Philistine woman who discovered and betrayed the secret of Samson's strength
Delilah
dih-LY-luh
The woman from the valley of Sorek who, bribed by Philistine lords, repeatedly pressed Samson to reveal the secret of his strength until he finally told her the truth — leading directly to his capture.
Life and work
Delilah lived in the valley of Sorek and became involved with Samson after his relationship with his Timnite wife had already ended violently. The Philistine lords each offered her 1,100 pieces of silver to discover the source of Samson's strength and deliver him bound (Judges 16:4-5).
Delilah pressed Samson directly, and three times he gave her false answers — fresh bowstrings, new ropes, and weaving his hair into a loom — each of which she tested by summoning hidden Philistine men to seize him, and each of which he escaped, seemingly without suspecting her intentions (Judges 16:6-14).
Worn down by her repeated pleading that he did not truly love her if he would not confide in her, Samson finally told Delilah the truth: his uncut hair was the sign of his lifelong Nazirite vow. She had him lulled to sleep and his hair shaved off, then called the Philistines, who seized the now-powerless Samson, gouged out his eyes, and imprisoned him (Judges 16:15-21). The text does not record what became of Delilah afterward.
- Occupation
- Not specified in the text
- Places
- The valley of Sorek, in Philistine-adjacent territory
Extra-biblical evidence
No archaeological find or extrabiblical text names Delilah individually; she is known solely from Judges 16.
Scripture references
- Judges 16:4-21 — Bribed by Philistine lords; extracts and betrays the secret of Samson's strength
Further reading
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