Cultural references to Samson in 1930), "Samson" in which the author makes Samson an assimilated Jew attracted by the surrounding, more sophisticated (and un-philistine) Philistine culture. Considered a basic text of Revisionist Zionism, Jabotinsky's followers found in it numerous hints of contemporary Zionist and Israeli politics. Among other things, the family name of present day Israeli politician Dan Meridor is derived from this book. "Meridor" (literally "Generation of Rebellion") is the name given by Samson to a child in the book. Some important Twentieth century Hebrew poems have also been written about the Bible hero. More recently, elite Israeli combat units have been named
Samson found in the Book of Judges. The name "Samson" is derived from the Hebrew word "šemeš", which means "sun", so that Samson bore the name of God, who is called "a sun and shield" in ; and as God protected Israel, so did Samson watch over it in his generation, judging the people even as did God. Samson's strength was divinely derived (Talmud, Tractate Sotah 10a). Jewish legend records that Samson's shoulders were sixty cubits broad. (Many Talmudic commentaries, however, explain that this is not to be taken literally, for a person that size could not live normally in society.