Samson - šimšōn (English spelling) Hebrew

A heroic figure who appears in the Book of Judges in the Old Testament, he was from the northern tribe of Dan. Rather than being a real historical figure, he is more of a legendary figure who is well known to the public. It is said that he dedicated his life to saving Israel from the Philistines. The story of Samson in the Book of Judges (chapters 13-16) is roughly divided into four parts. The first is a prediction of his birth. Samson was born as a Nazirite. Nazirite means a person who is consecrated in Hebrew, and he was forbidden from cutting his hair, drinking alcohol, and eating unclean food. The second is his wedding with Delilah, a Philistine woman, and the solving of a riddle. When Samson killed a lion, the bees that swarmed around it produced honey. He then posed a riddle to the guests. "From the eater came food, and from the strong came sweets." His wife begged him, so Samson revealed the riddle. "What is sweeter than honey? What is mightier than a lion?" However, this was not an answer, but a new riddle. The answer was love. Neither his wife nor his guests understood. The third is the story of Samson killing 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. The fourth is the story of Samson and Delilah. After revealing to Delilah that the secret of his superhuman strength was his long hair, which he never cut, Samson loses his hair and is captured by the Philistines. However, he prays to God and regains his strength, and dies while destroying a pagan temple. This story has been used as material for films and plays, but the most famous is the opera "Samson and Delilah" composed by Saint-Saëns.

[Yutaka Ichikawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

『旧約聖書』の「士師記」に登場する英雄的人物で、北方の民族ダンの出身。歴史上実在した人物というより、人口に膾炙(かいしゃ)した伝説上の人物という面が強い。その生涯は、イスラエルをペリシテ人から救うために捧(ささ)げられたといわれる。「士師記」のサムソン物語（13～16章）は大略四つの部分からなる。第一は誕生の予告。サムソンはナジルとして生まれた。ナジルとはヘブライ語で聖別された人をさし、散髪、飲酒、不浄な食物の摂取を禁じられた。第二はペリシテ人の女デリラとの婚礼と謎(なぞ)解き。サムソンが獅子(しし)を殺すと、それに群がるハチから蜜(みつ)がとれた。そこで客に謎をかける。「食らう者から食い物が出、強い者から甘い物が出た」。妻がせがむので、サムソンは謎を明かす。「蜜より甘いものに何があろう。獅子より強いものに何があろう」。しかし、これは答えではなく、新たな謎であった。答えは愛。妻にも客にもそれがわからなかった。第三は、サムソンがロバのあご骨でペリシテ人1000人を打ち殺した話。第四はサムソンとデリラの物語。怪力の秘密が、切ったことのない長髪にあることをデリラに漏らしたため、長髪を失ってサムソンはペリシテ人に捕らえられる。だが神に祈って力を回復し、異教の神殿を倒壊させつつ自らも死んでいく。この物語は映画や演劇の素材に取り上げられるが、サン・サーンス作曲のオペラ『サムソンとデリラ』が有名である。

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