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Why did Samson Lose His Power After Cutting His Hair?

 

 

Who is Samson?

 

Samson was one of the appointed judges to the Israelites before they had their own king. Before he was born, an angel appeared to his parents, telling them that the child would be set apart as a Nazarite to the Lord, and he must never take any strong drink nor shave his head.

 

As a protector of the Israelites’ against their enemies the Philistines, Samson was given great physical strength. However, he later became obsessed by a woman called Delilah. After tricking Samson to tell her the secret of his strength, Delilah arranged for someone to shave his hair and enslaved him. During his imprisonment, Samson however grew his hair back gradually, and he killed all his enemies after regaining his strength. (Judges 13-16)

 

 

Samson’s Hair and His Strength

 

So, what does Samson’s hair has to do with his physical strength? Why did he lose it after shaving his hair? I believe we can find the answer in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians:

 

… the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God … every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:3-5

 

From the above verses, we learn that the head of a woman is man. By covering her own head, she acknowledges that the authority of her work does not come from herself but from the man. If she uncovers her head, she dishonors her head as if her head was shaved.

 

Since Samson was set apart as a Nazarite, he likewise received his great physical strength from God and NOT from himself. By shaving his head, he dishonors God by denying the great power that the Lord has given to him. As a result, this God given strength left him.

 

 

Prophet Samuel

 

We can find another example in the story of prophet Samuel.

 

Samuel was both a judge and a prophet who was appointed by God to anoint king Saul and king David. When Samuel was born, his mother Hannah also set him apart to serve the Lord, vowing that she would not let his head be shaved.

 

Then she (Hannah) made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant … give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head. ~ 1 Samuel 1:11

 

 

So, Can We Shave Our Hair?

 

Since it is quite common for people to shave their heads nowadays, will we dishonor God by doing so? I believe this should not be a worry because it is written in the Bible that men should uncover their heads.

 

Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:4-5

 

Women, however, should not uncover their heads. Fortunately, our Creator God in His great wisdom has given women beautiful hair so they would not even want to shave, but rather grow their hair naturally to cover their heads.