Judges 16

Samson Carries Away Gaza’s Gates

1One day Samson went to the Philistine town of Gaza and spent the night with a prostitute. 2Word soon spread* that Samson was there, so the men of Gaza gathered together and waited all night at the town gates. They kept quiet during the night, saying to themselves, “When the light of morning comes, we will kill him.” 3But Samson stayed in bed only until midnight. Then he got up, took hold of the doors of the town gate, including the two posts, and lifted them up, bar and all. He put them on his shoulders and carried them all the way to the top of the hill across from Hebron.

Samson and Delilah

44Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the valley of Sorek. 5The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, 6Entice Samson to tell you what makes him so strong and how he can be overpowered and tied up securely. Then each of us will give you 1,100 pieces* of silver.” 6So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me what makes you so strong and what it would take to tie you up securely.” 7Samson replied, “If 1 were tied up with seven new bowstrings that have not yet been dried, I would become as weak as anyone else.” 8So the Philistine rulers brought Delilah seven new bowstrings, and she tied Samson up with them. 2She had hidden some men in one of the inner rooms of her house, and she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you! 9But Samson snapped the bowstrings as a piece of string snaps when itis burned bya fire. So the secret of his strength was not discovered. 10Afterward Delilah said to him,“ You've been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now please tell me how you can be tied up securely.” 11Samson replied, “If 1 were tied up with brand-new ropes that had never been used, 16:11 I would become as weak as anyone else.” Judg 15:13 12S Delilah took new ropes and tied him up with them. The men were hiding in the inner room as before, and again Delilah cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But again Samson snapped the ropes from his arms as if they were thread. 13Then Delilah said, “You've been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now tell me how you can be tied up securely.” Samson replied, “If you were to weave the seven braids of my hair into the fabric on your Joom and tighten it with the loom shuttle, I would become as weak as anyone else.” So while he slept, Delitah wove the seven braids of his hair into the fabric. 4Then she tightened it with the loom shuttle.* Again she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson woke up, pulled back the loom shuttle, and yanked his hair away from the loom and the fabric. 1SThen Delilah pouted, “How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don't share your 16:15 I secrets with me? You've made fun of me three times now, and you still haven't told me what vuag 14:18 makes you so strong!” She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it. 17Finally, Samson shared his secret with her. “My hair has never been cut,” he confessed, 16:17 “for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. If my head were shaved, my strength udg 135 would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else.” 18Delilah realized he had finally told her the truth, so she sent for the Philistine rulers. “Come back one more time,” she said, “for he has finally told me his secret.” So the Philistine rulers returned with the money in their hands. 19Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down,* and his strength left him. 16:13-14 As in Greek version and Latin Vulgate; Hebrew lacks / would become as weak as anyone else. / So while he slept, Delilah wove the seven braids of his hair into the fabric. ‘Then she tightened it with the loom shuttle.

smother his burning lust and see Delilah for who she really was.How can you keep your desire for love and sexual pleasure fromdeceiving you? (1) You must decide what kind of a person youwill love before passion takes over. Determine whether a person'scharacter and faith in God are as desirable as his or her physicalappearance. (2) Because most of the time you spend with yourspouse will not involve sex, your companion’s personality,temperament, and commitment to solve problems must be asgratifying as his or her kisses. (3) Be patient. Time and observa-tion often reveal what is beneath the pleasant appearance andattentive touch.46:16, 17 Delilah kept asking Samson for the secret of hisstrength until he finally grew tired of hearing her nagging andgave in. This was the second time that Samson allowed himselfto be worn down by constant nagging (14:17). What a pitifulexcuse for disobedience. Don't allow anyone—no matter howattractive, persuasive, or persistent—to talk you into doing wrong.

20Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the LORD had left him. 21So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison. 22But before long, his hair began to grow back.

Samson's Final Victory

2323The Philistine rulers held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god, Dagon. They said, “Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!” 24when the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy to us! The one who killed so many of us is now in our power!” 25Half drunk by now, the people demanded, “Bring out Samson so he can amuse us!” So he was brought from the prison to amuse them, and they had him stand between the pillars supporting the roof. 26Samson said to the young servant who was leading him by the hand, “Place my hands against the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to rest against them.” 2”Now the temple was completely filled with people. All the Philistine rulers were there, and there were about 3,000 men and women on the roof who were watching as Samson amused them. 28Then Samson prayed to the Lor, “Sovereign LORD, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.” 29Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands, 30he prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime. 31Later his brothers and other relatives went down to get his body. They took him back home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, where his father, Manoah, was buried. Samson had judged Israel for twenty years. C. THE MORAL FAILURE OF ISRAEL (17:1—21 125) This section shows Israel falling into idolatry, moral decline, and petty fighting. Israel, the nation that was to set the example for spiritual living, had instead become morally depraved. When Israel did serve God, and that was seldom, it was often from selfish motives. Selfish obedience does not bring us far. Genuine obedience is motivated by a love and reverence for God himself. 1. idolatry in the tribe of Dan