Judges 16:10-17
10 Then Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have toyed with me and told me lies; now please tell me how you may be bound.”
11 Then 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.”
12 So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” For the men in the ambush were waiting in the inner room. But he tore the ropes from his arms like thread.
13 Then Delilah said to Samson, “Up to now you have toyed with 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 the pin, then I will be weak like any other man.”
14 So while he slept, Delilah wove the seven locks of his hair with 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.
15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have toyed with me these three times and have not told me where your great strength is.”
16 And it came about, when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, that his soul was annoyed to death.
17 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.”
Conspiracy to Capture Samson (2)
The second and third attempt
Psalm 1 says, “Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” In this verse, is a progression of sinful actions from “walk,” to “stand,” and to “sit.” Corruption progresses gradually. Samson’s failure also progresses gradually. (1) Delilah realized that Samson had lied and pressed him further. Samson 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.” “New ropes which have not been used” refers to a cord that has not been used on unclean things. Again, there is a hint that removing his Nazirite characteristics will result in losing his strength. (2) When Delilah realized that the new ropes also was a lie, she became even more persistent with Samson. So, Samson said to her, “Weave the seven locks of my hair with the warp thread and fasten it with the pin.” Now, Samson stepped into a dangerous territory, as in this answer also is a clue that the secret lies in his hair.
The fourth attempt
Upon realizing that Samson had lied again with the warp thread, Delilah began to weep and plead. The Bible describes that she “pressed him daily with her words and urged him.” Samson seems to have been under immense pressure, as it is written that “his soul was annoyed to death.” So, finally, he revealed that he was a Nazirite and that he had never shaved his head. And if his hair were to be shaved, his strength would leave him. The actual source of his strength was not his hair itself, but rather the secret was in his being a Nazirite. (2) Being shaved of his hair signifies that he would no longer be a Nazirite and therefore would no longer receive strength from the Lord. This was an outwardly manifestation of Samson’s disobedience. While he had walked in disobedience before, this act would ultimately sever his relationship with the Lord. It all began with him loving a woman, Delilah. Failure to cut off the root of temptation in earlier stage, led to tragic consequences.
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, please protect me from having my faith taken away by Satan. I pray, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.