Samson arrives on the stage of history with the sudden awakening of a divine force within him, signaling his future role as a judge and savior for the Israelites. The primary approach among commentators is that this experience was not standard prophecy involving a verbal message from God. Instead, it was divine assistance that manifested as extraordinary bravery and unusual physical strength [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Others view this as a form of divine inspiration and a specific level of the Holy Spirit granted to the judges of Israel [אברבנאל, צאינה וראינה]. This awakening is also seen as the fulfillment of Jacob's ancient prophecy, which foretold that a man from the tribe of Dan would rise to strike the Philistines [רד״ק, צאינה וראינה].
The way this divine spirit affected Samson was complex. Rather than remaining with him continuously, it would rest upon him periodically, coming in sudden bursts [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. It physically guided his movements, directing his steps with clear purpose [מצודת ציון]. Ancient traditions describe this physical manifestation in miraculous terms, suggesting his strides were so massive they covered the entire distance between the cities of Zorah and Eshtaol [צוארי שלל], or that his strength was so immense he uprooted the two mountains of those cities and clashed them together [צאינה וראינה]. More directly, the spirit served to strengthen and empower his body, a notable contrast to how sudden spiritual forces often cause weakness or fear in other biblical accounts [רד״ק].
Beyond physical strength, the spirit created a profound internal effect. It generated a deep sense of restlessness and an emotional storm within Samson. Commentators compare this feeling to the clapper of a bell, striking violently in all directions inside him. This inner turmoil stemmed from a heavy personal debate over whether he should actively go out to fight the Philistines or hold back [רלב״ג, אברבנאל, רד״ק, אהבת יהונתן].
All of this unfolded in a very specific geographic area: the camp of Dan, located between Zorah and Eshtaol. This location is identified as the gathering point for the tribe of Dan before they traveled north to conquer the city of Laish [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ], though some place it in the region of Kiryat Jearim [אברבנאל]. The precise mention of Zorah and Eshtaol serves to clarify the exact territory. Because cities with identical names existed in the land of Judah, this detail confirms the events took place squarely within Dan's distinct borders [מלבי״ם, צוארי שלל]. It was in this specific region that the spirit first moved him, and it is highly likely that Samson performed his first undocumented acts of bravery and struck his enemies right there in that camp [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל, רד״ק].