Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Certain other Jewish renegades had from time to time taken refuge with the Samaritans; hence by
degrees the Samaritans claimed to partake of jewish blood, especially if doing so happened to suit
their interest. Very far were the Jews from admitting this claim to consanguinity on the part of these
people. The traditional hatred in which the jew held the Samaritan is expressed in Ecclus. 50:25,26.
Such were the Samaritans of our Lord’s day; a people distinct from the jews, though lying in the
very midst of the Jews; a people preserving their identity, though seven centuries had rolled away
since they had been brought from Assyria by Esar-haddon, and though they had abandoned their
polytheism for a sort of ultra Mosaicism; a people who, though their limits had gradually contracted
and the rallying-place of their religion on Mount Gerizim had been destroyed one hundred and
sixty years before by John Hyrcanus (B.C. 130), and though Samaria (the city) had been again and
again destroyed, still preserved their nationality still worshipped from Shechem and their
impoverished settlements toward their sacred hill, still retained their peculiar religion, and could
not coalesce with the Jews.
Samgarnebo
(sword of Nebo), one of the princes or generals of the king of Babylon. (Jeremiah 39:3)
Samlah
(garment), (Genesis 36:36,37; 1 Chronicles 1:47,48) one of the kings of Edom, successor to
Hadad or Hadar.
Samos
a Greek island off that part of Asia Minor where Ionia touches Caria. Samos comes before our
notice in the detailed account of St. Paul’s return from his third missionary journey. (Acts 20:15)
Samothrace
In the Revised Version for Samothracia.
Samothracia
Mention is made of this island in the account of St. Paul’s first voyage to Europe. (Acts 16:11;
20:6) Being very lofty and conspicuous, it is an excellent landmark for sailors, and must have been
full in view, if the weather was clear throughout that voyage from Troas to Neapolis.
Samson
(like the sun), son of Manoah, a man of the town of Zorah in the tribe of Dan, on the border of
Judah. (Joshua 15:33; 19:41) (B.C. 1161). The miraculous circumstances of his birth are recorded
in Judges 13; and the three following chapters are devoted to the history of his life and exploits.
Samson takes his place in Scripture, (1) as a judge—an office which he filled for twenty years,
(Judges 15:20; 16:31) (2) as a Nazarite, (Judges 13:5; 16:17) and (3) as one endowed with
supernatural power by the Spirit of the Lord. (Judges 13:25; 14:6,19; 15:14) As a judge his authority
seems to have been limited to the district bordering upon the country of the Philistines. The divine
inspiration which Samson shared with Othniel, Gideon and Jephthah assumed in him the unique
form of vast personal strength, inseparably connected with the observance of his vow as a Nazarite:
“his strength was in his hair.” He married a Philistine woman whom he had seen at Timnath. One
day, on his way to that city, he was attacked by a lion, which he killed; and again passing that way
he saw a swarm of bees in the carcass of the lion, and he ate of the honey, but still he told no one.
He availed himself of this circumstance, and of the custom of proposing riddles at marriage feasts,
to lay a snare for the Philistines. But Samson told the riddle to his wife and she told it to the men
of the city, whereupon Samson slew thirty men of the city. Returning to his own house, he found
his wife married to another, and was refused permission to see her. Samson revenged himself by
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William Smith