Judges 16: Delilah, the shaving of Samson's hair, and his death
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What happens?
In Gaza Samson goes in to a prostitute, and at midnight he carries off the doors of the city gate to a hill facing Hebron. Then he loves Delilah in the valley of Sorek, and the lords of the Philistines pay her to find out where his strength comes from. Three times he tells her something untrue and breaks free. At last, worn down by her pressing, he tells her he is a Nazirite and no razor has touched his head. While he sleeps on her knees, the seven locks of his head are shaved off, his strength leaves him, and Yahweh has left him. The Philistines gouge out his eyes and set him grinding in the prison in Gaza, but his hair begins to grow again. At a great sacrifice to Dagon they bring him out to entertain them. Samson prays to Yahweh, pushes on the two middle pillars, and the house falls on the lords and all the people, so that he kills more at his death than in his life. His family buries him, and the text says he judged Israel twenty years.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold. The people of Gaza speak in verse 2. The lords of the Philistines speak to Delilah in verse 5. Delilah speaks to Samson in verses 6, 9, 10, 12 to 15 and 20, and to the lords in verse 18. Samson answers her in verses 7, 11, 13 and 17, and speaks in verse 20. The Philistines praise their god in verses 23 and 24 and call for Samson in verse 25. Samson speaks to the young man in verse 26, and prays to Yahweh in verse 28. His last words are in verse 30. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Samson went to Gaza, and saw there a prostitute, and went in to her.
In plain English: Samson went to Gaza. There he saw a prostitute, and he went in to her (slept with her).
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2The Gazites were told, “Samson is here!” They surrounded him and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, “Wait until morning light; then we will kill him.”
In plain English: The people of Gaza were told, "Samson has come here!" They surrounded him and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They kept quiet all night, saying, "At morning light we will kill him."
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3Samson lay until midnight, then arose at midnight and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city, with the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.
In plain English: Samson lay there until midnight. At midnight he got up, took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two gateposts, and pulled them up, bar and all. He put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the hill (this Bible: the mountain) that faces Hebron (literally: that is on the face of Hebron).
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4It came to pass afterward that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
In plain English: After this he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
Good to know: The text does not say whose daughter Delilah was or which people she belonged to. The dictionary gives her as "a Philistine woman", and Sorek as "a valley in Palestine".
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5The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see in which his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.”
In plain English: The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, "Trick him (this Bible: entice him), and find out where his great strength comes from and how we can overpower him, so that we can tie him up and bring him low (this Bible: afflict him). Each of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver."
The Hebrew words: "Lords" is seren, which the dictionary gives as "an axle; figuratively, a peer". It is the word in "the five lords of the Philistines" in ; here the text does not say how many came to Delilah. "Afflict" is anah, which the dictionary gives as "to depress": to press down, to bring low.
How it is translated: This Bible says "afflict" or a longer form in 43 of the 79 verses that use anah, and "humble" or a longer form in 14. In this chapter it is in verses 5, 6 and 19.
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6Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and what you might be bound to afflict you.”
In plain English: So Delilah said to Samson, "Please tell me where your great strength comes from, and how you could be tied up and brought low (this Bible: afflicted)."
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7Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.”
In plain English: Samson said to her, "If they tie me with seven fresh cords (this Bible: green cords) that have never been dried, I will become weak and be like any other man (literally: like one of mankind)."
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8Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green cords which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
In plain English: Then the lords of the Philistines brought her seven fresh cords that had not been dried, and she tied him with them.
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9Now she had an ambush waiting in the inner room. She said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He broke the cords as a flax thread is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.
In plain English: She had men lying in wait (this Bible: an ambush) in the inner room. She said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" He snapped the cords as a strand of flax snaps when it touches (literally: smells) the fire. So the secret of his strength was not found out (literally: his strength was not known).
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10Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have mocked me, and told me lies. Now please tell me how you might be bound.”
In plain English: Then Delilah said to Samson, "Look, you have made a fool of me (this Bible: mocked me) and told me lies. Now please tell me how you could be tied up."
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11He said to her, “If they only bind me with new ropes with which no work has been done, then I will become weak, and be as another man.”
In plain English: He said to her, "If they tie me tightly with new ropes that have never been used (literally: with which no work has been done), I will become weak and be like any other man."
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12So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, then said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” The ambush was waiting in the inner room. He broke them off his arms like a thread.
In plain English: So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them. Then she said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" The men lying in wait were in the inner room. He snapped the ropes off his arms like a thread.
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13Delilah said to Samson, “Until now, you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me with what you might be bound.” He said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the fabric on the loom.”
In plain English: Delilah said to Samson, "Until now you have made a fool of me and told me lies. Tell me how you could be tied up." He said to her, "If you weave the seven locks (or: braids) of my head into the fabric on the loom (literally: with the web)."
The Hebrew word: "Locks" is machlaphah, which the dictionary gives as "a ringlet of hair (as gliding over each other)". It is used only here and in verse 19.
What changes: Read as "locks", Samson's hair hung in seven long locks or curls. Read as "braids", it was woven into seven braids (plaits). Either way, the text says there were seven, and that no razor had ever touched his head (verse 17).
Good to know: The Hebrew of verse 13 stops after "with the web" (this Bible: "with the fabric on the loom"), without saying what would happen, and verse 14 goes on with the pin. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has a longer text: "and shouldest fasten them with the pin into the wall, then shall I be weak as another man", and in verse 14 it tells that Delilah wove the seven locks of his head into the web while he was asleep.
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14She fastened it with the pin, and said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He awakened out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam and the fabric.
In plain English: She fastened it with the pin (or: peg) and said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" He woke up from his sleep and pulled out the pin of the loom (this Bible: of the beam) together with the fabric.
The Hebrew words: "Fabric" is massekheth, which the dictionary gives as "something expanded, i.e. the warp" of a loom: the long threads stretched out on it. It is used only here and in verse 13. "Pin" is yathed, which the dictionary gives as "a peg".
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15She said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.”
In plain English: She said to him, "How can you say, 'I love you,' when your heart is not with me? These three times you have made a fool of me, and you have not told me where your great strength comes from."
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16When she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, his soul was troubled to death.
In plain English: She pressed him day after day with her words and kept urging him, until he was sick to death of it (literally: his soul was cut short, to die; this Bible: his soul was troubled to death).
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17He told her all his heart and said to her, “No razor has ever come on my head; for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will go from me and I will become weak, and be like any other man.”
In plain English: So he told her everything in his heart (literally: all his heart). He said to her, "No razor has ever touched (literally: gone up on) my head, because I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaved, my strength will leave me, and I will become weak and be like any other man."
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18When 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 has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand.
In plain English: When Delilah saw that he had told her everything in his heart, she sent for the lords of the Philistines and said, "Come up this once, because he has told me everything in his heart." Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the silver (this Bible: the money) in their hands.
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19She made him sleep on her knees; and she called for a man and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
In plain English: She made him sleep on her knees. She called a man and had him shave off (or: and she shaved off) the seven locks (or: braids) of his head. She began to bring him low (this Bible: afflict him), and his strength left him.
The Hebrew words: "Shaved off" in Hebrew has Delilah as the one who does it: "she shaved". With "she called for a man" before it, it can be read as Delilah having the man shave him, or as Delilah shaving him herself. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) says "he shaved". "To afflict him" is anah, the word of verses 5 and 6 (see the note on verse 5).
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20She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” He awoke out of his sleep, and said, “I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.” But he didn’t know that Yahweh had departed from him.
In plain English: Then she said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" He woke up from his sleep and said, "I will go out as at other times and shake myself free." But he did not know that Yahweh had left him.
Good to know: In verse 17 Samson says his strength will leave him if his head is shaved. Verse 19 says his strength left him, and verse 20 says that Yahweh had left him and that Samson did not know it. The text gives both and does not explain more. Verse 22 tells that his hair began to grow again.
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21The Philistines laid hold on him and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with fetters of bronze; and he ground at the mill in the prison.
In plain English: The Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes (this Bible: put out his eyes). They brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains (this Bible: fetters), and he ground at the mill in the prison (literally: the house of the prisoners).
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22However, the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaved.
In plain English: But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.
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23The lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.”
In plain English: The lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate. They said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand."
Good to know: The dictionary gives Dagon as "a Philistine deity". The god Dagon is named in 7 verses of the Bible: here, five verses of , where the Philistines set God's ark beside Dagon in his house, and , where they fasten Saul's head in the house of Dagon.
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24When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said, “Our god has delivered our enemy and the destroyer of our country, who has slain many of us, into our hand.”
In plain English: When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, "Our god has given into our hand our enemy, the one who laid waste our land and killed so many of us."
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25When their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson, that he may entertain us.” They called for Samson out of the prison; and he performed before them. They set him between the pillars;
In plain English: When they were in high spirits (literally: when their heart was good), they said, "Call Samson, so that he can entertain us (or: so that we can laugh at him)." So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them (this Bible: performed before them). They made him stand between the pillars.
The Hebrew words: "Entertain" is sachaq, which the dictionary gives as "to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by implication, to play". "Performed" is tsachaq, which the dictionary gives as "to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by implication, to sport".
What changes: Read one way, Samson played or performed before them. Read the other way, they laughed at him and made fun of him. The text does not say what he did.
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26and Samson said to the boy who held him by the hand, “Allow me to feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean on them.”
In plain English: Samson said to the young man (this Bible: boy) who was holding him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars the house rests on, so that I can lean against them."
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27Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were on the roof about three thousand men and women, who saw while Samson performed.
In plain English: The house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about three thousand men and women, watching while Samson entertained them.
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28Samson called to Yahweh, and said, “Lord Yahweh, remember me, please, and strengthen me, please, only this once, God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”
In plain English: Then Samson called out to Yahweh and said, "Lord Yahweh, please remember me. Please give me strength just this once, God, so that I may take revenge on the Philistines at one stroke for my two eyes (or: for one of my two eyes)."
The Hebrew words: "At once ... for my two eyes" is literally "with the revenge of one, for my two eyes". It can be read as one act of revenge for both his eyes, or as revenge for one of his two eyes. Samson calls on God by three names in this verse: Lord, Yahweh, and God.
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29Samson took hold of the two middle pillars on which the house rested and leaned on them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left.
In plain English: Samson took hold of the two middle pillars that held up the house, and braced himself against them, one with his right hand and the other with his left.
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30Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell on the lords, and on all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than those who he killed in his life.
In plain English: Samson said, "Let me die (literally: let my soul die) with the Philistines!" He pushed (this Bible: bowed himself; literally: stretched out) with all his strength, and the house fell on the lords and on all the people in it. So the dead he killed at his death were more than those he had killed in his life.
Good to know: The text says what Samson said and did, and that more died at his death than in his life. It does not praise or blame him. names Samson among those "who through faith" did great things (), and who "from weakness were made strong" ().
Church tradition: Some Christian readers have seen Samson's death, in which he defeated his enemies as he died, as a picture pointing to Christ. Others read it simply as the end of his story. The text records his prayer and his death and does not comment.
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31Then his brothers and all the house of his father came down and took him, and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burial site of Manoah his father. He judged Israel twenty years.
In plain English: Then his brothers and all his father's household came down and took him. They brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the tomb of his father Manoah. He had judged (or: led) Israel twenty years.
Good to know: Samson is buried between Zorah and Eshtaol, where Yahweh's Spirit first began to stir him (). The twenty years are also given in .
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