And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of
Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her,
Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means
we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we
will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great
strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. And
Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were
never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. Then the lords
of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been
dried, and she bound him with them. Now there were men lying in wait,
abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines
be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is
broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me
lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he
said unto her, If they bind me fast with clew ropes that never were
occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. Delilah therefore
took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The
Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in
the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me
lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If
thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web. And she fastened it
with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson.
And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam
and with the web.
And she said unto him, 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. 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, and said unto her,
There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite
unto God from my mother's womb if I be shaven, then my strength will go
from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and
called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for
he hath showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came
up unto her, and brought money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon
her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the
seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength
went from him. And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he
awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before,
and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.
Judges xvi, 4-20.