What is the meaning of Judges 16:10? Then Delilah said to Samson, - The story has moved to the Valley of Sorek where Samson “loved a woman whose name was Delilah” (Judges 16:4). - Delilah’s speech marks the second round of her attempt to uncover the secret of Samson’s strength (the first is in Judges 16:6–9). - Each time she speaks, the pressure on Samson increases—much like Samson’s Philistine wife had pressured him earlier: “She wept before him the seven days of the feast… so on the seventh day he told her” (Judges 14:16–17). - Scripture records no protest from Samson about Delilah’s request, highlighting a tragic pattern of ignoring God’s clear warnings about ungodly relationships (cf. Deuteronomy 7:3–4; 2 Corinthians 6:14). “You have mocked me and lied to me! - Delilah accuses Samson of “mocking” her—twisting the situation so that the real victim (Samson) appears guilty. This mirrors Satan’s ancient tactic of accusing the righteous (Revelation 12:10). - Her words aim at Samson’s emotions, not reason. Proverbs 7:21 notes how “With her enticing speech she caused him to yield.” - Samson has indeed lied, violating God’s command against bearing false witness (Exodus 20:16). His casual treatment of truth foreshadows the greater compromise yet to come (cf. Luke 16:10). - While Delilah claims moral injury, her heart is set on the silver promised by the Philistine rulers (Judges 16:5; 1 Timothy 6:10). Now please tell me how you can be tied up.” - The request is specific and insistent; she wants the secret, not a trick. Each plea narrows the gap between temptation and sin (James 1:14–15). - Delilah’s persistence resembles that of the nagging widow in Luke 18:1–5, but here it serves evil rather than justice. - Samson should have fled the situation, as Joseph did from Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:12). Instead, he stays, inching toward surrender. - The verse exposes the danger of trusting worldly love over covenant obedience. True safety lies not in secrecy but in faithfulness to God’s word (Psalm 119:9–11). summary Judges 16:10 captures the tightening snare around Samson: Delilah speaks with feigned hurt, accuses him of deception, and persistently presses for the key to his downfall. Her words reveal a manipulative heart, while Samson’s presence shows a heart drifting from obedience. The verse teaches the peril of entertaining temptation, the cost of compromised truth, and the urgency of guarding one’s God-given calling before the enemy’s rope ever reaches our hands. |
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