Samson, a figure of immense strength and physical prowess, stands out in the biblical Book of Judges as one of Israel’s final leaders before the monarchy. His extraordinary power was linked to his hair, yet the ancient text never provides a specific measurement for its physical length. The narrative focuses instead on the spiritual significance of his uncut hair, which served as the outward sign of a lifelong commitment. Understanding his strength requires looking beyond the physical length to the religious requirements that governed his life.
The Nazarite Vow
The reason Samson’s hair was never cut relates to the sacred religious pledge known as the Nazarite Vow, outlined in the Book of Numbers. The Hebrew term Nazir signifies “one separated” or “consecrated” to God. Samson’s case was unique because his mother was instructed by an angel to dedicate him to this vow for the duration of his life, making his dedication a permanent condition.
The Nazarite Vow was characterized by three specific prohibitions symbolizing complete separation to God. The person was required to abstain from all products of the grapevine, including wine and grapes. They were also forbidden from coming into contact with any dead body to maintain ritual purity. The third and most visible requirement was the mandate that no razor should ever touch the head, allowing the hair to grow long as a sign of their consecrated status.
Samson’s supernatural strength did not reside magically in the hair itself, but rather in his obedience to the requirements of the vow. The hair functioned as a physical covenant marker, representing his dedication to God and the divine power that flowed through that relationship. Permitting his hair to be cut violated the vow, severing the spiritual connection that was the actual source of his might.
The Description of the Seven Locks
While the Bible does not specify the length of Samson’s hair, it offers a unique detail about its structure when Delilah persuaded him to reveal his secret. Samson confessed that if his hair were shaved, his strength would leave him, mentioning the “seven locks of his head” in the Book of Judges. This term, translated from the Hebrew word makhlaphoth, most likely refers to tightly woven braids, plaits, or dreadlocks, rather than merely seven strands of hair.
Since he was a lifelong Nazarite, his hair had likely grown for decades, potentially reaching a considerable length. Managing such long, uncut hair would necessitate braiding or twisting it into manageable sections for practical purposes. The mention of seven braids is significant due to the symbolic nature of the number seven in the Hebrew tradition, where it represents completeness or perfection.
Delilah took advantage of this confession, waiting until Samson was asleep to call for a man to shave off the locks. The act of weaving his hair into the loom before cutting it demonstrates the hair’s unwieldy nature when long. The removal of the seven locks marked the breach of his sacred vow, destroying the symbol of his consecration and his relationship with the divine source of his power.
The Loss of Strength
As the seven braids were shorn from his head, his extraordinary strength departed, not because the hair was the source, but because the Nazarite Vow had been broken. When Samson woke, he initially believed he could shake himself free, but quickly realized his power had left him. This spiritual breach left him vulnerable to his enemies, the Philistines, who captured him immediately.
The Philistines inflicted severe punishment, gouging out his eyes and binding him with bronze shackles. He was taken to Gaza and forced into humiliating labor, grinding grain in the prison mill. However, the biblical account includes a significant detail while he was imprisoned: the text notes that the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.
This regrowth signaled the renewal of the Nazarite sign and the possibility of restored dedication to God. While his strength did not instantly return, the physical sign foreshadowed a spiritual opportunity. When the Philistines brought him out for a final humiliation, Samson prayed for strength one last time. With the physical sign of his vow reestablished, his power was temporarily restored for his final, devastating act.