As Britannica explains, even before Samson was conceived, his mother made a vow with God that if he gave her a son, she would dedicate him to God in the form of his taking a Nazirite vow. Nazirites are described in the Old Testament as a class of men who had dedicated themselves to special service to God, and their vows included not shaving their hair, as well as abstaining from alcohol and contact with dead bodies. Thus, Samson’s strength came from his adherence to God’s will as a Nazirite.

Unfortunately, Samson was undone by the same problem that would bring about the downfall of other men in the Old Testament — namely, getting involved with women with who he had no business being involved. As recounted in Judges 16, Samson fell in love with a beautiful Philistine woman named Delilah, and she tricked him into revealing that the source of his strength was his hair. As he slept, according to Bible Study Tools, the Philistines cut his hair and blinded him. However, the narrative claims that his hair grew back quickly, and his strength returned. And in one last act of vengeance, Samson destroyed a Philistine temple, killing thousands of enemies — and himself — in the process.