Judges 16:4

4 After this he loved a woman, who dwelt in the valley of Sorec, and she was called Dalila.

Judges 16:4 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 16:4

And it came to pass afterwards, that he loved a woman in the
valley of Sorek
Which, according to Adrichomius ^F25 was but half a mile from the brook Eshcol, from whence the spies brought a bunch of grapes, as a specimen of the fruit of the land of Canaan; and this valley of Sorek seems to have been famous for the best wine, and hither Samson retired for refreshment and pleasure; but, according to Jerom {z}, it was on the north of Eleutheropolis, where, he says, was shown a village in his time called Capharsorech, near the village Zorah, from whence Samson was; and Bunting ^F1 makes it to be twelve miles from Hebron, and twelve from Jerusalem; where he met with a woman he loved; whether she was an Israelite, or one of the daughters of the Philistines, they now being the rulers of Israel, is not said; most likely the latter, as say Ben Gersom and Abarbinel, since the lords of the Philistines were so intimate with her, and were entertained in her house, and she showed more respect to them than to Samson. The Jews say she became a proselyte, but if she did, there is very little evidence of her being a sincere one: some have thought, that the courtship to her was a lawful conjugal love; that falling in love with her, he courted and married her; but this is not very likely, since no mention is made of his marriage to her, nor did he take her home, but dwelt in her house: it rather seems to be an impure and unlawful love he had to her, and that she was an harlot, as Josephus ^F2; and all her conduct and behaviour confirm the same:

whose name was Delilah;
the Jews say ^F3 she was so called because she weakened the heart and spirit of Samson, and weakened his strength, and weakened his works; and therefore, if this had not been her name, they say it was one very proper for her.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Ut supra, (Theatrum Terra Sanct.) p. 24.
F26 De loc. Heb. fol. 94. L.
F1 Travels, p. 116, 117.
F2 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8.) sect. 11.
F3 T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 9. 2.

Judges 16:4 In-Context

2 And when the Philistines had heard this, and it was noised about among them, that Samson was come into the city, they surrounded him, setting guards at the gate of the city, and watching there all the night in silence, that in the morning they might kill him as he went out.

3 But Samson slept till midnight, and then rising, he took both the doors of the gate, with the posts thereof and the bolt, and laying them on his shoulders, carried them up to the top of the hill, which looketh towards Hebron.

4 After this he loved a woman, who dwelt in the valley of Sorec, and she was called Dalila.

5 And the princes of the Philistines came to her, and sald: Deceive him, and learn of him wherein his great strength lieth, and how we may be able to overcome him, to bind and afflict him: which if thou shalt do, we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.

6 And Dalila said to Samson: Tell me, I beseech thee, wherein thy greatest strength lieth, and what it is, wherewith if thou wert bound, thou couldst not break loose.