DELILAH: The Weakness of the Strong

 

If there was ever a “Judas” among the women in the Bible, that would be Delilah. Judas betrayed the Savior of the world for money, and for the very same reason, Delilah betrayed the savior of Israel.

THE STRONG

Samson is one of the most remarkable figures in Scripture, remembered by almost everyone for his extraordinary strength. He was a miracle child (Judg. 13:2–5), just like Isaac, John the Baptist, and even Jesus Himself. From the very beginning, he was destined for greatness—born to be Israel’s deliverer from the Philistines (v. 5). His name, “Samson,” literally means “little sun,” perhaps reflecting the hope he brought to Israel’s dark situation, or symbolizing his strength that shone like the sun.

Samson grew up to be a judge—a military and political leader with spiritual responsibility for God’s people. Scripture often highlights his strength: he tore apart a lion with his bare hands (14:6); struck down thirty men (v. 19); captured 300 foxes (15:4); defeated about a thousand enemies with only a donkey’s jawbone (v. 15); and more. His enemies feared him. He was invincible!

Until he met Delilah.

THE SEDUCTRESS

We don’t know much about Delilah’s background except that she came from the Valley of Sorek. She was the third woman mentioned in Samson’s story. His first marriage ended in disaster (14:19–20). He spent only a night with the second, a prostitute (16:1). And finally came Delilah (v. 4).

Samson was physically strong through the Spirit of God, but morally and emotionally, he was weak by his own choices.

The Philistine rulers offered Delilah an enormous sum of money (v. 5). If there were indeed five rulers (3:3), that amounted to 5,500 shekels of silver. Considering that an annual wage at the time was about ten shekels (cf. 17:10), this was equivalent to more than 500 years’ worth of salary! Beyond the riches, she would also gain honor as the one who delivered Israel’s judge into the hands of his enemies. Greed and selfish ambition consumed her, so much that she didn’t care about betraying the man who loved her.

Judges 16:6–14 records a series of deceptions. Delilah kept asking for the secret of Samson’s strength, and Samson kept misleading her. Three times this happened—each time she used his words against him, and each time it failed. Frustrated, she accused him of making a fool of her (vv. 15–16). Why didn’t Samson see through her scheme? Eventually, worn down by her persistence, he revealed the truth: he had never cut his hair because he was set apart as a Nazirite (v. 17). Samson could overcome an army of men, but he could not overcome the relentless pressure of a woman (cf. Judg. 14:10; 16:16).

The next day, Delilah cut his hair. When the Philistines attacked, Samson was overpowered for the first time—because “he did not know that the Lord had left him” (v. 20).

THE SECRET

The real secret of Samson’s strength was not in his hair, nor even strictly in his Nazirite vows. His extraordinary power came from the Spirit of God (Judg. 14:19; 15:14). In truth, he had already broken his vows multiple times: he touched dead bodies (Num. 6:6–7; cf. Judg. 14:8, 19; 15:15), drank at feasts (Num. 6:3–4; cf. Judg. 14:10), and sought wives among Israel’s enemies (Judg. 13:5; cf. 14:3; 16:4). The cutting of his hair marked the final break of his vow—a visible sign of his long-standing disobedience.

The Philistines gouged out his eyes and made him a slave (16:21). Yet in truth, Samson had been blind to his own folly and enslaved to his own desires long before that day.

His life ended in both tragedy and triumph: “Samson said, ‘Let me die with the Philistines!’ Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.” (v. 30).

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Delilah’s betrayal brought down Israel’s judge. Yet even through her treachery, God accomplished His plan: Samson fulfilled his calling to deliver Israel from its enemies. Delilah’s greed led her to betray the one who loved her, but it also placed Samson in the perfect time and place to fulfill his mission. In the end, Delilah’s actions contributed to the downfall of her own people.

Likewise, Judas was driven by greed to betray Jesus. But through his betrayal, God brought Christ to the cross, where He fulfilled His mission to save us from our sins. No human failure, no betrayal, no sin can ever thwart the plans of God. Still, we remain accountable for our actions. “Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” (Heb. 13:5). Stay Curious.