Extra Credit Reading Notes: Biblical Women, Part A

The Story of Delilah and Samson

Samson and Delilah by Lucas Cranach, 1537

(Wikimedia Commons)

Summary:

    Delilah was a young woman with whom Samson fell in love. The Philistine army wanted to take down Samson because he was such a great warrior, so they bribed her with silver and told her to find his greatest weakness. She professed her love to Samson but kept asking him what the source of his strength was. In total she asked him four times before he finally told her the truth. She was manipulative and used their love as a tool to get him to confess that his hair was the source of his strength. She immediately turned around and gave the Philistines this information so they would pay her. When Samson had fallen asleep on Delilahs's knee she immediately had a a man come and cut off his hair, which caused the strength of the Lord to go out of Samson and make him as weak as any other man. The Philistines took hold of him, gouged out his eyes, and made him a prisoner. 

Text Notes: Delilah

• From the valley of Sorek
• Author gives insights into her character with the entire premise of the story
• Easily swayed
• Manipulative
• Untrue to her word
• Deceptive
• Greedy
• Smart
• Author is good at creating tension with dialogue and description
• Each time Samson lies about where his strength comes from, Delilah manipulates him because she has been "mocked"
• "Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound."
• Delilah continuously grates on Samson's nerves with her begging
• "And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death, that he told her all his heart..."
• She is manipulative in saying "How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth."
• New International Version Translation: "How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength."
• This is textbook manipulation and gaslighting

Outside Research

• Delilah = "delicate" in Hebrew    
• Has been compared to Judas for his betrayal of Jesus and her betrayal of Samson
• Was the only woman to be named in Samson's story
• there were sex workers and other women

Bibliography

• Author of Judges: Unknown
• Delilah
• Link to story