Samson’s conception story may be read subversively as the result of a union between a divine being and a mortal woman, making Samson a demi-god with superhuman characteristics. At the same time, the text keeps open the more mundane possibility that his father is Manoah and his powers are simply a gift from God.I was less skeptical about this proposal after I read this essay than when I started it.
Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.