Judges 13:24

“And the woman bare a son, and called name Samson, etc.] After these appearances were over, Manoah and his wife returned to their habitation, and she soon became pregnant, and at the usual course of time brought forth a son, and she gave him the name of Samson; for what reason it is not easy to determine. Josephus says f274 the word signifies “strong”; perhaps he was born a strong robust child, which is not unlikely, or the woman might have some prophetic hint of his future strength, and so gave him this name; but the word has not the signification of strength in it; it rather signifies the sun, which is indeed a strong body, and is compared to a strong man running his race, and so a strong…”

“SAMSON BORN. (Jdg 13:24-25) the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson--The birth of this child of promise, and the report of the important national services he was to render, must, from the first, have made him an object of peculiar interest and careful instruction.”

“Samson - The etymology is doubtful. Perhaps it comes from a word signifying “to minister,” in allusion to his Nazaritic consecration to the service of God. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Blessed him - That is, endowed him with all those graces and gifts of mind and body which were necessary for the work he was designed for. Judges 13:25”

“am 2849, bc 1155, An, Ex, Is, 336 Samson: Heb 11:32 the child: Sa1 3:19; Luk 1:80, Luk 2:52 Judges 13:25”

“The promise of God was fulfilled. the boy whom the woman bare received the name of Samson. שׁמשׁון (lxx, Σαμψών) does not mean sun-like, hero of the sun, from שׁמשׁ (the sun), but, as Josephus explains it (Ant. v. 8, 4), ἰσχυρός, the strong or daring one, from שׁמשׁום, from the intensive from שׁמשׁם, from שׁמם, in its original sense to be strong or daring, not "to devastate." שׁדד is an analogous word: lit. to be powerful, then to act powerfully, to devastate. The boy grew under the blessing of God (see Sa1 2:21). Judges 13:25”