THE STORY OF
SAMSON & SOLOMON
“Where are we going, Samson?”
“I don’t know. We’ve already asked at every place in town and no one will hire us. I don’t know what to do.” Samson honestly didn’t know what was going to happen. He knew that if something didn’t change soon, the entire family would be separated and sold as slaves. Their dad had become sick almost two years ago and had lost his job. They had used all their savings and Mother had stretched the food as far as she could — but this morning, there was no breakfast and there would be no dinner unless Samson could find work.
“Samson,” Mother had said, “even if I had flour, I don’t have any oil or anything to go with it. We have absolutely nothing. Take Solomon and try one more time. Maybe go further away from town. Maybe some of the surrounding farms would hire you both.”
Samson was 10 years old and his little brother Solomon was eight. They were both small for their age because they hadn’t had much to eat for the past two years. All the farms said they were too young. They were just walking aimlessly along the beach, not knowing what to do next. They noticed a crowd was gathered around a man who was sitting in a boat teaching. Samson asked who the man was. “Shhhh!” was the reply.
A lady standing nearby whispered that his name was Jesus, and he was a prophet from God. He was healing people and helping those in need. Samson’s heart did a flip and he and Solomon moved in closer to see if they could hear what he was teaching. They sat down by the water’s edge and listened. His words are beautiful, but what does it mean that God will take care of our need for food? Doesn’t God know that we are starving to death and that soon our family will be split up and sold into slavery because we can’t pay the rent?
Samson kept thinking about one thing that Mr. Jesus said:
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ... your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”1
Mr. Jesus seemed to be teaching that if people would do things God’s way, then God would take care of everything else. Samson wondered what that meant. He wondered how he could do anything God’s way when he couldn’t find work and he couldn’t protect his three little brothers or his mother. He felt the tears come to his eyes, but he brushed them away quickly. He didn’t want Solomon to know how desperate things were, but he thought he saw Mr. Jesus look at him and smile. That was nice. Not many people smiled at him these days — not since he had been begging for a job. Most of them just told him to go away. Samson felt a glimmer of hope, something he hadn’t felt in a long time.
They watched as Mr. Jesus got out of the boat and waded back to shore. He was mobbed by people wanting to talk with him and touch him. But Samson’s attention was on a group of fishermen who were rowing out to sea. It was a strange time to be fishing and there seemed to be a lot of other fishermen standing around watching to see what would happen.
Then Samson saw another boat full of fisherman going out to help the first boat because it had caught more fish than it could handle. What is going on?
Samson and Solomon watched as the two boats gradually worked their way back toward shore. Other fisherman ran out to help get the round net up on shore and emptied. There were more fish in the net than they had ever seen, and the crowd was going crazy.
Samson learned that Mr. Jesus had told the men to go fishing and it had resulted in this amazing catch. The fishermen all began to sort the fish into barrels to keep the fish fresh. Many in the crowd began to help sort, too.
Samson and Solomon looked at each other and knew that God had just provided for them. They slipped into the crowd and picked up several good-sized fish and then instead of putting them into the barrels, they began to walk down the beach and toward home as fast as they could.
At least, that was the plan. But by the time they had gone only a few yards they were met by Mr. Jesus.
“Hello boys. I saw you listening to my teaching and I was wondering if you understood what you heard. Is there anything I can help you with?”
Samson and Solomon both immediately confessed to stealing fish and promised to take them back. Mr. Jesus knelt down and looked them both in the eyes. He stated again one of the things he had been teaching:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.2
“What do you think that means?” Mr. Jesus asked gently.
Solomon answered that he didn’t know, but he sure would like anything that he could give him.
Samson saw the look in Mr. Jesus’ eyes and felt that he could trust him. “Mister, we really need those things that you talked about — food, clothes and we need rent money real bad. But I don’t know how to get it.
“I thought God sent that boat of fish so that we would have something to eat tonight. We’re really hungry.”
Mr. Jesus put his arms around both boys and said, “Well, one thing I didn’t say was that it was all right to steal! What I meant was that if you will do things God’s way, then he’ll take care of everything you need.”
“Mister, we’ve been trying hard for the past two years and it just doesn’t work that way! My dad’s sick, and my mother and three little brothers expect me to provide for them, but nobody is hiring a 10-year-old.”
Mr. Jesus smiled and said, “Would you be willing to do things God’s way and see what happens?”
“Yes sir, if you’ll tell me what to do. We’ll do anything!” said Samson.
“Yes sir,” said Solomon.
“Okay. Get back up there in the crowd and start sorting fish. That’s just the first load. They’ve got two more boats full of fish. They are going to be sorting for quite a while. Let me show you the kind of fish to pick up.”
Mr. Jesus led them back to the edge of the pile of fish. He showed them how to pick up the musht fish without getting cut by the scales.
Then he showed them which barrels to put them in. “Do things God’s way and see if God doesn’t take good care of you.”
Samson and Solomon worked all morning. One of the fishermen handed out juice and thanked all the helpers.
When Mr. Jesus left and took four of the fishermen with him, most of the crowd left, too. But Samson and Solomon kept working. They sorted until they thought their arms would fall off.
“Hey, you two boys!” The boss man yelled at them.
Samson and Solomon thought about running, but they remembered that Mr. Jesus had promised that good would come to them if they did things God’s way. And they really hoped they would get some fish. So, they answered.
“Yes, sir,” they both replied together.
“Whose boys are you? Do I know you?”
Samson spoke up, “Our dad is Uzziah, but he’s been sick for a couple of years now. We were listening to Mr. Jesus and he told us to help sort the fish, so we did.”
“So, you’ve been working for me all day?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Let me find you some sacks. I’m sure your mother needs all the help she can get. Collect as much fish as you can carry, and here’s some money for your pay as well. You have helped me out today, and I think you deserve a reward. I appreciate the help. Is there anything else I can do to help you boys?”
Samson swallowed hard and decided that God was opening an even bigger door for help. “Mister, we need a job. Our dad can’t work, and we’ve got two little brothers at home. We need jobs real bad. We’d be glad to sort fish anytime you could use us.”
“Well, I think that could be arranged. But would you be willing to do whatever I need you to do? I could train you to become fishermen or possibly boat builders depending on what you would enjoy.”
“Oh, yes, sir!” they replied together.
“Okay, be here mid-morning tomorrow and I’ll put you to work. And my name is Mr. Zebedee. Tell your parents I’ll take good care of you.”
“Oh, thank you, Mr. Zebedee. Thank you.”
Mr. Zebedee noticed the tears in both boys’ eyes, but he never knew how God had used him to save their lives.
Samson and Solomon carried their sacks of fish home, and then Solomon ran to the market to buy some olive oil to fry it in. He also bought some vegetables and a round of bread. They would have a feast tonight! They gave the rest of the money to Mother and they celebrated God blessing them and meeting their needs.
The next morning, Samson and Solomon could hardly wait to get to work. They reported to Mr. Zebedee and he introduced them to Benji. Because they had arrived early, Benji wasn’t quite finished with the round net, but it gave him a chance to explain what he was doing and why. The boys seemed interested and asked good questions.
Once Benji finished the round net and had it ready for the net repairers, the three boys started spreading out the huge rectangular net that had been trampled on yesterday.
Samson caught on quickly and was very thorough and careful in his work. But Solomon had a hard time paying attention. Benji had to show him over and over how to check the flax threads and he often found whole sections that Solomon had skipped over.
Samson kept trying to help Solomon because he feared that they would both lose their jobs if Solomon couldn’t get it right. But Benji kept encouraging them both, and the boys were proud of their first official day of work. They had more fish for the family and coins in their pockets to help Mother pay the rent.
Each day the two boys worked on the big rectangular net until it was almost completely covered in red ties. Benji had to keep the current nets checked so that the fishermen would have all they needed. Then he would check Solomon and Samson’s work.
By Friday, Benji had sat down and worked out a plan with Grandpa Zebedee that would help everyone. Benji spoke to Solomon quietly, “Solomon, I need to talk with you about your work. Would you like to talk with me alone, or do you want Samson to hear it, too?”
“I want Samson to hear it, too. I’m sorry, I’m not any good at checking the nets. But please don’t fire Samson. He’s good at it!”
Benji assured him, “I’m not firing anybody. I just think you would do better at another job.
“So, starting on Sunday, your new job will be to collect the rocks that we need for the nets. Here’s two buckets. You will carry them all around the inlet and collect rocks. When the buckets are getting too heavy, bring them in and dump them here in this barrel. Do you think you can do that?”
“Oh, yes! I can do that. Just show me what size rocks you want!”
“When you finish cleaning up the beach after each tide, then you can come and help Samson and me with the nets. And you’ll be my assistant when I need help with other things. But most of the time, you’ll be busy collecting the rocks.”
“Thanks, Benji, for giving him another chance — for giving both of us a chance,” said Samson.
“Samson, you are both good workers and Grandpa Zebedee wants to make sure you both learn to be good fishermen or boat builders. Solomon is just not quite old enough to understand the importance of the net. But you are doing great and I’m already learning to trust you. That’s a pretty good accomplishment for the first week of work.”
Samson and Solomon helped Benji roll up the huge rectangular net and they put it on the pile to be mended. Then Benji told them to take off early since they had completed their tasks for the day, and it was almost the Sabbath.
On Saturday morning, as Samson was helping Mother get the younger boys fed and dressed for synagogue, his Abba announced that he was going to go with them.
“Uzziah, you are not well. You can’t go to synagogue!” Mother tried to plead with him.
Samson tried. “Abba, you need to stay home and rest. You are not well. You shouldn’t go to synagogue this morning.”
They both knew it was no use to try to change his mind. Ever since he had become sick, he had been like a different man. He was mean and cruel and sometimes even beat his wife and sons for little things. She knew that he would do as he pleased.
Samson asked Mother if they could just stay home, but she said that God had blessed them so richly this week, she wanted to go and show her thanks. At least none of the boys were old enough to worship with the men, so they would be safe with her. They wouldn’t have to be with their Abba.
They left the house together as a family, but soon Abba was wandering around and talking to imaginary people. Everyone in town called him “the crazy man” but Samson knew that he was sick. He loved his Abba, but it made him sad the way people looked down on them. He was secretly glad that his Abba had forgotten all about the synagogue before they had gone very far.
Mother and the boys arrived and went up into the balcony where the women and children worshiped. The men worshiped on the main floor. Samson and Solomon stood by the balcony railing so they could see what was happening on the main floor while Mother sat with their two younger brothers and visited with the other women.
They were excited to see that Mr. Jesus was teaching that morning. Maybe they could talk with him afterward and tell him what God had done for them. They wanted to thank him for telling them what to do.
Mr. Jesus was in the middle of his teaching when the Bible says that someone cried out:
“Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!”3
Samson and Solomon froze in fear because they recognized their Abba’s voice. They heard Mother crying. They were bracing for the hateful words that they expected from the Ruler of the synagogue and from their neighbors.
But Mr. Jesus looked up and smiled when he caught Samson’s eye. Then he turned to the man and said,
“Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.4
Samson and Solomon watched as their Abba fell to the floor and then began to cry at Mr. Jesus’ feet. Mr. Jesus stooped down and talked with him quietly for a while. Then they watched as their Abba got up and walked slowly out of the synagogue.
Samson motioned to his mother that he was going home, and he told Solomon to stay with his mother. Samson walked as quickly as he could and caught up with his Abba. His Abba was quiet and calm.
He hugged Samson and told him he was sorry. They walked home together with Abba’s arm around Samson’s shoulder.
When Mother and the younger boys arrived home, they found Samson and his Abba talking and laughing like old times. Mr. Jesus had healed their Abba.
Samson and Solomon arrived at work early on Sunday. They had seen Benji at the synagogue, so they were curious to hear what his reaction would be. They were not disappointed. Benji was so excited and happy for them. Together they repeated to each other all the great things that had happened since the day they had heard Mr. Jesus on the beach.
Now that school break was almost over, none of the boys wanted summer to end. They would continue to work for Mr. Zebedee after school every day, but there would never be another summer like this one!
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