Samson and Delilah Revisited

Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah.

The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, "See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver."

So Delilah said to Samson, "Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued."

Samson answered her, "If anyone ties me with seven fresh thongs that have not been dried, I'll become as weak as any other man."

Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh thongs that had not been dried, and she tied him with them.

With men hidden in the room, she called to him, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" But he snapped the thongs as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.

Then Delilah said to Samson, "You have made a fool of me; you lied to me. Come now, tell me how you can be tied."

He said, "If anyone ties me securely with new ropes that have never been used, I'll become as weak as any other man."

So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them. Then, with men hidden in the room, she called to him, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" But he snapped the ropes off his arms as if they were threads.

Delilah then said to Samson, "Until now, you have been making a fool of me and lying to me. Tell me how you can be tied."

He replied, "If you weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric on the loom and tighten it with the pin, I'll become as weak as any other man." So while he was sleeping, Delilah took the seven braids of his head, wove them into the fabric and tightened it with the pin.

Again she called to him, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" He awoke from his sleep and pulled up the pin and the loom, with the fabric.

Then she said to him, "How can you say, 'I love you,' when you won't confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven't told me the secret of your great strength."

With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was tired to death.

So he told her everything. "No razor has ever been used on my head," he said, "because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man." Judges 16:4-17 (New International Version)



JW’s thought:
When I was a kid, I loved the Samson and Delilah movie on TV; I thought it was great romance. Even then, I was bothered by Samson’s self-neglect in considering Delilah’s motives. I hope you’re not as clueless as Samson. Let me ask you this, are you entertaining the same destructive pattern in your life over and over again even though it isn’t good for you? We all need to meet circumstances and relationships with eyes wide open. Discernment of situations and people who want to make an entrance in our lives is a challenge, but necessary in order to live  healthy and peaceful. Be aware and informed; your life (and Samson strength) depends on it.

God is truly patient as he continues to help us define what is worthy to touch us.

 
 
Scripture source: Bible Gateway