Then Delilah said to Samson, "Behold, you have deceived me and told me lies; now please tell me how you may be bound." He said to her, "If they bind me tightly with new ropes which have not been used, then I will become weak and be like any other man." So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" For the men were lying in wait in the inner room. But he snapped the ropes from his arms like a thread.
Then Delilah said to Samson: Not to be deterred as a huge prize awaited her, Delilah pesters Samson to again divulge the magic formula. Samson, recalling the incident many years earlier at the rock of Etam where the 3000 men of Judah came to arrest and bind him and turn him over to the Philistines, told Delilah that by using new rope (moist rope that had not been weakened by use) he would become weak as a normal man.
Samson is playing with fire, but he is too blinded with his passion and arrogance to see it. Delilah ties Samson up with new ropes. Delilah yells, "The Philistines are upon you." He again instantly rects by breaking the ropes as if they were but made from thread.
5. (Judges 16:13-15) Samson lies to Delilah about the source of his strength for the third time
Then Delilah said to Samson, "Up to now you have deceived me and told me lies; tell me how you may be bound." And he said to her, "If you weave the seven locks of my hair with the web [and fasten it with a pin, then I will become weak and be like any other man." So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his hair and wove them into the web.] And she fastened it with the pin and said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" But he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the pin of the loom and the web. Then he said to him, "How can you say, 'I love you,' when your heart is not with me? You have deceived me these three time and have not told me where your great strength is."
Then Delilah said to Samson: Delilah is persistent. She now starts her pestering by telling Samson he has been lying to her and making fun of her. In other words, Samson is starting to hurt Delilah's feelings. Men know at this point, they are in trouble. Being told a woman's feelings have been hurt is like standing in front of a train. We can either continue on our path and be completely run over and leveled to the ground, or we can jump off the tracks and admit our error. Samson knows he must tell Delilah at least a partial truth.
I do not know about you, but I think Samson must have been one dumb guy if he was not catching on to Delilah's intentions by now. Love is grand, but just how far was Samson willing to go before he called Delilah's true intentions which would belie her hypocrisy?
Men can be blinded by a seductive woman. Young me are especially prone to be enticed by beauty and sexy flirtations. Even though there are major red flags in this relationship, everything will continue on because once something is started it is hard to stop. It is much easier staying in a bad relationship--a relationship in which we may experience hurt feelings and even physical abuse--than ending the relationship and being left alone.
If Samson would have had a sister or a family friend who was a female, she would have immediately seen through Delilah's insincerity. But Samson did not seem to have any of those. He wanted sex and not too much else from a woman. We do not ever read about Samson having relationships with Hebrew woman. The Law of Moses does not stand for illicit sexual relationships among God's people.
And she fastened it with a pin and said to him: Samson now has his hair thoroughly woven into the woven. Delilah again tests the situation and again Samson easily breaks free. But this seems to be the last straw.
6. (Judges 16:16-19) Samson finally betrays the source of his strength
It came about when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, that his soul was annoyed to death. So he told her all that was in his heart and said to her, "A razor has never come on my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will leave me and I will become weak and be like any other man."
When Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, "Come up once more, for he has told me all that is in his heart." Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his hair. Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him.
It came about when she pressed him daily: Delilah is now raising the ante. She begins nagging Samson every day and pressing him hard until it annoyed him to death. Samson had already partly divulged the truth (in that his hair had something to do with where his strength lie), but now it was either tell Delilah the whole truth or end the relationship.
A razor has never come on my head: Samson finally reveals to Delilah where his great strength lies. It is his hair. Samson tells her he has been a Nazirite from birth. He tells Delilah if his hair is cut, his strength will leave him.
When Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart: Delilah probably knew at once this was the truth. She knew there would be no more tests. She sends for the five Philistine leaders to come and observe as she traps their archenemy, Samson. Moreover, Delilah wanted payment on the spot. We read in verse 18 the five Philistine kings brought the money with them.
She made him sleep on her knees: Likely some time passed from the moment Samson revealed his secret to the time Delilah afflicted Samson. Samson assures himself he has it all under control. Delilah lures Samson to sleep. Samson places his head in her lap. Once asleep, Delilah signals for the barber to cut off Samson's hair. Samson hair is in seven locks (or most likely braids), which would have made cutting off his hair quick and easy.
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