Judges 16:5–12

⁵The rulers of the Philistines^r went to her and said, “See if you can lure^s him into showing you the secret of his great strength^t and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels^a of silver.”^u

⁶So Delilah^v said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.”

⁷Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”

⁸Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him with them. ⁹With men hidden in the room,^w she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”^x But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.

¹⁰Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have made a fool of me;^y you lied to me. Come now, tell me how you can be tied.”

¹¹He said, “If anyone ties me securely with new ropes^z that have never been used, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”

¹²So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them. Then, with men hidden in the room, she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”^a But he snapped the ropes off his arms as if they were threads.