What is the meaning of Judges 16:7? Samson told her Delilah has just asked, “Please tell me the source of your great strength” (Judges 16:6). Samson answers, but he is toying with her. • We have seen the pattern before—“She wept before him the seven days… and on the seventh day he told her” (Judges 14:17). Samson habitually yields sacred secrets to persistent women. • Scripture warns that repeated compromise erodes resolve: “Each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire” (James 1:14). • The Philistine leaders have promised Delilah “eleven hundred shekels of silver” (Judges 16:5), echoing the betrayal price that later appears in Matthew 26:15. Greed often fuels betrayal. • Samson’s words are literal, yet every conversation is under God’s sovereign gaze; “Before a word is on my tongue You know all about it, O LORD” (Psalm 139:4). If they tie me up Samson proposes bondage. He knows ropes and fetters cannot truly hold him (compare Judges 15:13–14). • Physical cords mirror spiritual captivity. Jesus said, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). • People still try to restrain God’s servants with human schemes, yet “The word of God is not bound” (2 Timothy 2:9). • Samson’s suggestion sounds plausible, illustrating how temptation often looks reasonable while masking danger (Proverbs 14:12). With seven fresh bowstrings He specifies “seven,” the number that often signifies completeness (Genesis 2:2; Joshua 6:4). • Bowstrings—animal sinew—were prized for strength once seasoned. Fresh strands, however, were pliable. Samson flips logic by claiming they will drain his power. • The enemy loves rituals and numbers, but power belongs to the LORD alone. Remember Naaman’s seven dips in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:14); obedience, not artifacts, determines the outcome. • Samson is testing Delilah’s resolve while inching closer to the real secret. Repeated flirtation with danger breeds eventual collapse (1 Corinthians 10:12). That have not been dried Fresh, undried cords retain moisture, making them soft—exactly the opposite of what you would choose to restrain a strong man. • Samson’s suggestion is a deliberate falsehood. Lying always compounds trouble. “Do not lie to one another” (Colossians 3:9). • His Nazirite calling demanded separation and truth (Numbers 6:1–8). Each deception further distances him from that calling. • The Philistines will later try “new ropes that have never been used” (Judges 16:11), showing how literal attempts follow Samson’s own words. I will become as weak as any other man Here Samson hints at the true issue—his uniqueness rests in God’s Spirit, not in human muscle. • Earlier, “The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him” (Judges 14:6; 15:14). Without that Spirit, he would indeed be ordinary. • When the Spirit departed from Saul, “an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him” (1 Samuel 16:14); loss of divine empowerment is devastating. • Samson’s strength was tied to his Nazirite vow, especially the uncut hair (Judges 13:5). By speaking of weakness, he flirts with surrendering that consecration. • Believers today can grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30); walking in compromise drains effectiveness. summary Judges 16:7 captures Samson’s dangerous game: he discloses just enough to keep Delilah interested while assuming he can manage the risk. The verse illustrates how: • Casual conversation can expose sacred territory. • Sin loves the language of bondage, yet true captivity is spiritual. • Symbols (seven, fresh cords) cannot substitute for obedience. • Ongoing deception corrodes a consecrated life. • Strength departs when fellowship with the Spirit is traded for worldly entanglements. Samson’s words warn us to guard what God has entrusted, resist incremental compromise, and rely wholly on the Spirit who empowers us to stand. |
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