DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links and a discussion forum 2014 May 26
Image 1: Samson Carries the Gate of City (1909)
Arthur Dixon (Arthur A. Dixon)? -- (1872-1959)
Elements of Impressionism and Romanticism Styles of Illustrator's Art
From the Book: Sheaves of Gold - Stories from the Old Testament (PDF Version)
Image Source: Christ Images
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Image 2: Samson and Delilah (1609-1610)
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)
Flemish Baroque Style
National Gallery (London), London, England, United Kingdom
Image Source: Wikipedia
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Image 3: Samson Blinded (1912)
Lovis Corinth (1858-1925)
Impressionism and Expressionism Blended Style
Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Germany
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
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Image 4: Samson in the Treadmill (1863)
Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834-1890)
Neoclassical Style, Eckersberg Tradition
Statens Museum for Kunst (National Museum for Art), Copenhagen, Denmark
Image Source: Bible Library
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Image 5: The Death of Samson (c. 1650)
Unknown Artist, Probably Genoese School (17th Century)
Baroque Style; Genoese School
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California, USA
Image Source: Wikimedia
Explanation: Judges 16 records the fall of Samson through the devices of the harlot Delilah. Before Samson met Delilah, he met a harlot in the Philistine coastal town of Gaza. While he was with her the Philistines surrounded him and waited for him all night in the gate of the city. But Samson arose at midnight, picked up the doors of the city gate, and carried them to the top of the hill that is before Hebron (1-3). Afterward he went to Sorek where he met Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines offered her a substantial bribe to persuade Samson to tell her the source of his great strength. So she began the process of persuading Samson to confide in her (4-6). Samson told her that his strength would disappear if he was bound with seven "green" (new, or moist) "withs" (strings, bowstrings [as in Psalm 11:2], vine tendrils, or catgut). This was the first of four answers which Samson gave to Delilah, the last being the truth. So the lords of the Philistines brought the bowstrings to her, and she tied him with them. Men were lying in wait in a nearby room; and when Delilah said "The Philistines are upon you, Samson," he broke the cords as if fire had consumed them (7-9). Delilah accused him of not loving her and asked him again how he could be bound. He said that he could be bound with new ropes. When she tried, Samson broke the ropes like thread (10-12). Again she asked; and (moving closer to the truth) he told her that he could be bound if his seven locks of hair were woven with the web (of a loom). So Delilah wove his locks together and fastened the loom with a pin. But when she called Samson awake, saying that the Philistines were upon him, he went away with the pin and the beam of the loom (13-14). Delilah chided him for not loving her; and she pressed him daily for the truth. Finally, he told her all his heart, saying that he had been a Nazarite from birth and his hair had never been cut; but if it was cut (thereby breaking his vow) his strength would depart (15-17). Delilah, seeing that he had opened his heart fully to her, then called for the lords of the Philistines. She made him sleep upon her knees and had a man shave off his seven locks. When she called him awake, he tried to fight as before but could not because the LORD had departed from him. So the Philistines took him, blinded him, imprisoned him in Gaza, and made him grind grain in the prison house. But his hair began to grow again (18-22). Then the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon for delivering Samson to them. And they brought Samson into the building where they met and set him between two pillars where they mocked him (23-27). But Samson asked the LORD to strengthen him one last time; and he toppled the pillars of the house killing himself and about three thousand men and women. The members of his household came and buried him. And he judged Israel for twenty years (28-31).
Judges 16
1 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.
2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
4 And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
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.
6 And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
9 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.
11 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
14 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.
15 And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.
16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;
17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.
19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
21 But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.
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