Episode 17: The peculiar story of Samson’s escape from Gaza raises interesting questions about historical and mythological aspects of the Samson narrative. According to Old Testament professor Jack Sasson, it is also a key example of deliberate exaggeration in the Bible.
⦾ Contents
0:04 - Prologue
1:09 - Overview of the Samson cycle
2:36 - Samson goes to Gaza
5:55 - City gate architecture
7:44 - Interpretations
9:52 - Exaggeration in the Bible
12:42 - The lesson
13:58 - Credits and bonus clip
★ Special thanks to John Kesler and Dr. Daniel Frese for consulting and advice.
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Sources and References:
⦾ Baker, Robin (2016). Hollow Men, Strange Women: Riddles, Codes and Otherness in the Book of Judges.
⦾ Brown, John Pairman (1995). Israel and Hellas.
⦾ Goldziher, Ignác (1877). Mythology Among the Hebrews.
⦾ Frese, Daniel A. (2020). The City Gate in Ancient Israel and Her Neighbors.
⦾ Gnuse, Robert Karl (2020). Hellenism and the Primary History: The Imprint of Greek Sources in Genesis - 2 Kings.
⦾ Herzog, Ze’ev (1996). “Fortifications: Bronze and Iron Ages”. In: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East, Volume 2.
⦾ Millgram, Hillel I. (2018). Judges and Saviors, Deborah and Samson: Reflections of a World in Chaos.
⦾ Mobley, Gregory (2006). Samson and the Liminal Hero in the Ancient Near East.
⦾ Nelson, Richard D. (2017). Judges: A Critical and Rhetorical Commentary.
⦾ Sasson, Jack (2020). “A Gate in Gaza”. In: Biblical Narratives, Archaeology, and History.
⦾ Spronk, Klaas (2019). Judges. (Historical Commentary on the Old Testament).
⦾ West, M.L. (2003). The East Face of Helicon: West Asiatic Elements in Greek Poetry and Myth.
⦾ Wright, G.R.H. (2005). Ancient Building Technology Materials.
#biblestudyvideo #Samson #deconstruction