Posted on 09/11/2020 5:43:15 AM PDT by Hebrews 11:6
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
1 Samson saw a young Philistine woman. 2 He said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman; now get her for me as my wife.”
3 His father and mother replied, “Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?”
4 (His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)
5 Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. Suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. 6 The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands. 7 Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.
. .
by FRANZ VON STUCK
“Samson”
. .
“Samson and the Lion”
. .
by FRANCESCO HAYEZ
“Samson & the Lion”
. .
by LUCA GIORDANO
“Samson and the Lion”
. .
by THE MACIEJOWSKI BIBLE
. .
. .
. .
. .
by GUSTAV DORÉ
“Samson Slaying a Lion”
. .
. .
. .
by BERNARDO CASTELLO
. .
by LUCAS CRANACH THE ELDER
“Samson's Fight with the Lion”
. .
by EDMUND WÖRNDLE
“Samson and the Lion”
. .
by RUDOLF VON EMS
. .
by MICHAEL TOPPELIUS
“Samson Fights the Lion”
. .
by PETER PAUL RUBENS
. .
. .
North French Hebrew Miscellany manuscript, c.1290
. .
. .
by JOHN BIANCHI
“Samson Kills a Lion”
. .
. .
by Fox Feature Syndicate, April 1950
“Samson and Delilah”
. .
Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, New Jersey
. .
by LIMOGES
“Medallion with Samson Fighting the Lion”
. .
“Candlestick of Samson with Lion” – gilt copper, c.1225
. .
The Fountain of Samson — Kiev, Ukraine
. .
by JOHANN GEORG PINZEL
. .
“Samson and the Lion” – Abbey of the Great-Sauve, near Bordeaux, France
. .
“Samson and the Lion” – Abbey of Nonantola, Italy
. .
“Samson Wrestling with the Lion”
. .
by JAN VAN EYCK
. .
by ANDREAS GÖTZINGER
. .
. .
by LEONARD KERN
“Samson Ripping Apart the Lion's Jaw”
. .
. .
by Brookgreen Gardens, South Carolina
. .
. .
. .
. .
“Out of the eater,
something to eat;
out of the strong,
something sweet.”. .
. .
8 Some time later Samson looked at the lion’s carcass, and in it he saw a swarm of bees and some honey. 9 He scooped out the honey with his hands and ate as he went along. When he rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it.
. .
. .
by GUERCINO GIOVANNI FRANCESCO BARBIERI
“Samson Offering His Parents a Honeycomb”
. .
by JAMES TISSOT
“Samson Eats the Honey”
. .
by KATIE J. WILSON
“Honey from the Carcass of a Lion”
. .
. .
SNEAK PEEK: Next time, SAMSON’S WIFE:
AHH, MARRIED LIFE!If you're sensing the Holy Spirit is suggesting
that you read ahead, we'll be in Judges 14.. .
. .
R E S O U R C E S . .
If you'd like to see for yourself the Bing page
which yielded most of the works above, here is the link:
Samson Kills a Lion
Where no attribution appears below a work,
the artist's name is unknown
. .
Links to three masters who painted Biblical scenes prolifically:
REMBRANDT HARMENSZOON van RIJN
GUSTAV DORÉ
241 wood engravings for
La Grande Bible de Tours
JAMES TISSOT
180 watercolors depicting Bible scenes
. .
This series keeps moving from one Bible passage to another,
so here is a fascinating and enjoyable link to assist in following along:
BIBLE TIMELINE
. .
Finally, here are links to the
PREVIOUS 71 POSTS IN THIS SERIES
with descriptive titles, to assist you in finding those which interest you
. .
. .
SPECIAL THANKS
to FReeper left that other site,
who allowed God to make her His conduit
for incomparable enthusiasm, encouragement,
education, advice and technical assistance!
. .
. .
NOTES ON MY SELECTION CRITERIA Quality
The Bible is my focus, not the art: this is The Bible in Paintings, not “Great Paintings” nor even “Good Paintings.” So, works need not be masterpieces to qualify for inclusion here—they don’t need to be housed at the Louvre nor auctioned by Sotheby’s. They only need to illustrate successfully some aspect of the Biblical text or, frankly, just tickle my fancy, which I'm asking the Holy Spirit to guide. Often, artists misrepresent the Scripture, but unless the error is material or heretical I usually include the artwork, trusting that the Spirit is perfectly capable of defending Himself. So, with such forgiving filters, it means that you're seeing practically everything I'm finding.Pacing
The pace may seem glacial to those eager to see their favorite events. My commission is to search for art on each Bible passage in sequence; if I find enough, then it becomes the next installment, even if undramatic. But where there is no art, that Bible passage goes untold here. The Bible is a thick book, as you know; but we'll get there eventually, Lord willing. Always remember:
love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is a fruit of the Spirit!Art is merely the Toy Department of Bible study,
so I’m just having fun here—and I hope you are, too!
Thank you for your understanding.. .
The Bible encourages us to meditate on it (Ps. 1:1-3, 119:11-16, etc.); these artists have done so, and their works can assist us and enrich our own thoughts about biblical characters, incidents and concepts, and increase our faith in He who is behind it all. As you encounter and consider these images and the related Scriptures and the Spirit enlightens your understanding, please share it with us!
But it is not only oil-on-canvas that can so help us; I refer to the astonishing video series The Chosen, which strolls through the four Gospels at the most leisurely pace. The eight episodes of Season 1 are finished, and the second of a planned seven seasons is coming soon. I say "leisurely" because after an entire year’s viewing Jesus still has only seven of the apostles (although He's preparing to call up Thomas from the minor leagues--but Thomas is skeptical, of course). Anticipating a canvas of fifty-plus hours instead of a movie's paltry two hours, The Chosen turns the characters (especially including Jesus!) into three-dimensional humans and brings the Gospels alive--you have never seen anything even remotely like it! Here is the Official Trailer.
Here is a link for free viewing of The Chosen: “Works with your phone, tablet, and you can cast to your Roku or Chromecast.” Last fall I paid $34.98 for DVDs and ongoing internet access—best 35 bucks I’ve ever spent (I don’t recall how much our marriage license cost, but then it was 42 years ago).
……... .
In almost every depiction, Samson attacks the lion’s mouth.
Just my observation ... no analysis.
… .
Thanks for that.
Noticed that, too. Don’t know the according-to-Hoyle protocol for an immensely strong man overpowering and killing an attacking lion, but those painters and sculptors seem to.
The 1950’s comic strip and a couple of others depicting “wrestling” the lion don’t follow.
There is something to it. I’ve got so much to learn ...
Planning a safari?
An amazing assortment of concepts to depict a very unusual feat. Thanks for the pleasure.
Roger that.
“In almost every depiction, Samson attacks the lion’s mouth.”
Yes, I noticed that too. The passage in Judges says:
14:5 Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. 6 The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. 7 Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.
This shows two things not depicted.
1) It was EASY for Samson to kill the lion.
2) He tore it apart like a young goat. I imagine dismembering a goat for cooking by ripping off its limbs. No one shows Samson ripping off the lion’s limbs.
3) The way lions attack is with the claws first and then the mouth. I saw one picture with Samson pulling the lion’s front paws away from him. Just expand that to ripping off the legs.
4) The bees build a hive in the chest. How does that happen unless they get in? Ripping the jaws apart or the head off works. Or tearing off the forelimbs and exposing the rib cage.
God is wise to not give too many details. It keeps things interesting with our imagination.
“The 1950’s comic strip and a couple of others depicting “wrestling” the lion don’t follow.”
I really liked the comic book depiction, complete with his Philistine wife. Samson fits today’s comic book ‘dark hero’ perfectly.
One more comment about Samson and the lion.
He was a NAZARITE. He wasn’t supposed to touch or eat anything unclean: a lion or a dead body. He ate honey out of the lion.
Compromising already, Samson?
God is foreshadowing future problems.
I’m inferring from several facts—from the promise of his birth, from God frequently strengthening and using him, from God working through him in his twenty years of leading Israel, and from Samson’s answered prayer at the end—I’m inferring that, despite Samson’s weaknesses, we’ll be enjoying his somewhat more subdued company eternally in heaven.
I agree, but all judgment is up to Jesus Christ. Salvation requires being led by the Holy Spirit. I believe he was.
His final prayer and its answer, though far from conclusive, nevertheless seem telling. I’m hopeful: what a character!
May have jumped ahead six days right there....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
