Samson et Dalila

Act One - A public square in the city of Gaza, in Palestine

The Hebrews are praying to their God, lamenting the plight of their people (“Dieu! Dieu d’Israël”). Their nation has been destroyed and their people have lost everything in the name of God (“Quoi! Veux-tu donc qu’à jamais on efface”). They ask where is the God that brought their people out of Egypt. Their leader, Samson tells them to be strong. They must not blaspheme the name of God because he will bring them great strength (“Arrêtez, ô mes frères!”). Instead they should put their lives in God’s hands, because he is the God of victory and with his protection they will be invincible (“Implorons à genoux”).

Their celebrations are stopped by the arrival of Abimelech, the satrap (governor) of Gaza with his Philistine Soldiers (“Qui donc élève ici la voix?”). Their noise has drawn him and he is appalled to find his slaves praying to their God again. Rather, he tells them that their God is deaf to them, if he really heard them he