BETH-SHEMESH AND THE CHARACTERIZATION OF SAMSON: A NARRATIVE AND GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS OF JUDGES 13–16

Abstract

The story of Samson, often interpreted as an epic tale of confrontations with the Philistines, relationships with foreign women, and practices unusual in the Israelite context, takes on new layers of meaning when examined in light of its historical and geographical setting. Far from being accounts constructed in a vacuum, the episodes of Samson unfold in real locations, situated in border regions marked by significant interaction between different cultures. Among these locations, Beth Shemesh stands out; its archaeological analysis allows for a deeper understanding of the political, social, and cultural context of the Early Iron Age, the period in which biblical tradition places the activities of the judges. Thus, this study aims to investigate the role of Beth Shemesh in the Samson narrative, highlighting how the integration of archaeological data and biblical text contributes to a more comprehensive and well-founded interpretation of Israelite history.