What is the meaning of Judges 16:5? The lords of the Philistines went to her and said, • The “lords” are the five rulers of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath (Joshua 13:3; 1 Samuel 6:18). Their unified visit shows how seriously they viewed Samson’s threat. • They go “to her”—Delilah—because Samson has already shown a weakness for Philistine women (Judges 14:1–2; 16:1). As with Samson’s first wife (Judges 14:15), the enemy again exploits a close relationship to get at him. • Notice that Israel’s judge is being opposed not by ordinary soldiers but by political leaders, hinting at a larger spiritual contest behind the scene (Ephesians 6:12). Entice him and find out the source of his great strength • “Entice” points to deliberate seduction, echoing Proverbs 7:21 where persuasive words lure a man to ruin. • Samson’s “great strength” is repeatedly attributed to the Spirit of the LORD (Judges 13:25; 14:6; 15:14). The Philistines assume it is a secret technique; believers know it is divine empowerment flowing from Samson’s Nazirite calling (Numbers 6:5). • Satan still seeks to discover and undermine the believer’s God-given power—our faith, the Word, the Spirit (1 Peter 5:8; Matthew 4:1–11). and how we can overpower him to tie him up and subdue him. • Their aim is total domination: “overpower… tie… subdue.” Earlier, fellow Israelites tied Samson with two new ropes (Judges 15:13), but the Spirit broke them “like flax.” The Philistine lords want a method that finally works. • Tying implies bondage; subduing implies humiliation (compare Judges 16:21). In Christ, believers are called to freedom, not bondage (Galatians 5:1), yet the adversary still schemes to re-enslave through sin (John 8:34). • The sequence mirrors the enemy’s strategy: discover the weakness, bind, then oppress. Paul warns, “Do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:27). Then each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver. • Five lords × 1,100 = 5,500 shekels—an enormous bribe, underscoring how desperate they are. Compare Gideon’s victory spoils of 1,700 shekels (Judges 8:26); Delilah is offered more than triple. • Money motivates betrayal throughout Scripture: Joseph’s brothers receive twenty shekels (Genesis 37:28); Judas sells the Lord for thirty pieces (Matthew 26:14-15). Greed is “a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). • Delilah’s acceptance (Judges 16:18) contrasts sharply with Ruth’s loyalty (Ruth 1:16-17). We are cautioned: “Keep your lives free from the love of money” (Hebrews 13:5). summary Judges 16:5 exposes a coordinated, calculated plot against the LORD’s servant. Philistine rulers recruit Delilah, banking on seduction, secrecy, and silver to pierce the divine strength empowering Samson. The verse warns that spiritual opposition often targets personal relationships, tempts through fleshly desires, and leverages greed to bind and subdue. Believers are reminded to guard their calling, resist enticement, and prize faithfulness over any earthly reward. |
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