Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Judges Chapter 16 mean?

The previous chapter ended with a summary statement: Samson judged Israel for twenty years ( The previous chapter ended with a summary statement: Samson judged Israel for twenty years (Judges15:20). Only a few notable incidents in Samson’s life are recorded, and none are tied to specific dates. We’re not told exactly when his tenure began. Nor do we know how much time passes between his victory over the Philistine army (Judges 15:14–15) and his arrival in Gaza.

It’s clear Samson is still living for himself and not according to the commands of the Lord. No reason is given for him to be in Gaza. This is the southernmost of the Philistines’ five major cities (Joshua 13:3). Perhaps he was on a mission. Perhaps he planned to move through quietly, assuming he would not be recognized. While there, he goes to a prostitute. Someone in Gaza recognizes him, so the local men prepare an ambush. They expect him to leave in the morning and think they can corner him at the locked city gates (Judges 16:1–2).

Instead, Samson leaves the prostitute at midnight, rips the entire gate structure out of the ground, and walks away with it. He carries the gate some distance away, dropping it on top of a hill. This not only leaves the city exposed and vulnerable, but it is also a deeply humiliating act. A city’s gates were centers of commerce and the main point of defense. To “capture the gates” of an enemy was to be in total control (Genesis 22:17; 24:60). While Israel is subjugated, Samson is openly insulting the Philistine nations who rule the region (Judges 16:3).

What happens next is introduced with deep foreshadowing. The Valley of Sorek is named after a variety of grapes. Samson’s Nazirite vow (Judges 13:5) was supposed to keep him from all grape products (Numbers 6:1–4). The woman he falls for is referred to as Delilah. This might imply “weakness,” in contrast to Samson’s great strength. Her name can mean “night,” the opposite of Samson’s name which plays on the word shemesh, meaning “sun.” That same connection to night may foreshadow the result of their relationship, which is literal blindness (Judges 16:21). Unlike the previous woman Samson “saw,” this is a woman whom he “loves.” The lords of the five Philistine cities hear about this and spot an opportunity. They offer Delilah the modern equivalent of millions of dollars. Her mission is to seduce Samson into telling the secret of his supernatural strength. She agrees (Judges 16:4–5).

Delilah is not subtle. And yet, she is extremely clever. Rather than trying to disguise her quest, she hides it in plain sight. She simply asks Samson how someone could subdue him. In the context of two lovers, such a blunt series of questions would seem more sincere than suspicious. And yet, one would expect Samson to suspect something. Yet he can’t resist playing her game. At first, he lies, telling her he can be subdued with fresh bowstrings: the un-dried tendons or sinews of animals. Delilah tries just that, with men waiting in ambush, only to find Samson is as strong as ever (Judges 16:6–9).

This begins several repetitions of the same basic pattern. Delilah acts hurt and betrayed, claiming that Samson is teasing her with his lie. That, itself, may have begun as flirtatious banter. Each time she asks, and he lies, she tries his method and he can impress her with his strength. Over time, this probably lulled Samson into a false sense of security. In his mind, her attempts and cries of warning were a game, not an attempt to hurt him. Delilah tries using new ropes (Judges 15:4–5), but these don’t work, either (Judges 16:10–12).

That Samson is growing less suspicious and more trusting is shown in his next lie, involving his hair. That ends with the usual results, but it’s a dangerous move. The actual secret of Samson’s strength is his uncut hair, the only explicit requirement given to him before his birth (Judges 13:4–5). Delilah’s flirting and teasing turns to manipulation. She questions his love and makes him sick at heart until he finally gives in. Trying to prove his love, Samson tells her the truth: if his hair is cut, he’ll be as weak as anyone else (Judges 16:13–17).

Samson assumes Delilah loves him. He probably thought that when she tried tying him up before, she was simply teasing and playing a game. Those attempts were relatively tame: tying him or weaving his hair. Samson assumes someone who loves him won’t go as far as to shave his head. Perhaps he’s right—but Delilah isn’t acting in love. Now that she knows he’s opened his deepest heart, she calls for her patrons to send men and payment. She lulls Samson to sleep—possibly making him drunk or using drugs so he won’t know that his head is being shaved (Judges 16:18–19).

As before, Delilah calls out a warning. As before, Samson wakes up and attempts to free himself. This time, however, it’s not a game or a joke. Too late, Samson realizes his hair is gone, that Delilah was lying, and that he’s being captured for real. The hiding men spring out and maim Samson, taking his eyes. He’s bound with heavy metal shackles and enslaved in a Philistine prison (Judges 16:20–21).

Samson’s hair is not a magical substance that grants him strength. Rather, it’s an outward sign of his commitment to obey God. While Samson’s life was filled with blatant disobedience, this is a line he had not yet crossed. By telling his secret—to a woman he never should have trusted, let alone slept with—Samson might as well have shaved his own head. He’s violated his purpose, and God takes away his strength. And yet, perhaps because of this experience, Samson’s faith begins to heal and mature, symbolized by his slowly regrowing hair (Judges 16:22).

The Philistines hold a huge celebration to honor their god Dagon. They see this as a victory of their deity over the God of Israel. Thousands of noblemen crowd into the temple. In what’s likely a drunken, foolish choice, Samson is brought out of the jail to be put on display. Showing a new sense of humility, Samson prays for one more burst of strength. He then strains against the pillars holding up the entire building. God grants his request, and the temple collapses, killing Samson along with innumerable Philistine leaders (Judges 16:23–30).

God’s purpose for Samson was to disrupt the Philistine’s comfortable, secure control over Israel (Judges 13:5; 14:4). The chaos Samson spread during his life certainly spread fear (Judges 14:19, 15:14–15; 16:3). In death, however, he does more to shatter Philistine oppression than he did in his entire life. That his family can so readily come and bury him suggests that the local power structure has been completely scrambled. Later men such as Samuel will complete the liberation (1 Samuel 7:11–14). For now, this catastrophe ends the twenty-year tenure of one of the Old Testament’s most complicated figures (Judges 16:31).

Samson is the last pure “judge” of Israel in this era (Judges 2:16–19). Samuel will bridge the transition from judges to prophets (1 Samuel 7:3–6) as Israel moves towards a monarchy (1 Samuel 8:4). In the meantime, Israel will continue to live in spiritual chaos and sin, disregarding the will of God (Judges 17:6, 21:25). The events which close out the book of Judges highlight the tragic, disturbing results of that rejection.

Chapter Context
Samson’s story began in chapter 14 and will end here. His time as a judge lasted twenty years (Judges 15:20), but Scripture records only a few major incidents from his life. No specific times are assigned to these events. Samson humiliates Gaza by ripping out the city gates with his bare hands. He then falls for Delilah, who finds out the secret of his strength and betrays him. The Philistines blind Samson and enslave him in a prison near Gaza. They then parade him around during a noblemen’s celebration in the temple of Dagon. With power from the Lord, granted as a last request, Samson collapses the temple’s support pillars. This kills everyone inside, including himself. This begins the process of Israel’s liberation (Judges 13:5), which later men such as Samuel will complete (1 Samuel 7:11–14).

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a prostitute, and he went in to her.

Samson was said to have judged (Judges 2:16–19) for twenty years. The “judges” of this book were not lawyers, nor simply leaders, or military commanders. Rather, they were some combination of all three, each with their own unique purpose. The term “judges” comes from the Hebrew sōpetim’, from the root shaphat. This includes rescue, support, and even vengeance. Samson’s story has already included a great deal of revenge (Judges 15:7, 11). His God-given purpose has been to shake Israel out of complacent subjugation under the Philistines (Judges 13:5; 14:4). We’re not given details about what Samson was doing between the events explicitly recorded in the previous two chapters.

Scripture doesn’t say how long passed between Samson’s slaughter of a Philistine army (Judges 15:14–17) and this moment in Gaza. Nor does it specify when his twenty-year term officially began. What’s recorded here, however, is part of the end of his story.

It’s unknown why Samson went to Gaza. This was the southernmost Philistine stronghold of the five major Philistine cities (Joshua 13:3), and far from Samson’s hometown of Zorah. He was well-known as an enemy of the Philistines. Easy identification such as photographs did not yet exist. Yet only one person who knew him would be enough to sound an alarm. Arriving at Gaza is risky enough. Choosing to stop overnight seems extremely unwise, even without considering who he stays with. Perhaps he planned to pass through quietly and couldn’t contain his urges. It would not be his first (Judges 14:1–3) or last (Judges 16:4–5) stumble on account of a woman.

While in Gaza, Samson notices a prostitute, whom he hires for the night. Samson’s lifestyle routinely proves he is not interested in walking closely with the Lord. God, however, can and will use Samson for His own ends (Judges 14:4). What happens next provides a vivid warning to the Philistines about their dominance over Israel.

Context Summary
Judges 16:1–3 provides another example of Samson’s persistent immorality. This happens some unspecified time after he’d insisted on marrying a Philistine woman in defiance of his parents and common sense (Judges 14:1–4). That led to an escalating cycle of vengeance and a literal pile of Philistine corpses (Judges 15:14–17). When Samson solicits a prostitute, his enemies see it an opportunity for an ambush. Instead, he rips the city gates out of the ground with his bare hands and escapes.

Verse 2. The Gazites were told, “Samson has come here.” And they surrounded the place and set an ambush for him all night at the gate of the city. They kept quiet all night, saying, “Let us wait till the light of the morning; then we will kill him.”

The Philistines in Gaza realize Samson—the Israelite who killed so many of their people (Judges 14:19; 15:8, 15)—was in town. Unbelievably, he was spending the night with a prostitute, giving his enemies ample time to react. The Philistines saw an opportunity to finally put an end to Samson.

Obviously, there are large gaps in Samson’s overall story; most of his life is not described in the Bible. The same is true of this incident. It may have been years since he killed many hundreds of Philistine soldiers with a jawbone. We’re not told how the people in Gaza (Joshua 13:3), far from Samson’s home, know who he was. Thanks to his earlier adventures, it’s not difficult to imagine reasons he would be recognizable throughout the territory. It would only require one person to identify him. Other questions are also left unanswered. Why was he in Gaza now? Was he looking to have a good time in a new place? Was he on some specific mission? None of this is revealed.

All that matters, for the sake of the story, is that the Philistines are preparing an ambush. The fear inspired by Samson’s reputation might be reflected in that very fact. They don’t rush into the room while he’s engaged with the prostitute. Instead, they seem intent on waiting until he comes out, most likely the moment he arrives at the city gates. These would have been secured overnight, so Samson would not suspect anything if they were still closed in the morning. They assume he will pass by on his way out of town. Then they can corner him in the open and attack as a mob. As did the army who confronted him at Ramath-lehi (Judges 15:16–17), they intend to kill their enemy. Once again, they will fail.

Verse 3. But Samson lay till midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and pulled them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that is in front of Hebron.

Samson’s fame has clearly grown. He is a known and hated enemy of the Philistines. In this incident, he is recognized far from his home territory, while in the city of Gaza. This was one of five major Philistine towns (Joshua 13:3). No clue is given as to why Samson would travel this far south, let alone put himself in such danger. No suggestion is given about any mission related to his role as judge (Judges 15:20). He may simply have been wandering. All that’s noted is that he stopped—apparently on a whim—when he noticed a prostitute. He is staying with her for the night and is now surrounded by Philistines who want to kill him (Judges 16:1–2).

The Philistines had agreed to wait in ambush all night long. Their plan seems to be to catch Samson at the city gate as he is leaving town in the morning. The gate of the city was probably locked after dark for security, meaning those inside would expect to wait for first light before leaving town. That would provide a place to corner Samson.

Among the many unknown details about this event is how Samson learned that men were waiting to ambush him. Strictly speaking, the Bible doesn’t say that he knew about the ambush, at all. It seems extremely unlikely he’d act as he does unless he was making a point, however. It’s not likely he decided to leave town in the middle of the night and wanted to “show off” by tearing out the city doors. And yet, that’s possible.

Rather than asking to open the gate, or unlocking it himself, Samson rips the entire assembly out of the ground. Notably, there is no mention of God’s Spirit overwhelming Samson as in earlier exhibitions of strength (Judges 14:5–6, 19; 15:14–15). Yet it would make sense God was involved here. The gates included two doors, two posts, and the bar keeping the doors closed. Whatever other pieces were attached likely came along, as well. The opening had to be large enough for carts and livestock to pass through. The mechanisms Samson lifted would have easily weighed several hundred pounds—and were securely anchored to the earth. That level of power is well beyond natural human ability.

At this point, any thought of a Philistine ambush had probably dissolved. But instead of tossing the gate aside, Samson walks away with it. Readers might see this as a comical moment, and it’s probably meant to be just that. Samson is mocking the Philistines and humiliating them. His show of strength and indifference was insult enough. Worse, a city without a gate is exposed and unsafe. City leaders would conduct business there. It was the main point of trade and commerce. To seize a city’s gate area was to control the entire town (Genesis 22:17; 24:60), symbolically and literally. Samson isn’t merely capturing Gaza’s gates; he’s taking them and leaving.

The text then indicates Samson carried the gate to the top of a hill. Depending on how the phrasing is translated, this might mean a hill “facing” Hebron, or the actual mount more than day’s walk away. It’s possible, given Samson’s other feats of strength, that he carried the Philistine gates back into Israelite territory and dropped them there.

Samson continues to fulfill his unique role as a Judge of Israel (Judges 2:16–19). His carnal lifestyle is difficult to understand, but his personality makes him an instrument of disruption. His actions shatter the complacent Philistines rule over Israel (Judges 13:5; 14:4). By literally “capturing” the gates of an important Philistine city—in a ludicrously effortless way—Samson provides a dire warning to Israel’s oppressors.

Verse 4. After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

This relatively short verse is packed with symbolism and foreshadowing.

Samson has returned to his home region after humiliating the Philistine town of Gaza by carrying away their city gates (Judges 16:1–3). The Valley of Sorek is west of Jerusalem. The name of this location is supposedly related to a specific type of grape. This is subtle foreshadowing: Samson was meant to live as a Nazirite (Judges 13:4–5). That vow required total abstinence from all grapes and grape products (Numbers 6:1–4). In this valley, he will finally encounter a temptation which neither his cleverness nor strength can overcome.

Samson has fallen for another woman in this territory, though the name of the specific town is not given. When Samson was involved with other women, Scripture noted only that he “saw” them (Judges 14:1; 16:1). This corresponds to his uncontrolled, lustful urges. Now, however, the Bible says Samson “loved” a woman. His connection to her is deeper than mere attraction. As the rest of this passage shows, he is vulnerable and honest with her. What would otherwise be a good sign, and a step of maturity, will be the last and most disastrous mistake of Samson’s life.

The woman’s name is recorded as “Delilah.” She was likely yet another Philistine. How and why Samson came to love her is not stated. Nor are we told anything about her life prior to meeting Samson. Her name, however, can be interpreted in several ways. In some languages, Delilah would imply a worshipper of Ishtar, a pagan goddess. In Hebrew, the word dalal can mean “weak,” making it a counter to Samson’s strength. Some commentators suggest Delilah is an alias chosen by the writer of Judges. The Hebrew word laylah means “night,” while Samson’s name is related to the word shemesh, meaning “sun.” Any or all of these imply her influence on Samson: leading him away from God, sapping his strength, and blinding him (Judges 16:21).

Delilah acts as a mirror image of women like Jael (Judges 4:17–18). Jael, loyal to Israel, tricked an infamous enemy leader into letting down his guard, then destroyed him (Judges 4:19–21). As did Jael, Delilah will use clever manipulation to outsmart and defeat someone who otherwise seemed invincible. Samson possessed supernatural strength from God (Judges 14:5–6, 19; 15:14–15; 16:3). Yet he never overcame the mundane, common weakness of many men: an appetite for women. This weak point is fully exploited by Delilah and her Philistine sponsors, leading to Samson’s eventual capture and death.

Context Summary
Judges 16:4–22 finds Samson falling in love with Delilah. In exchange for an outrageous sum of money, she agrees to seduce him so she can pass along the secret of Samson’s strength to his Philistine enemies. This begins a pattern Samson probably thought was a lover’s game, where he repeatedly lies about his secret. Eventually, however, he tells her the truth: shaving his head will make him weak. She has his head shaved as he sleeps and then turns him over to the Philistines, who gouge his eyes out and make him into a slave.

Verse 5. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.”

Several important ideas are echoed in this verse. Samson was known throughout Philistine territory. The oppressors of Israel (Judges 13:1) feared this Israelite man. They’d learned the hard way that he was unstoppable by physical means (Judges 15:14–15; 16:1–3). They couldn’t defeat him by sheer force of numbers. He’d already piled Philistine corpses in heaps when armed only with a donkey’s jawbone. He’d ripped up and carried away the gates of the city of Gaza. Those events proved his strength was supernatural—also suggesting it had a source which might be exploited.

The Philistines have learned that Samson loved Delilah. She was likely a Philistine woman. While Samson had “seen” and desired women before (Judges 14:1; 16:1), his feelings for her are deeper. Philistine rulers hatch a plan to use Samson’s attraction and affection against him. If Delilah can discover the source of his unbelievable strength, he can be stopped.

Scholars suggest these “lords” were probably rulers of the five major Philistine cities: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath (Joshua 13:3). The enormously wealthy nobles pledged to pay Delilah 1,100 pieces of silver, each. That presumably made their proposal worth 5,500 pieces of silver. Most commentators interpret these as shekels (Genesis 20:16; Deuteronomy 22:19). To put this sum into perspective, Abraham purchased the burial land for Sarah for 400 shekels (Genesis 23:15). Thirty shekels was the price of a slave in the law of Moses (Exodus 21:32). Many historians estimate the annual wage of a common person in that era at around ten shekels. If so, the lords of the Philistines were offering Delilah the modern equivalent of millions and millions of dollars.

To earn this, Delilah will need to untangle the mystery of Samson’s strength. The Philistine leaders are blunt about their assignment: seduce Samson, uncover his secret, and expose him so we can capture him alive. Their intent is not to kill him immediately. Rather, they want to “humble” him, likely meaning torture and being paraded around as an object lesson for the rest of Israel. Delilah’s payment is not merely for trying: she is being paid to succeed, so only if the Philistines capture Samson can she have the money.

Scripture says nothing about Delilah’s original feelings for Samson, nor if she ever had any. Whatever affection she felt was outweighed by the outrageous sum of money being offered. Her strategy seems to involve luring Samson into a game. Eventually, he will let down his guard and trust her with his secret, resulting in his doom (Judges 16:21).

Verse 6. So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.”

The rulers of the Philistines have banded together, trying to stop Samson the Israelite for the last time. They have approached a woman Samson loves (Judges 16:4–5) with an offer of enormous sums of money. She can have the fortune if she seduces Samson to learn his weakness, resulting in the Philistines capturing him. She has agreed.

As reported in this verse, Delilah’s approach is not at all subtle. She bluntly asks Samson what seems like a suspicious question: tell me why you are strong and how to defeat you! However, this is a clever and effective strategy. She asks the question of a man who loves her so asking directly is somewhat like “hiding in plain sight.” Samson has a sharp mind of his own. Her tactic is much less suspicious than trying to cleverly get an accidental admission.

The following passage (Judges 16:7–20) shows how Delilah frames everything as a sort of game. Samson might have thought it was all flirting and banter, right up to the point where he was betrayed. Readers may wonder if Samson knew Delilah was working for the Philistines. With the benefit of hindsight, this appears obvious. Yet Scripture relays Samson and Delilah’s relationship in only seventeen verses; many details are left out. We’re not told how long it took for this process to play out. Nor should we assume that the words recorded here were their only conversations about the subject.

Samson’s strength is only outdone by his lack of self-control and poor decision-making. At the very least, he’s ignoring common sense and whatever warning signs were present. Eventually, after lulling Samson into a false sense of security, Delilah will succeed in her epic betrayal (Judges 16:21).

Verse 7. Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

Samson seems to be playing a dangerous game with Delilah, the woman he loves (Judges 16:4–6). We’re not told how much he knew about her plan. Most likely, he didn’t know she had been paid to betray his secret and hand him over to his enemies. And yet, it’s highly likely Samson ignored common sense and other warning signs. The lords of the Philistines offered Delilah a huge amount of money to seduce Samson into revealing the secret of his supernatural strength. They intend to subdue and humiliate him.

Rather than trying to be sneaky, Delilah has taken a less suspicious approach. She presumably lavishes Samson with love, while bluntly asking about the secret of his supernatural strength. In that context, a lover asking, “how can you be defeated?” would appear more curious than anything else. Samson gives Delilah an answer. It’s a lie, seemingly part of what he thinks is a flirtatious, private game. His answers, her use of them, and his responses imply he thinks this is an amusing way to show off for his lover (Judges 16:9, 12, 14). Eventually, he will trust her enough to tell the truth, foolishly assuming she won’t harm him—though that’s exactly what she will do (Judges 16:20–21).

In his first blatant lie, Samson tells Delilah that seven fresh, undried bowstrings would make him as weak as any other man. If Delilah knows anything about Nazirite vows (Judges 13:4–5; Numbers 6:1–21), this would make a certain amount of sense. Samson’s position as a Nazirite should have prevented him from contacting anything from a corpse. Bowstrings were made from sinews or intestines of dead animals; an undried bowstring came straight from a carcass. Samson knew from experience, though, that touching something from a dead body would not take away his strength.

Verse 8. Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

Delilah is lying to Samson: Philistines rulers are the real reason behind her questions (Judges 16:7). They have offered her a huge sum of money if she can use seduction to reveal the secret of Samson’s strength (Judges 16:4–6). Samson, in turn, has lied to Delilah. He probably doesn’t realize how untrustworthy she is. Yet he’s playing along with what probably feels like a lover’s game.

She has asked Samson what it would take to subdue him completely. He knows she is asking about his supernatural strength. Samson has told her, falsely, that being tied with seven fresh, undried bowstrings would make him as weak as any other man. That would make some sense, since Samson’s Nazirite vow (Judges 13:4–5) prohibited contact with carcasses and corpses (Numbers 6:1–21). Bowstrings were made from dried animal intestine or other tendons. “Fresh bowstrings” were pieces of a dead animal.

Delilah’s patrons provide the seven fresh bowstrings. She uses them to tie Samson up, perhaps as he sleeps. What she says next, Samson may have taken as a joke (Judges 16:9). It’s not—Delilah has men waiting in case Samson is weak. Either way, he will easily snap the cords.

Verse 9. Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the bowstrings, as a thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.

If Samson ever supposed Delilah was working with the Philistines (Judges 16:4–5), one would expect this to confirm those suspicions. Yet her approach, and his responses, make it all but certain he doesn’t understand the risks. In response to her blunt questions (Judges 16:6), Samson has told her that if he is bound with seven fresh, undried bowstrings, he will become as weak as any other man. It is a lie (Judges 16:7–8).

Philistine rulers are behind Delilah’s quest. They offered an amazing amount of money if she succeeds in seducing Samson and exploiting his secret. They have provided her with the seven bowstrings, and presumably also the men hidden in her inner chamber—her bedroom—ready to pounce as soon as Samson was subdued.

Once Samson is tied up, Delilah calls out a warning that his enemies are there. Either waking from sleep or in response to the strange game they are playing, Samson snaps the bowstrings easily. The description here echoes what happened to the new ropes once used to bind Samson for capture (Judges 15:14). Bowstrings were made from things like tough animal sinews, yet these came off as if disintegrating. Samson remains as strong as ever.

As with the gates of Gaza (Judges 16:3), the Bible does not refer to the Spirit of God “coming upon” Samson in this moment (Judges 14:5–6; 15:14–15). It’s possible his supernatural strength was now a permanent part of his role as judge (Judges 15:20). It may also be that the onrush of the Spirit is assumed but not stated.

For now, Samson doesn’t appear to realize there are actual Philistines in the room. Scripture does not say they attacked, only noting they were waiting. It would be unbelievable for Samson to continue playing with Delilah, let alone telling her the truth, if something so obvious had happened. More likely, he assumes she is flirting and teasing him. So, he flirts and teases back by breaking the bonds. It’s even possible that her methods—including so many instances where nothing happens—took away any early skepticism he might have held.

Her answer in the following verse may have been in the same playful tone (Judges 16:10). Over time, however, her words become more personal and more desperate, and Samson will lose both his resolve and what’s left of his common sense (Judges 16:20–21).

Verse 10. Then Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have mocked me and told me lies. Please tell me how you might be bound.”

Delilah’s words imply she is deeply wounded in her soul. Samson did not trust her enough to reveal the secret of his supernatural strength (Judges 16:7–9). Most likely this is part of playful banter, and not entirely serious. If Samson suspects anything beyond flirtation and amusement (Judges 16:4–6), he doesn’t act accordingly. Prior verses noted there were Philistines waiting in ambush but doesn’t say they attacked. Whatever he might have thought when she first “warned” him, he will probably come to think these are just games (Judges 16:12, 14).

It’s true that Samson has lied to Delilah. He might even be “mocking” her, to some extent. Of course, why would he ever dare to tell her the truth? Delilah’s brilliant strategy, it seems, is to wear down his guard, until he fully—and foolishly—believes she means him no harm (Judges 16:20–21).

Delilah, putting on a pout, asks again to know how Samson’s supernatural strength can be removed. Nothing is revealed to tell us his thoughts. We only know he continues to play out this odd game with Delilah.

Verse 11. And he said to her, “If they bind me with new ropes that have not been used, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

Samson continues to play Delilah’s dangerous game (Judges 16:4–5). It’s unknown what Samson might have suspected when she first began to ask about his secret weakness (Judges 16:6). He lied, at first, as one might expect (Judges 16:7). Even though she followed through on his lie and then tested it (Judges 16:7–10), most likely the Philistine men waiting in ambush didn’t spring out. From Samson’s perspective, this might be a kind of lover’s banter. Or, a trust exercise between Samson and the woman he loves. On the other hand, one would expect him to at least realize the possibility that she is working with his enemies.

The fact that this pattern repeats several times might help explain why it eventually succeeds. After several rounds of questions, lies, tests, and no real consequences, Samson may have concluded Delilah never intended to harm him, but was merely curious. To each failure, she claims to be hurt over his lack of honesty and asks again how a person could possibly defeat him.

Samson now responds with his second lie: that if someone were to tie his hands with unused ropes, he would lose his supernatural power. Those paying attention to Samson’s story know this is not true. This was exactly how the men of Judah bound Samson when they attempted to hand him over to a Philistines army at Lehi (Judges 15:13). When God’s Spirit empowered him, Samson snapped the ropes as if they were burnt threads (Judges 15:14–15). The same thing happened when Delilah tried tying him with seven undried bowstrings.

She doesn’t know this, it seems, so once again Delilah will test the source of Samson’s power (Judges 16:12).

Verse 12. So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And the men lying in ambush were in an inner chamber. But he snapped the ropes off his arms like a thread.

The pattern of an odd game repeats once again (Judges 16:6–11). Samson again lied to Delilah, saying he would become as weak as any other man if bound with new ropes. Delilah has been hired to capture Samson (Judges 16:4–5), so she again hides Philistine men in her inner chamber to ambush Samson once he is weak. As she did before, she applies the method suggested by Samson, as he sleeps, then calls out a warning. Samson again snaps the ropes like thread.

It’s unclear whether Samson is asleep each time this happens or whether he allows Delilah to tie him up while awake, waiting for her to cry out as part of the game. If so, he is truly unaware she is hoping to turn him over to his enemies. The text does not say the waiting men attack—most likely, they are waiting to see what happens. After a few cycles, this game seems to lull Samson into false trust, and he will foolishly give up his real secret (Judges 16:16–17).

Verse 13. Then Delilah said to Samson, “Until now you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me how you might be bound.” And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and fasten it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

Samson is either arrogant about his ability to defeat his enemies, or clueless that the woman he loves is working for them (Judges 16:4–6). Twice, he told her a way to remove his supernatural strength; both were lies. In both cases, she did what he suggested, then shouted out a warning as if his Philistine enemies were there. Both times, he easily broke his bonds (Judges 16:7–12). Both times, she responds with a pouting, pleading attitude and asks again.

It’s natural to wonder how someone as headstrong and clever as Samson (Judges 14:12–14; 15:4–5) could fall into this trap. Delilah consistently attempts any method he suggests for erasing his great strength. Nothing happens when she tests him the first several times, which probably lulls him into a false sense of trust. The experience likely felt like a lover’s game: a teasing, flirting banter between he and Delilah.

Whatever skepticism or common sense Samson might have had about the situation is fading. He once again invents a lie about the source of his strength. But this one is dangerously close to springing the trap. He seems to intentionally play with fire, making this lie about his long hair. Samson had been set aside by the angel of the Lord as a Nazirite before he was even born (Judges 13:5). Normally, those who voluntarily take a Nazirite vow agree not to drink wine or touch dead bodies, among other requirements (Numbers 6:1–21). The only obligation explicitly mentioned for Samson, however, was that he never cut his hair. Though Samson had willfully touched dead bodies and had likely consumed wine, he seems to have been faithful to that single mandate.

As a result, Samson’s hair would have been quite long. It is apparently divided into seven long locks or braids. He tells Delilah that if she intertwines his hair into fabric and fastens it tight, he will lose his superhuman strength. The context of this passage suggests the use of an actual loom, implying Delilah might have been a weaver.

Verse 14. So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his head and wove them into the web. And she made them tight with the pin and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he awoke from his sleep and pulled away the pin, the loom, and the web.

For the third time in what he probably thinks is a flirtatious game, Samson has lied to Delilah about how to eliminate his supernatural strength (Judges 16:7–13). He probably believes she’s asking out of curiosity and in response to his love (Judges 16:4). Her repeated attempts, followed by his easy escape, might have seemed like a flirtatious game. The truth is that Delilah’s being paid by Samson’s enemies to discover his weakness (Judges 16:5–6). Most recently, he told her that weaving his long hair into fabric on a loom would make him weak.

In a way, Samson’s lies mock superstitious traditions of his time. The use of seven fresh bowstrings (Judges 16:7)—undried parts of animal carcasses such as tendons—would have sounded like something from worship of a false idol. According to some legends, a person’s hair was thought to contain their essence. There was no doubt Samson’s physical power was supernatural (Judges 15:14–15; 16:3). Delilah likely expected the secret to involve some odd cultic practice.

Carrying out Samson’s new suggestion would have taken quite a bit of work. Scholars suggest that to weave fabric into his hair as described would have required laying down near a loom. Stakes would be secured to the ground or floor. The hair would be pulled straight as it was woven together with the thread of the fabric of the “web.” Samson slept through the procedure, which he almost certainly knew was happening. The only other possibility is that he was drugged—though that probably would have made him too suspicious to give Delilah any further ideas.

Delilah then follows the same pattern already demonstrated. When she’s finished weaving his hair and secured everything tightly with a pin, she called out to him once more as if his enemies are attacking. Samson wakes up, easily pulls out the pin and frees himself from the loom and the web.

Verse 15. And she 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 you have not told me where your great strength lies.”

Samson’s entire life is marked by weakness for women (Judges 14:16–17; 16:1). In Timnah, this involved a different woman and a different secret, but the tactic was the same. Then it was Samson’s new bride who claimed he hated her since he wouldn’t reveal the answer to his unfair riddle. He eventually gave in and told her, only to learn she was betraying him to the Philistines.

Now another woman is using the exact same tactic. He has resisted her to this point by simply lying about the source of his supernatural strength. In fact, he has made a game of it, allowing her to tie him up multiple times, even weaving fabric into his hair only to show that his strength was still with him (Judges 16:7–14). Each time, Samson probably assumed it was all in playful fun, allowing him to show off and entertaining his lover.

Unlike the other women Samson has known, however, Delilah truly has his heart. So, when she accuses him of lying when he tells her he loves her, it hurts. She says his heart is not truly with her, that he’s abusing her by making fun of her requests. If Delilah were not lying (Judges 16:4–6) and genuinely loved Samson, this might be a fair complaint. Deep intimacy would suggest not keeping such secrets. On the other hand, if she loved him, it’s unlikely she would be so transparently manipulative in her approach.

Samson isn’t blind—yet (Judges 16:21)—so he could have considered the same facts. Yet he is deeply vulnerable to women. And this is the woman he sincerely loves. Each time she’s asked for his secret, and taken advantage, nothing bad has happened—though he doesn’t know there have been men waiting in case he really was weakened (Judges 16:9, 12). He continues to resist Delilah, but he begins to falter. He will eventually break, fully trusting her and assuming she’d never go as far as she does (Judges 16:16–19).

Verse 16. And when she pressed him hard with her words day after day, and urged him, his soul was vexed to death.

In the modern world, we are often baffled to learn that yet another high-ranking politician or businessman has been found guilty of giving away secrets to a woman he had recently met and begun sleeping with. Government officials are often warned to expect those exact tactics from spies and saboteurs. Still, it has continued to happen over and over throughout history. Even when the woman is not a paid spy, as is Delilah (Judges 16:4–6), it’s a persistent flaw in the morality of men. This is the reason so many advisors in the ancient world were eunuchs: men castrated to eliminate their desire for women.

Samson is among Scripture’s most infamous, harshest examples of this masculine weakness. His God-given supernatural strength gave him no protection from lust or emotional frailty. He’s been fooled by Delilah into thinking she loves him and simply wants to be trusted (Judges 16:7–15). He wants the woman he adores to be convinced that his love is true. His natural temptation was to keep nothing from her so that they could be truly intimate.

That emotional urge would run counter to common sense. Samson may have been lustful and arrogant, but he was not stupid. He would have fully understood the incredible risk involved in telling anyone the key to his superhuman strength. This verse indicates that Delilah’s manipulation was incredibly effective. The internal struggle was literally killing Samson. His soul was “vexed to death” (ESV) or “sick to death” (NIV). He wanted to tell her the truth even as he knew he should not.

In the end, Samson chose to believe that if he fully opened himself to Delilah, she would fully accept him for who he was. Sadly, he was wrong—the warning signs he’d foolishly ignored when he first met her will be overcome by her brilliant seduction (Judges 16:17–19).

Verse 17. And he told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother ‘s womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

God’s Spirit has given Samson the power to tear apart lions (Judges 14:5–6), stack up the corpses of enemy soldiers (Judges 15:14–15), and rip city gates out of the ground (Judges 16:3). That physical power does not make Samson wise, nor does it give him emotional strength. Here, he exhausts his ability to resist a woman’s manipulation.

He loves a woman, Delilah, but does not know she’s a paid spy for his enemies (Judges 16:4–6). She’s lulled him into a false sense of security (Judges 16:7–16) and begun crying over his supposed lack of love. The struggle to keep his important secret, while under such pressure, has been making Samson deeply soul sick. Intellectually, he knows how foolish it would be to tell anyone how to erase his supernatural strength.

Still, as a man, he naturally longs for the woman he loves to give him her full acceptance. He desperately wanted to believe she was fully committed to him. Samson had ignored all the warning signs and common sense that would have kept him from this dangerous state of mind. Now, convinced she’s loyal and desperate for her approval, he tells her the secret. In fact, he seems to start from the very beginning.

Samson reveals to Delilah what his parents told him about who he truly was. He was set apart by the Lord for a special purpose even before he was born (Judges 13:3–5). Nazirite vows involved many restrictions (Numbers 6:1–21), but the only one explicitly given to Samson was that he must never cut his hair. He tells her the truth she’s been trying to wrest from him all along: if his head is shaved, he will be no stronger than any other man.

This is the first time Scripture suggests that Samson’s supernatural, Spirit-empowered strength was directly connected to his hair. Yet Samson clearly understood that to be true. He somehow knew that if this requirement of his Nazirite life were broken, the Lord would remove his strength. This is not because God imbued the hair, itself, with magical power. Rather, the uncut hair was a sign of submissive obedience to God.

That knowledge is key to understanding why God will take away Samson’s power, though his hair is cut without his knowledge (Judges 16:18–20). Foolishly revealing the secret is, itself, a sign of rebellious disobedience. By telling Delilah how to erase his God-given strength, Samson might as well have shaved his own head.

Samson seems to assume Delilah loves him, so she won’t follow through as she had done with the earlier, less-extreme incidents. He’s tragically wrong on both accounts.

Verse 18. When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up again, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands.

Delilah knew this conversation with Samson was different from the others. He probably thought her previous questions were part of a teasing lover’s game (Judges 16:6–14). Over time, she lulled him into a false sense of security and applied incredible emotional pressure. Finally, sick at heart to prove himself to the woman he loved (Judges 16:15–17), he had been open with her like never before. He had been genuine. Samson likely thought Delilah loved him too much to do something as drastic as shaving his head. She could tell he kept nothing back from her.

Had Samson and Delilah had been a committed married couple going through counseling together, this might have been a positive breakthrough leading to lasting intimacy. Instead, it is a breakdown leading to Delilah’s fortune. She knows she has broken Samson, at last. The men who’d proposed to offer her riches if she captured him would have to pay up (Judges 16:4–5).

During their previous rounds of their “game,” Delilah had kept men waiting to ambush Samson if he had lost his power. That detail wasn’t noted in the last attempt (Judges 16:14). Now that she’s entirely sure of her victory, Delilah contacts the Philistine nobles who hired her and tells them to bring their men and her money. They do so, eager to pounce on Samson as soon as he is weak.

The price of Samson’s constant carelessness with women was a heart always drawn to follow his physical desires (Proverbs 5:3–14). Rather than seeking the Lord’s guidance, he was led by his lesser instincts, and into destruction (Judges 16:19–21; James 1:15). Even so, God uses even Samson’s failure to continue to work out His plan: shaking Israel free from submission under the Philistines (Judges 13:5; 14:4). Philistine arrogance and complacency will provide an opportunity for one last vengeful strike from Samson (Judges 16:22, 28–30).

Verse 19. She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him.

Delilah knows Samson has finally told her the truth about the source of his supernatural strength (Judges 16:5–6; 15–17). If his head is shaved, he will become no stronger than any other man. She has signaled her sponsors, Philistine noblemen, to prepare to capture their hated enemy.

Now Delilah manages to get Samson to sleep, apparently with his head on her lap. This is something of a mirror image of when Jael, a woman loyal to Israel, tricked a powerful enemy man into sleeping, then destroyed him (Judges 4:17–21). When Samson is fully asleep, Delilah summons a helper to shave off his hair. Scripture does not explain why Samson failed to wake up, but it’s likely he was drugged or drunk. Some commentators suggest that God caused Samson to remain asleep to accomplish His purpose; Delilah’s cunning makes it likely she’d take deliberate steps to prevent Samson from noticing what was happening until it was too late.

Once Samson’s hair is gone, Delilah begins to “torment” or “subdue” Samson in some way. That might mean tying him up, much as she’d done before (Judges 16:9, 12, 14). Samson’s strength had already evaporated before he knew it. When he awakes to hear her familiar warning, he will be shocked to realize he’s weak, and that God’s power has left him (Judges 16:20).

Verse 20. And she 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 the Lord had left him.

Samson made the foolish choice to trust Delilah, a woman he was not married to and was sleeping with in violation of several of the Lord’s commands to Israel (Judges 16:5–6). His desires blinded him, spiritually, to the dangers of his foolish decisions (Judges 16:5–6). They led him to be manipulated and tricked (Judges 16:15–17). Now, after crossing so many moral lines during his life, the Lord will no longer empower Samson. His desires will blind him physically and permanently (Judges 19:21).

Under intense emotional pressure, Samson finally gave in to the woman he loved. Thinking she also loved him, he told her the secret of his power was in never cutting his hair. As soon as she had that secret, Delilah took advantage and prepared an ambush, shaving his head while he slept (Judges 16:18–19).

There was nothing special about Samson’s hair, itself. It was just hair. Nazirite vows included several requirements (Numbers 6:1–21). The only one explicitly given to Samson for his entire life was that he never cut his hair. That was a visible sign of Samson’s submission to God. The true source of his supernatural strength was the Spirit of the Lord. That power had been given directly by God so Samson could accomplish a mission for God (Judges 13:5). Delilah is certainly guilty for skillfully manipulating Samson’s emotions. Yet Samson has been guilty of far more, by not being faithful to the Lord who called him for a special purpose. Telling Delilah his secret was not much different than shaving his own head; Samson betrayed his God-given purpose for the sake of a sinful desire. He loses his strength for that sin, not because the physical hair was detached.

For the final time, Delilah wakes Samson by calling out the same warning she’s used before (Judges 16:9, 12, 14). Each time, Samson probably thought it was part of a game—so he’d wake up and easily break out of the bonds. Once again, he hears her words, and wakes up—not realizing his head is bare, and his superhuman power is gone.

Verse 21. And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison.

The Lord has left Samson, because Samson has now entirely violated every command given him by God. The one prophetic requirement given to Samson before his birth was that he never cut his hair (Judges 13:5). Under intense pressure from a woman he loves (Judges 16:4)—and who pretends to love him—Samson has divulged that secret. His superhuman strength is because of his special status before God, symbolized by his long, uncut hair. Delilah has betrayed him for the modern equivalent of millions of dollars (Judges 16:5). He has given her his secret, and she has used it to remove the Lord’s one requirement for Samson to continue in his God-given supernatural power (Judges 16:17–20).

As in their prior “games,” Delilah has called out a warning to Samson, This time, when Samson leaps up to snap his bonds, he is helpless. Seeing that their hated enemy is truly subdued, the Philistines waiting in ambush burst from hiding inside Delilah’s inner chamber. This is the last thing Samson will see on earth. The attackers rush Samson, who is probably still tied up, and gouge his eyes out. The man who once piled up Philistine corpses (Judges 15:14–15) and walked away carrying the gates of Gaza (Judges 16:3) is now humiliated, maimed, and utterly dominated by his enemy.

The Philistines transport Samson to Gaza, where he recently embarrassed them by tearing away the defenses of their fortified city. Gaza is the southernmost of the five major Philistine cities near the Mediterranean Sea (Joshua 13:3). This might have been done to exact revenge for his earlier actions. Or, Gaza might have been chosen to keep Samson far from the main population of Israelites to avoid rescue attempts.

Samson is bound with bronze shackles, far stronger than the ropes he once snapped with ease (Judges 16:12). The Philistines won’t take any chances with him, but they will mock him mercilessly. They decide that killing Samson is too good for him. Instead, they condemn him to labor in their prison at Gaza, grinding out grain at a mill. This matches the overall approach the Philistines had taken towards Israel (Judges 13:1). Samson’s life was meant to shatter that comfortable oppression (Judges 13:5), but now it seems as if the opposite has happened. The arrogant, selfish, unbeatable Samson is finally brought low.

God, however, has one more feat for Samson to do. The same flaw—arrogant complacency—provides an opportunity for Samson to regain his power (Judges 16:22) and achieve a last act of revenge.

Verse 22. But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.

This statement is ominous for the Philistine enemies who captured Samson while he was weak. It’s a hopeful sign for Samson and his people. His supernatural strength was taken from him when he foolishly told his lover about his special calling before God, symbolized by his uncut hair (Judges 16:15–20). Blind and captured, a disgraced Samson is now enslaved and forced to do the work of a lowly servant. That humiliation seems to lead Samson to true repentance, renewed faith, and dependence on the Lord. Parallel to that, his hair grows back as it naturally would.

The Philistines seem blissfully unaware of the implications of Samson’s regrowing hair. For their part, they probably assumed that Samson’s strength was part of a magical pact with his deity, so once the pact was broken, it was broken forever. Otherwise, they might have continued to shave his head to keep him weak. Of course, the hair itself was never the real reason Samson was so powerful; the hair was symbolic of his God-ordained role. Samson lost his strength because he valued his lusts more than His Lord.

Samson’s utter humiliation seems to cause at least some changes in his attitude. Scripture never says how long his hair needed to be to “trigger” God’s power, or that such a thing would have happened, at all. It merely notes that it began to grow, and the rest of the passage implies that Samson’s submissive faith was growing, as well. Before Samson’s story is over, the Philistines will learn they cannot rest easy while God’s man is still alive and within reach (Judges 13:5; 14:4).

Verse 23. Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.”

The worship of pagan deities and false gods is rarely depicted so extensively in the Bible. The “lords of the Philistines” are probably the rulers of the five major Philistine cities (Joshua 13:3). They’ve assembled in Gaza to give praise and worship to Dagon and make a sacrifice to their god.

Historians report that Dagon was originally worshiped as a god of grain or harvest or possibly storms. Popular culture often associates Dagon with fish and the sea, as the Hebrew word dag means “fish,” though the Philistines apparently treated him as a general deity. Among some Baal worshippers in Canaan, Dagon was said to be the father of Baal. Like the Israelites, the Philistines were relatively new to Palestine. Also like the Israelites, they apparently adopted some of the regional gods as their own. Dagon-worship is always associated with the Philistines in the Old Testament.

The scene which follows shows how noteworthy Samson’s capture was to the Philistines. Israel had become compliant and easily managed over time (Judges 13:1; 15:11). Samson was an agent of chaos and disruption, bringing them various levels of destruction for twenty years (Judges 15:20). The Philistines believed Dagon had finally delivered Samson into their hands; this would mean Dagon had won a victory over the God of Israel. So, the Philistine nobles gathered for a party in honor of their idol.

Context Summary
Judges 16:23–31 begins with a great Philistine celebration in Gaza. This honors the false god, Dagon, for the capture of Samson. Samson, blind and humiliated, is put on display in the crowded temple for the entertainment of thousands of men and women, including the Philistine lords. He asks to lean against the pillars that support the building and prays to the Lord for one more burst of strength to avenge his eyes. With God’s strength, he knocks the pillars down, killing thousands of Philistines and himself. He is buried near his hometown of Zorah.

Verse 24. And when the people saw him, they praised their god. For they said, “Our god has given our enemy into our hand, the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us.”

Samson was the Philistine’s public enemy number one. They all praised Dagon—an idol adapted from the Amorites—when they saw that Samson was finally captured and humiliated in his blindness. In this way, the Philistines demonstrate the kind of faithfulness to their false god which the true God of Israel wants to see, in His own people, towards Him. Instead, Israel has repeatedly abandoned Him to take part in the worship of the false gods of Canaan and the surrounding nations.

It’s not just Philistines rulers who give credit to the false god Dagon for Samson’s capture. His feats of terror against the Philistines (Judges 15:4–5; 14–15; 16:3) have alarmed the populace for years (Judges 15:20). So long as Samson was free, the Philistines in Palestine could not feel safe. This, of course, was the point of God’s use of Samson (Judges 13:5; 14:4). Samson’s coarse, immoral lifestyle is difficult to understand, but the main purpose of his life was to shatter the complacent oppression wielded by the Philistines. The assembled nobles don’t know it yet, but this unique judge (Judges 2:16–19) will once more strike terror into those who harm God’s people (Judges 16:30).

Verse 25. And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, that he may entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars.

A huge celebration is going on in Gaza. The rulers of the Philistines have come from their five cities (Joshua 13:3). These nobles, and presumably the wealthiest and most influential of their people, have gathered for a party in honor of their false god Dagon (Judges 16:23–24). The dreaded and feared Israelite Samson has finally been captured, drained of his supernatural strength, and blinded. As far as they know, the brutal threat posed by Samson has ended.

When the party really gets going, people call for Samson to be brought out to entertain them. The expression that “their hearts were merry” is sometimes associated with drunkenness (1 Samuel 25:36; Esther 1:10). Instead of keeping Samson tightly bound in slave labor (Judges 16:21), they want to mock him in public. Samson is brought into the temple building and made to stand before them all between the two central pillars of the building.

The way in which Samson is made to “entertain” the Philistines is not described. Perhaps it was simply the opportunity to look at Samson in his current pathetic condition. Perhaps he was made to navigate obstacles in his blindness. It’s also possible, but not as likely, that they knew his strength had returned (Judges 16:22) and made him demonstrate it in some controlled way. That Samson is about to pray for great strength seems to contradict that possibility, as well (Judges 16:28). Whatever was done to him, the once fearsome Samson was joyfully mocked by thousands of Philistines. This decision will not end well for the oppressors of Israel (Judges 13:1, 5; 16:30).

Verse 26. And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.”

Here, the point of view switches from the celebrating Philistines to Samson. He stands in what is likely a Philistine temple, among thousands of nobles from their culture (Judges 16:23–24). He is blind (Judges 16:21), ridiculed and seems thoroughly defeated. However, he is not as helpless as he seems. Samson lost his supernatural strength because he betrayed its secret to Delilah (Judges 16:17–20). In prison, he seems to have finally come to a point of submissive faith (Judges 16:28), foreshadowed by his regrowing hair (Judges 16:22).

The Philistines, in their celebration, brought Samson out for their own entertainment. That choice was probably fueled by copious amounts of alcohol (Judges 16:25). Complacency and comfort in their oppression of Israel (Judges 13:1) was exactly what God intended to disrupt, using Samson (Judges 13:5; 14:4). In this case, their arrogance and carelessness will lead to a devastating result (Judges 16:29–30).

Samson is standing at the center of the large temple. Archaeologists differ as to the exact construction of such buildings. This one featured two main pillars which supported the main weight of the roof and walls. A young man is holding Samson’s hand, likely to lead him around in his blindness. Samson asks to lean against the support pillars. He speaks as if he’s tired and needs to rest.

Verse 27. Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained.

The party in celebration of Samson’s capture was packed with people. These were probably from all over Philistine-controlled territory (Judges 16:23–26). The “house” is large, likely a temple to the false god Dagon. Samson stands with his hands resting on the two large central pillars of the structure. Men and women have been watching him both from the main level of the building, where he is, and from the roof of the structure. This verse reports 3,000 people standing above and looking down on the action.

Even for modern buildings, three thousand people is an enormous number to stand on the roof of a single building. Commentators suggest this might refer to a series of balconies in the upper part of the building, attached to the ceiling in some way. It’s also possible that this means the there were 3,000 people present, and at times they went up onto the roof to watch Samson’s humiliation. Either way, there are a vast number of Philistine nobles presents. None of them seem to realize they’re in grave danger (Judges 16:29–30).

Verse 28. Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.”

This is only the second time in Samson’s recorded story where he addressed the Lord. The first took place after he killed a swarm of Philistine soldiers with the jawbone of a donkey. He gave God credit for the victory, mostly, only to demand water for his thirst with a haughty accusation that the Lord might let him die (Judges 15:14–18). Here, completely humiliated (Judges 16:21, 25), Samson calls to the Lord again.

Samson’s prayer now carries much greater respect, referring to his Creator as “O Lord GOD.” The Hebrew phrasing is Adōna’ y yhwh, using two of the more common references to God. Samson also includes the word “please,” asking the Lord to grant him supernatural power one last more time.

At the same time, Samson’s prayer also expresses the primary motive for his actions: revenge. This deliverer, this judge of Israel (Judges 2:16–19) set aside to begin to save his people from the Philistines (Judges 13:5; 14:4), was always motivated by personal vendetta more than anything else. The Lord is still willing and able to use Samson, even Samson’s bitterness and selfishness, to accomplish the purpose for which Samson was born.

Verse 29. And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other.

With his final breaths, Samson expressed faith in God, to a point, by asking that his strength be restored one last time (Judges 16:28). His clearly stated motive is revenge, against the hated enemies who have blinded him (Judges 16:21, 25). The thousands of Philistines gathered for the celebration of Samson’s capture seem oblivious to the idea that he could be any danger to them now. He is sightless, broken, weak, and thoroughly humiliated. They don’t suspect that his relationship with the God who empowered him is beginning to heal (Judges 16:17, 22).

Were Samson to get his strength back, the Philistines have left him in a dangerous spot. He stands between two pillars holding up the entire building. Historians suggest this was not an uncommon architectural design for some ancient temples. The weight of the roof held the solid pillars in place while they supported building. Some temples might have had a series of balconies, which would also have been part of the roof and ceiling structure. Samson senses an opportunity to strike a final blow against his enemies.

The pillars are close enough together that Samson can put one hand on each and push. In this moment, Samson doesn’t know if the Lord has granted his prayer for a last burst of supernatural power. In prior incidents, he acted after sensing the overwhelming presence of God’s Spirit (Judges 14:5–6; 15:14–15). This is an act of faith—until he tries to use it, he won’t know if he has that power. If he strains against the columns and fails, he will experience both failure and humiliation.

Verse 30. And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.

Samson’s last words to the Lord are a request to die along with an entire building full of the most powerful and influential of all the Philistines. Thousands and men and women are gathered in this temple in Gaza (Judges 16:23–27), including the governors of the five major Philistine cities (Joshua 13:3). Three thousand are above him, perhaps standing in attached balconies, the roof, and other elevated parts of the temple. Samson has prayed for the power to obtain revenge one final time on his hated enemies (Judges 16:28–29). What he’s asking for is not “suicide,” where his death is the primary goal. Rather, Samson realizes the opportunity he would have—if he were strong enough—to bring down the temple, and he is willing to die to accomplish that goal.

Samson has been standing with one hand on each of the two main pillars supporting the entire building. After this final prayer, he pushes both columns with all the effort he can muster. That he “bent” implies that he stretched or contorted as he pushed, possibly wedging himself between the pillars and pushing them apart with his entire body. God grants Samson’s last request, giving him the superhuman strength to collapse the columns, bringing the entire building down in a catastrophic collapse. In a single moment, Samson kills more Philistines than he’d slain during his previous twenty years as a judge (Judges 15:20).

God’s purpose for Samson’s life was to disrupt the Philistines’ sense of comfortable oppression over Israel (Judges 13:5; 14:4). While he acted as a judge, Samson was an agent of chaos against Israel’s enemies (Judges 13:1). When he was captured, the Philistines believed they’d ended the threat—only to be caught off guard by their worst defeat, yet. God has used Samson—a deeply flawed, complicated man—to prove a point. Even without using armies, even without a saintly servant, the Lord can bring destruction against Israel’s enemies. The Philistines thought their false god Dagon had won a victory, but God used a captive slave to obliterate the entire temple.

Verse 31. Then his brothers and all his family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had judged Israel twenty years.

Samson is dead. Powerful Philistine leaders and influencers lay crushed along with him in the rubble of a collapsed temple (Judges 16:24–30). Israel is still under Philistine control, but the Lord has accomplished His exact purposes through Samson’s life. He has used Samson to begin to save Israel from the Philistines (Judges 13:5). The Philistines had grown lazy and comfortable in their rule over Israel (Judges 13:1). Samson’s chaotic life shattered that sense of security, and his death was a catastrophe which wiped out innumerable Philistine leaders. This will set the stage for later heroes, such as Samuel, to complete Israel’s liberation from their oppressors (1 Samuel 7:11–14).

For the first time in many years, Samson’s family makes an appearance. The text reminds us that Samson’s formerly barren mother had more sons after him (Judges 13:2–4). Those sons, Samson’s brothers, come to Gaza to collect his body. Perhaps they were given permission from the Philistines. Or, more likely, Samson’s act of self-sacrifice has scrambled the Philistine power structure; in the immediate aftermath, there’s no one with enough authority to stop them.

The family brings Samson’s body back to the place where he grew up. They bury him between Zorah and Eshtaol (Joshua 15:33; 19:40–41), perhaps near the place where the Spirit of the Lord first began to stir in him (Judges 13:25). He is buried in the family tomb alongside his father Manoah.

Samson was unique among the judges of Israel (Judges 2:16–19). Yet, like all the others, he was God’s chosen instrument, and the designated rescuer of his people during this twenty year stretch of Israel’s history.

End of Judges 16

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