Judges 16:16

Finally, after she had pressed him daily with her words and pleaded until he was sick to death,

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Delilah speaks to Samson after three previous attempts to extract his secret. The narrator places this exchange at the moment his resolve finally breaks.

The words — הֵצִיקָה (he.Tzi.kah) literally means she pressed or tormented, describing her relentless verbal assault. וַתִּקְצַר (va.tik.Tzar) literally means and it was short, indicating her patience ran out or his tolerance was exhausted.

The thread — This pattern of persistent pleading appears in Proverbs 7:21 and Luke 18:5, where repeated entreaty forces a response. Job 21:4 similarly notes the human reaction to unrelenting complaint.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that persistent pressure can break resolve regardless of prior vows. It asks the reader to examine what they will endure before compromising a commitment.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַ֠יְהִיVa/y.hiand/ it was כִּֽי־ki-that הֵצִ֨יקָהhe.Tzi.kahshe pressedלּ֧וֹl/o<to> <the>/ himבִדְבָרֶ֛יהָvi/d.va.Rei./hawith/ words/ her כָּל־kol-all הַיָּמִ֖יםhai./ya.Mimthe/ days וַתְּאַֽלֲצֵ֑הוּva./te.'a.la.Tze./huand/ she urged/ him וַתִּקְצַ֥רva./tik.Tzarand/ it was short נַפְשׁ֖וֹnaf.Sh/oself/ his לָמֽוּת׃la./Mutto/ die

King James Version

And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

Cross-references

Proverbs 7:21 With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
Luke 18:5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Otherwise, she will wear me out with her perpetual requests.’”
Job 21:4 Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?
Jonah 4:9 Then God asked Jonah, “Have you any right to be angry about the plant?” “I do,” he replied. “I am angry enough to die!”
Mark 14:24 He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
Luke 11:8 I tell you, even though he will not get up to provide for him because of his friendship, yet because of the man’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
Proverbs 7:26 For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.