Del'ilah, or Deli'lah
(languishing) a woman who dwelt in the valley Of Sorek, beloved by Samson.
There seems to be little doubt that she was a Philistine courtesan. [SAMS0N] (B.C. 1141.)
After this, Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in Sorek Valley. The five Philistine kings said to her: Entice Samson into telling you why he is so strong and how we can overpower him. Tie him up, and make him helpless. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver. read more. Delilah said to Samson: Tell me what makes you so strong. How could you be subdued and tied up? Samson answered: If they tie me up with seven new bowstrings that are not dried out, I'll be as weak as anybody else. The Philistine kings brought Delilah seven new bowstrings that were not dried out, and she tied Samson up. She had some men waiting in another room, so she shouted: Samson! The Philistines are coming! But he snapped the bowstrings just as thread breaks when fire touches it. They still did not know the secret of his strength. Delilah told Samson: You made a fool of me. What is the truth? Please tell me how someone could tie you up. He said: If I am tied with new unused ropes I will be weak. Delilah tied him with new ropes. Then she shouted: Samson! The Philistines are coming! The men were waiting in another room. However he snapped the ropes off his arms like thread. Delilah said to Samson: You still make a fool of me. What is the truth? Tell me how someone could tie you up. He told her: If you weave my seven locks of hair into a loom, and make it tight with a peg, I will be weak. Delilah lulled him to sleep. She took his seven locks of hair and wove them into the loom. She made it tight with a peg and shouted: Samson! The Philistines are coming! He woke up and pulled his hair loose from the loom. How can you say you love me, she asked: when you do not mean it? You have made a fool of me three times. You still have not told me what makes you strong. She kept asking him, day after day. He got sick and tired of her nagging him. So finally he told her the truth: My hair has never been cut, he said: I have been dedicated to God as a Nazirite from the time I was born. I would lose my strength if my hair were cut. When Delilah realized that he told her the truth, she sent a message to the Philistine kings: Come back one more time. He told me the truth. They came and brought the money with them.