Did Samson Violate His Nazirite Vow?

In Judges 14:6, Samson experiences divine empowerment that enables him to kill a lion with his bare hands. Without explaining why, the narrative records that Samson kept this incident secret from his parents. His silence may have been because he violated his Nazirite vow, which required that Nazirites not touch a dead body (Num 6:6). However, the command of Num 6:6 may simply refer to human corpses, not animal corpses. Indeed, if Samson violated his Nazirite vow by killing the lion, one would expect God to withhold future empowerment, unlike what happens later in the narrative.

One possibility is that Samson may not have actually touched the carcass. While English translations give the impression that Samson dismembers the lion, a predator does not dismember prey unless eating it, which is clearly not in view. Rather, Samson likely dealt the lion a death blow with his bare hands. In other words, Samson may not have actually touched the dead carcass and violated his vow. In fact, Samson’s actions in Judg 14:9 are more problematic with respect to violation of the vow.

Alternatively, Samson may have remained silent because he was personally alarmed: Judges 14:6 may present Samson’s first experience with superhuman strength through the Spirit’s divine empowerment.

There is no reason to believe Samson grew up with this ability; neither is there reason to assume that Nazirite observance would lead to physical power, as the regulations about the vow indicate no such connection. His Spirit-given strength occurs for God’s specific purpose.

Michael S. Heiser