1

Samson fell into Temptation

2

When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, "Come back once more; he has told me everything." So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. (Judges 16:18~19)

3

Samson was the strongest Judge among the judges of the Israelites.

The strength of Samson came out from his hair that he had not cut from birth.

As long as, Samson did not cut his hair, God would give him great strength.

4

Samson had killed a thousand men with only a jawbone.

So the Israelites could live safely because of Samson's harassing the Philistines.

5

But Samson fell in love with Delilah of the Philistines.

So he stayed in her house everyday.

6

The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said,

"See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength

and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him.

Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver."

7

Delilah became greedy about the money and began to think about the secret of Samson's strength. So she pretended to love Samson more than before.

However, Samson had no idea about the bribe.

8

After that, everyday she asked Samson to tell her about his power.

"Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.

I am very curious. I will not tell others."

9

Samson proudly answered her, "If anyone ties me with seven fresh thongs

that have not been dried, I'll become as weak as any other man."

Then, Delilah told the rulers of the Philistines that.

10

Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh thongs that had not been dried, and she tied him with them.

11

With men hidden in the room, she called to him,

"Samson, the Philistines are upon you!"

But he snapped the thongs as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame.

Thus, Samson had deceived Delilah.

12

A second time he said, "If anyone ties me securely with new ropes that have never been used, I'll become as weak as any other man."

But he snapped the ropes off his arms as if they were threads.

13

Delilah then said to Samson, "Until now, you have been making a fool of me and lying to me. Tell me how you can be tied." He replied, "If you weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric on the loom and tighten it with the pin, I'll become as weak as any other man."

So while he was sleeping, Delilah took the seven braids of his head, wove them into the fabric and tightened it with the pin. But this too did not work.

14

With such nagging she pleaded with him day after day until he was sick and tired to death. So he told her everything. "No razor has ever been used on my head," he said, "because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man."

15

Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.

Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll get out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had left him.

16

Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison.

Samson received criticism from the Philistines there.

Though Samson gained great power from God; he lived a miserable life because of Delilah's temptation.

17

Satan always tempts us like Delilah tempted Samson day after day.

Satan makes us turn away from God by attacking our weak parts again and again. Therefore, we should always be careful to follow God's Word and stay in His presence!