Judges 13:24

Samson The form implies that the word is either an adjective or a diminutive, -solar" or -little sun," from shemesh= -sun." The Engl. Samson, based on the Gk. Σαμψών, is nearer the original pronunciation than the Shimshônof the M.T. In Babylonian Shamshânuhas recently been found as a proper name (Hilprecht-Clay, Bab. Exp.ix. 27. 70), and in Egyptian Shamshân occurs as the name of a town in S.W. Palestine on the list of places captured by Ramses II (b.c. 1292 1225). It cannot be without significance that less than 2 m. from Ṣar-a, just across the valley, lies -Ain Shems, which preserves the name of the ancient Beth-shemesh (-temple of the sun) or Ir-shemesh (-city of the sun"), 1 Samuel 6:9 ff., Joshua 15:10; Joshua 19:41 etc. No doubt the worship of the sun prevailed at one time in the neighbourhood of Samson's traditional home; and such indications as these seem to imply that sun-worship was familiar to the Israelites of the district, if not actually practised by them, until the religion of Jehovah gained supremacy.

grew … blessed him Cf. 1Sa 2:26; 1 Samuel 3:19; St Luke 1:80; Luke 2:52.