Why was Samson weakened by a haircut?
A. Because Samson was a Nazarite. (See Nu 6:1-21 to thoroughly understand). The term “Nazarite” is from the Hebrew “nazir” meaning “the consecrated one.” The Nazarites in Scripture include Samson (Judges 13:7), Samuel (1Sa 1:9-11), John the Baptist (Lk 1:15), and Paul (Ac 18:18). Please note that Nazarites may be male or female, and the vow may be permanent or for a specified time. The cutting of Samson’s hair violated the vow. Hence, in Judges 16:17-20, we are told “… the Lord was departed from him.” The cutting of his hair defiled the separation (Nu 6:12), restarting the clock, but not cancelling the vow. When Samson’s hair grew back (Judges 16:22), he was able to resume the fulfillment of the vow.
