Judges 16:4-20

4After this it came about that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5The 1lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “2Entice him, and see where his great strength lies and 3how we may overpower him that we may bind him to afflict him. Then we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” 6So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength is and 4how you may be bound to afflict you.” 7Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh cords that have not been dried, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” 8Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh cords that had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 9Now she had men lying in wait in an inner room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the cords as a string of tow snaps when it 5touches fire. So his strength was not discovered.

10Then Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have deceived me and told me lies; now please tell me 6how you may be bound.” 11He said to her, “If they bind me tightly with new ropes 7which have not been used, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” 12So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” For the men were lying in wait in the inner room. But he snapped 8the ropes from his arms like a thread.

13Then Delilah said to Samson, “Up to now you have deceived me and told me lies; tell me 9how you may be bound.” And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my 10hair with the web 11[and fasten it with a pin, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” 14So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his 12hair and wove them into the web]. And she fastened it with the pin and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the pin of the loom and the web.

15Then she said to him, “13How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have deceived me these three times and have not told me where your great strength is.” 16It came about when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, that his soul was 14annoyed to death. 17So he told her all that was in his heart and said to her, “A razor has never come on my head, for I have been a 15Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will leave me and I will become weak and be like any other man.”

18When Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all that is in his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. 19She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his 16hair. Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him. 20She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that 17the Lord had departed from him.