Judges 16 19

Judges 16:19 kjv

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.

Judges 16:19 nkjv

Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him.

Judges 16:19 niv

After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.

Judges 16:19 esv

She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him.

Judges 16:19 nlt

Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him.

Judges 16 verses

Judges 16 19 Meaning

Judges 16:19 describes the climactic moment of Samson's spiritual and physical downfall. Delilah, having lulled Samson into a deep sleep on her lap, actively called for a man to cut off his seven braided locks of hair. This act directly violated Samson's Nazirite vow, which was the outward sign of his consecration to God and the divine source of his miraculous strength. Immediately after this desecration, Delilah began to test and humiliate him, and it was at this point that Samson truly lost his supernatural power, as the Spirit of the Lord departed from him.

Judges 16 19 Context

Judges 16:19 is the climax of the prolonged seduction and betrayal of Samson by Delilah, initiated by the Philistines to discover the secret of his superhuman strength. Prior to this verse, Delilah had persistently badgered Samson, and he had thrice deceived her with false explanations, which she immediately tested. Each time, despite Samson’s flippancy, the Philistines failed to capture him. Samson’s love for Delilah (or rather, his infatuation and surrender to her insistence) eventually eroded his resolve and reverence for his divine calling. This verse describes the precise moment of his full surrender and the dire consequences. The historical context reflects ongoing Philistine oppression of Israel and Samson's unique role as a divinely appointed deliverer who continually blurred the lines between his calling and his personal desires.

Judges 16 19 Word analysis

• And she made him sleep: Hebrew: וַתְּיַשְּׁנֵהוּ (vayyeššəněhû). This verb is in the Hiphil causative stem, emphasizing Delilah's active role in inducing Samson's deep slumber. It highlights her manipulative intent and Samson’s passive, trusting, and ultimately vulnerable state.
• upon her knees: Hebrew: עַל־בִּרְכֶּיהָ (ʿal-birkhehā). This detail emphasizes the intimacy and trust Samson had placed in Delilah, making his betrayal even more profound. He was in a position of complete vulnerability, resting his head on his betrayer's lap. This posture signifies complacency and lack of vigilance.
• and she called for a man: Hebrew: וַתִּקְרָא לָאִישׁ (vattikra lāʾîš). "The man" likely refers to the barber or an accomplice, indicating that Delilah had already planned this with the Philistines. It underscores that Samson's undoing was not an accidental occurrence but a premeditated, coordinated act of treachery.
• and she caused him to shave off: Hebrew: וַתְּגַלַּח (vattəgallach). This verb, in the Piel stem, conveys a sense of active participation or causing something to be done thoroughly. While an actual barber did the cutting, Delilah was the one directing and facilitating the sacrilegious act. It directly violates the Nazirite vow (Num 6:5).
• the seven locks of his head: Hebrew: שֶׁבַע מַחְלְפוֹת רֹאשׁוֹ (sheva maḥlᵉfôṯ roʾšô). The number 'seven' is significant in the Bible, often symbolizing completion or perfection. These were likely braided or intertwined locks, specifically noted due to their symbolic connection to Samson's vow and strength. The hair itself was not the source of strength, but its presence was an outward sign of Samson’s consecrated relationship with God and his Nazirite vow. Their removal severed this external covenant marker.
• and she began to afflict him: Hebrew: וַתָּחֶל לְעַנּוֹתוֹ (vattāḥel lᵉʿannôṯô). This verb often implies to humble, weaken, or mistreat. Delilah didn’t just wait; she immediately tested his vulnerability, likely by waking him and perhaps physically tormenting or striking him. This acted as a confirmation check to ensure his strength had truly departed before summoning the Philistines. It symbolizes the commencement of his public humiliation and suffering.
• and his strength went from him: Hebrew: וְכֹחוֹ סָר מֵעָלָיו (vəkhochô sār mêʿālāyw). This phrase signifies an immediate and complete departure of his miraculous, divine power. The strength was not inherent in the hair, but a divine endowment linked to his faithfulness to the Nazirite vow. The loss of hair symbolized the violation of that vow and the consequential departure of God's empowering Spirit.

• "she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man": This phrase highlights the profound betrayal through an act of intimacy and planned deception. Samson's physical comfort and emotional surrender to Delilah blinded him to her underlying malice.
• "she caused him to shave off the seven locks... and she began to afflict him": This progression shows Delilah's methodical cruelty. First, the crucial violation, then the immediate testing and assertion of dominance over a now weakened Samson, confirming his vulnerability before calling the Philistines.
• "his strength went from him": This short, direct phrase indicates the immediate, devastating spiritual consequence of Samson’s compromised covenant. It was a tangible sign of the Lord withdrawing His special anointing due to Samson's continued sin and open rebellion against his Nazirite obligations.

Judges 16 19 Bonus section

This verse subtly polemicizes against the Philistine worldview. While the Philistines might have attributed Samson's power to magic or physical properties of his hair, the biblical narrative clearly shows that the hair was only the sign of the vow, and the true source of strength was God's Spirit, which departed when the vow was violated. This underscores that God's power is spiritual and tied to obedience and covenant, not to external rituals or human superstition. Samson's strength leaving him immediately highlights the reality that God is not bound by physical objects but by the relationship with His chosen servant. Furthermore, Samson's repeated yielding to Delilah's insistence, even after she exposed his prior deceptions, illustrates the insidious, binding nature of sin and persistent temptation, eroding one's conscience and resolve until divine safeguards are completely compromised.

Judges 16 19 Commentary

Judges 16:19 marks the tragic turning point in Samson’s life. His physical power, a symbol of his divine commission, was intrinsically linked to his Nazirite vow, particularly the commandment regarding his hair. His willingness to reveal this sacred secret, driven by lust and stubbornness, was not merely a slip but the culmination of a life marked by compromise and disregard for God’s explicit commands. The act itself—his head on Delilah's lap, the shaving of his hair—is deeply symbolic of his complete surrender to carnal desire, sacrificing his divine calling for temporary gratification. The subsequent departure of his strength underscores that his power was a gift from God, conditional upon his faithfulness, not an inherent quality of his person or his hair. This verse serves as a potent warning against spiritual complacency, the dangers of lust, and the severe consequences of violating a covenant with the Most High, ultimately leading to a loss of divine anointing and public humiliation.