Delilah

Who Delilah is

Delilah is a woman in the valley of Sorek whom Samson loves. The Philistine lords each offer her eleven hundred pieces of silver to discover how his great strength can be overcome. She questions him and participates in three unsuccessful attempts involving fresh cords, new ropes and his hair woven into a loom. After repeated pressure, Samson tells her that he has been a Nazirite from the womb and that shaving his head will leave him weak. Delilah sends for the lords, who bring the money, and arranges for his seven locks to be shaved while he sleeps on her knees. His strength leaves. When she calls out that the Philistines are upon him, he expects to escape again, unaware that the Lord has departed. The Philistines seize, blind and imprison him.

Cited passages: Judges 16:4, Judges 16:5, Judges 16:6, Judges 16:7, Judges 16:8, Judges 16:9, Judges 16:10, Judges 16:11, Judges 16:12, Judges 16:13, Judges 16:14, Judges 16:15, Judges 16:16, Judges 16:17, Judges 16:18, Judges 16:19, Judges 16:20, Judges 16:21

Historical setting

Delilah's encounter takes place within Samson's long conflict with the Philistines. Judges locates her in Sorek and shows her dealings with their lords, but does not state her ethnicity, occupation or a marriage to Samson. She must be distinguished from his earlier unnamed wife at Timnath and the unnamed prostitute at Gaza. The offer specifies silver from each lord without giving their number in this scene. The text describes Delilah summoning a man and arranging the haircut; it need not be expanded into an invented account of who personally held the blade. After Samson's capture, the chapter supplies no further story of Delilah's life.

Cited passages: Judges 14:1, Judges 14:2, Judges 14:3, Judges 16:1, Judges 16:2, Judges 16:3, Judges 16:4, Judges 16:5, Judges 16:18, Judges 16:19, Judges 16:20, Judges 16:21, Judges 16:22, Judges 16:23, Judges 16:24, Judges 16:25, Judges 16:26, Judges 16:27, Judges 16:28, Judges 16:29, Judges 16:30, Judges 16:31

How the story is told

The scene repeats a question, an answer, an attempt at restraint and Delilah's cry that the Philistines have come. Samson escapes the first three attempts before disclosing what the narrator calls all his heart. Delilah appeals to his profession of love and presses him daily; the narrative does not say that she returns his love. The final cry repeats the earlier pattern, but Samson's expectation of escape now fails. His reported explanation about hair is followed by the narrator's statement about the Lord's departure, keeping the loss of strength within the larger account of his calling and captivity.

Cited passages: Judges 16:6, Judges 16:7, Judges 16:8, Judges 16:9, Judges 16:10, Judges 16:11, Judges 16:12, Judges 16:13, Judges 16:14, Judges 16:15, Judges 16:16, Judges 16:17, Judges 16:18, Judges 16:19, Judges 16:20, Judges 16:21

Story moments

1. The offer from the lords (Judges 16:5). The Philistine lords offer silver to learn how Samson can be bound and subdued.
2. Three answers fail (Judges 16:15). Delilah appeals to Samson's profession of love after three unsuccessful attempts.
3. Samson discloses his calling (Judges 16:17). He tells Delilah of his Nazirite consecration and uncut hair.
4. The lords are summoned (Judges 16:18). Delilah sends for the Philistine lords, and they bring the promised silver.
5. His hair is cut (Judges 16:19). Delilah arranges the shaving while Samson sleeps on her knees, and his strength leaves.
6. The last warning (Judges 16:20). Delilah repeats that the Philistines are upon him; Samson does not know the Lord has departed.

Key passages

Judges 16:4

And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

Judges 16:6

And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.

Judges 16:10

And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

Judges 16:12

Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.

Judges 16:13

And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

Judges 16:18

And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.

King James Version. 6 indexed passages in total.

For reflection

What changes each time Delilah repeats her question and warning? Trace the movement from withheld information to disclosure and failed escape, keeping Samson's love, Delilah's words and the narrator's explanations distinct.

Books Delilah appears in

• Judges

Related people

• Jacob
• Samson