Bible Strands
Judges 16:19
And having lulled him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his head. In this way she began to subdue him, and his strength left him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Delilah acts while Samson sleeps on her knees, summoning a man to cut his hair immediately after she summons the Philistine lords (Judges 16:18) and before she wakes him to flee (Judges 16:20).
The words — וַתְּיַשְּׁנֵהוּ (va.te.ya.shenehu) translates "and she made him sleep," while בִּרְכֶיהָ (birkeha) means "her knees," marking the precise physical location of his vulnerability.
The thread — The pattern of a woman using calculated enticement to drain a man's power echoes the warnings in Proverbs 7:21, Proverbs 7:26, and Ecclesiastes 7:26.
Why it lands — The verse records the mechanical removal of Samson's strength through a specific physical act, requiring the reader to acknowledge that divine empowerment ceases when deliberate deception is entertained.
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
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 7:26 For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
- Proverbs 7:21 With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
- Ecclesiastes 7:26 And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
- Proverbs 23:33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities.