Samson and Delilah

Judges Chapter 16

Samson went to Gaza and slept with a prostitute. Word spread that he was there, so the men of Gaza ganged up and waited at the city gates to kill him at dawn. But Samson only slept until midnight, then pulled the city gates, posts and all, out of the ground and carried them to the top of a hill across from Hebron.

Later Samson fell in love with Delilah who lived in the valley of Sorek. Leaders approached her and told her to find out what made Samson so strong and how he could be overpowered and tied up securely and they promised her 11 hundred pieces of silver. So she asked Samson what it was that made him strong and he replied, "If I am tied with seven new bowstrings that have not dried, then I am as weak as anyone else."

So the Philistines brought Delilah seven new bowstrings, and she tied Samson up. She had some men in one of her rooms and she cried out, "Samson, the Philistines have come to capture you." But he snapped the bowstrings as if they had been burned in fire. Afterward Delilah accused him of making fun of her and lying. So she asked him again how he could be tied securely. He said, "If I am tied with brand new ropes that have never been used." So she took new ropes and tied him and the men were hiding and again she cried out to Samson that he was about to be captured. But again he snapped the ropes as if they were thread. Delilah accused him of making fun of her and begged him to tell the secret of his strength. Samson told her to weave the seven braids of his hair into her loom and tighten it. She did, but he woke up and pulled his hair out of the loom. Delilah pouted and claimed he really didn't love her or confide in her. She nagged him day after day until he couldn't stand it. Finally he told her his secret, "My hair has never been cut, for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me."

Delilah sent for the Philistine leaders again and she lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap and called for a man to shave off his hair. After his strength left, she called for the Philistines to capture him. Samson could not break free, so the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. In Gaza he was bound with chains and forced to grind grain in prison. But his hair began to grow back.

Meanwhile the Philistines held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god Dagon for victory over Samson. Half drunk, the people demanded to have Samson perform for them, so he was brought out and put between two pillars supporting the roof of the temple. Samson asked the servant who was leading him to put his hands against the two pillars to rest them. Three thousand people filled the temple and Samson prayed to the Lord to remember him and give him strength again. He asked to die with the Philistines and he pushed against the pillars until the temple crashed down on all the people and him. His relatives took his body home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol where his father, Manoah was buried.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Samson was deceived by Deliliah with flattery and temptation because he wanted to be. He was a strong man, but lust won him over. Persistent nagging by Delilah wore him down, but what a pitiful excuse for disobedience to God.
By not killing Samson, the Philistines humiliated him, but this gave God time to work on Samson again. God answered his prayer to destroy the temple. God still loved him and was willing to hear his prayer of confession.
The Pagan society of the Philistines let them fill the temple of Dagon, the god of grain and harvest. Their worship of him included human sacrifice. The people sat on the flat temple roof and looked into the courtyard below to view the torture and humiliation of prisoners. How horrible.

How does this chapter relate to us today? The message here is that no matter how long or how far you stray from God, he is ready to heal you, to restore your faith and your relationship with him. If he could work in Samson, he can work in you.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Gabe, Wanda, Janice Long’s parents, Arlene’s nephew David, Logan and the newly born Stella who is taking mother’s milk now and Lori (who suffered a terrible accident)and her family. Update on Stella: She has good days, but is far from out of the woods. Pray for her, please and her parents too. Pray for Gene who is having a biopsy done today.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, those who need jobs, those who are about to lose or have lost their homes. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.