Delilah

By Mary Jane Chaignot

Categories: Samson, Women in the Bible, Women in the Old Testament

Delilah’s name means “delicate” or “dainty one.”
It’s a Hebrew name.
It’s a play on the word “night.” Scholars see meaning in knowing how “night” interfaces with the mighty sun, or in this case, Samson.
Her story is found in Judges 16.
She is from the valley of Sorek, a word meaning “vineyard valley.”
It is located about 12½ miles southwest of Jerusalem.
At this time, the Philistines occupy the area, but scholars can’t say if she is a Hebrew or a Philistine woman.
Previously, Samson is involved with Philistine women.
Delilah is the third woman to be involved with Samson, and the only one who is named.
She is never identified in terms of a male (husband or father).
Her status in society is unknown, but she is never called a harlot.
The text does not specifically say that she and Samson are married.
It does say that Samson loves her; her feelings towards him are unknown.
Samson is a Nazirite who has astonishing strength and has been wreaking havoc upon the Philistines.
The Philistines desire to know the reason behind Samson’s strength and how to defeat him.
The Philistines approach Delilah and offer to pay her handsomely if she is able to find out why he is so strong.
The five Philistine kings each promise to pay her 1100 pieces of silver for the information.
Scholars aren’t sure about the value of that sum, but the coins might weigh between 100 and 150 pounds.
Joseph’s brothers sell him for 20 pieces of silver; Delilah is about to receive 5500 pieces. It’s a huge amount.
Delilah approaches Samson directly: “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.”
Samson replies, “If anyone ties me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I’ll become weak as any other man.”
Delilah tells this to the Philistines, and they provide her with seven undried bowstrings.
Warriors hide in the room, and when Samson falls asleep, Delilah ties him up.
She then shouts, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”
He easily snaps the bowstrings and is ready to fight.
Delilah complains, “You have made a fool of me; you lied to me.”
She asks again about the secret of his strength.
Unbelievably, Samson continues to respond to her.
This time he says the secret is being tied with new ropes.
Delilah gets new ropes, ties him up with warriors in the room, and the same scenario is repeated.
When she awakens him, he snaps the ropes “as if they were threads.”
She complains again, accusing him of making a fool out of her.
Samson never asks why she is doing this!
When she asks the third time, Samson says if the “seven braids of my hair are woven into the fabric on the loom and tightened with the pin,” he will become as weak as any other man.
Delilah does this while he is sleeping and then shouts, “The Philistines are upon you!”
Samson awakes and pulls up the whole loom.
Delilah accuses him of not loving her.
She nags him daily until his “soul is annoyed to death.”
Finally, he tells her “everything.”
There is no explanation for his compliance, other than to say that he loves her and will do whatever it takes to please her.
By this time, Samson must know that she is trying to betray him to the Philistines.
He refuses to accept that there is real danger afoot.
The secret lies in the fact that, as a Nazirite, he has never cut his hair. “If my head is shaved, my strength will leave me and I will become as weak as any other man.”
Being a Nazirite means he is consecrated to God from his birth. He must refrain from drinking wine, shaving, or cutting his hair.
Delilah convinces the Philistines that this time it’s the truth.
The Philistines return, silver in hand.
This amount will surely allow her to live free the rest of her life.
Delilah puts Samson to sleep on her lap. Then she calls for someone to shave his seven braids.
And his strength leaves him.
She calls out, once again, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”
He awakens, expecting everything to be unchanged, but he doesn’t know that “the Lord has left him.”
The Philistines seize him and bind him and put him in prison. Eventually, his hair will regrow, and he will regain his strength.
Scholars refer to Delilah as the original “femme fatale” – a seductive woman who lures men into dangerous or compromising situations.
Delilah never reveals her feelings about any of the events that transpire.
She simply disappears from the story. There is no information about her life after Samson or about her death.

Bible Characters