Delilah

DELILAH; a Strumpet who dwelt in the valley of Sorek, belonging to the Tribe of Dan, near the land of the Philistins. Judg. xvi. 4.Samson falling in love with her, devoted himself to her, and, as some say, was married to her¹. The Princes of the Philistins being acquainted with this woman, came to her, and promised each of them to give her eleven hundred pieces of silver, if she could discover whence that extraordinary strength proceeded, which he was master of, and would inform them of it. She assured them that she would use her best endeavours to satisfy them; and accordingly she asked him how he came by this great strength, and how he might be deprived of it. Samson told her, that if they bound him with seven green Withs, that were never dried, he should be as weak as other men. The Philistin Lords therefore brought her seven green Withs, which she had mentioned, with which she bound Samson; and having concealed men in her house, who waited the event of this trial, she cried out, Samson, the Philistins are upon thee. Immediately he broke the Withs, as if they had been threads; so that there was no knowing the cause of his great strength.

Delilah having once more asked, and with more earnestness, wherein it consisted, he answered, If they bind me with new ropes, I shall become as weak as another. She therefore bound him, and cried out as before, the Philistins are upon thee. Whereupon Samson, without any straining at all, broke these cords as if they had been a piece of thread. Delilah asking him the same question a third time, and with more impetuosity, he told her, that if she wove the seven locks of his head with the web, and fastened it with a pin, he should be weak. She did so, and Samson awoke as at other times, and went away with the pin of the beam, and the web, without any trouble.

Then Delilah began to reproach him with want of affection, and with deceiving Δ Delta.her three several times. She importuned him with so much obstinacy, that finding no rest to be had without making this discovery, his heart at last was mollified, and he lost all his resolution. He told her therefore, that his head had been never touched with a razor, because he was a Nazarite, and consecrated to God from his mother’s womb; that if he were shaved, all his strength would forsake him, and he should be as weak as other men. Hereupon Delilah gave notice to the Philistin Princes, that they should come once more to her house; for Samson had at last discovered the truth to her. They came there with the money, which they had promised her, and Delilah having taken care to have his head shaved, while he was sleeping in her bosom, she pushed him from her with violence, and said, the Philistins are upon thee. Samson hereupon waking, would have put himself into a posture of defence, believing that he had still the same strength as before: but the Philistins hem’d him in, took him, put out his eyes, bound him in chains, and carried him to Gaza, where he continued in prison till his death; as we shall see in the Article SAMPSON.

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