Judges Chapter 16

In Judges 16, we read the story of Samson and Delilah. Samson, known for his incredible strength, falls in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines approach Delilah and offer her a large sum of money to discover the secret of Samson’s strength, hoping to exploit it to defeat him. Delilah persistently asks Samson about the source of his strength, and he deceives her three times with false answers.

Eventually, Samson reveals the truth to Delilah, telling her that his strength lies in his uncut hair, which symbolizes his Nazirite vow to God. While he sleeps, Delilah calls for someone to cut his hair, and Samson loses his strength. The Philistines capture him, gouge out his eyes, and imprison him. Samson becomes a slave, forced to grind grain in the Philistine prison.

One day, the Philistines gather to celebrate their victory over Samson and bring him to their temple. They place him between two pillars. Samson prays to God for strength one last time and pushes against the pillars, causing the entire temple to collapse. In his death, Samson kills more Philistines than during his entire life.

Each verse in Judges 16 has its own unique significance and adds depth to the story. Click the links below to uncover the full context and explore the intricacies of this captivating account: