature, but also of capacity. Capacity of a runt? His strengths preceded even his own conception, and so he was strong by the will  of God from before his own physical development.

But as to images, the idea of cartoons with arms stretched apart in shackles and chained to pillars far apart may be  inaccurate, based upon archiology  alone, since temples have evidently been unearthed with  what seem to be supporting stone bases and twin wood pillars a mere three feet apart that would have been the main support for the structure's roof.

To push the twin support wooden pillars apart off their base stones is a different image, but requires a strength  likely beyond that  of even a strong man, perhaps it requires the will and desire of God to make His judgement known. For no matter how strong a man is of his own flesh, sinew, and bone, he does not move pillars that are capable of supporting  a roof  with three thousand individuals standing on it. That's perhaps 450,000 pounds resting upon shared supports and walls. Might be a bit much  for a runt or even a strongman, but not God.

Or it might be  that the wooden pillars were compressed by the excessive load of humans on the roof that just the extra touch  of any man's weight against the sides of the twin support pillars would have snapped them like a breaking bow. Might be it took no strength at all, just logistics, - that and God's will to make judgement(s).

Very interesting question, kind of fun to consider. Thanks.

Yes, Samson received his strength from God through his uncut hair. But don't you think it would go more with the flow of the Bible to say that he was more of the average to scrawny guy rather than the Herculian type build?  Maybe he was scrawny but good-looking?  LOL 

This is why I believe that the wicked men just couldn't figure out how Samson was so strong.  So many examples in the Bible gives us the opposite of what we think it should be.  Look at  David, the little kid killing the Giant Goliath.  (It was the Lord who gave him the strength and quickness and ability to kill Goliath.)  Look at the many examples of battles like Gideon using only 300 men to defeat the enemy (The Lord again did it)  Gideon's story is the perfect example to compare to Samson.  God said that He wanted to have the army dwindled down so that everyone would know that the victory came from the Lord and not from the strength and size of men. 

[ForHisGlory37]

If Samson was a huge and muscular guy, why would it be so remarkable that he would have such strength?

[HisFirst]

Just now, ForHisGlory37 said:

If Samson was a huge and muscular guy, why would it be so remarkable that he would have such strength?

Muscle mass does not equal amazing strength.

[ForHisGlory37]

2 minutes ago, HisFirst said:

Muscle mass does not equal amazing strength.

Yes, but neither does size..... God uses just the opposite because it points to Him, His power, His glory, His strength