Judges 16:6

6 And Dalida said to Sampson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength, and wherewith thou shalt be bound that thou mayest be humbled.

Judges 16:6 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 16:6

And Delilah said to Samson
At a proper opportunity, when in his hands and caresses, as Josephus relates ^F5, and introduced it in an artful manner, admiring his strange exploits, and wondering how he could perform them:

tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth;
which she proposed seemingly out of mere curiosity, and as it would be a proof of his affection to her, to impart the secret to her:

and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee;
not that she suggested to him that she was desirous to have him afflicted, or to try the experiment herself in order to afflict him, but to know by what means, if he was bound, it would be afflicting to him so that he could not relieve himself; she knew he might be bound, if he would admit of it, as he had been, but she wanted to know how he might be bound, so as to be held, and could not loose himself.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 8. sect. 9.)

Judges 16:6 In-Context

4 And it came to pass after this that he loved a woman in Alsorech, and her name Dalida.

5 And the princess of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Beguile him, and see wherein his great strength , and wherewith we shall prevail against him, and bind him to humble him; and we will give thee each eleven hundred of silver.

6 And Dalida said to Sampson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength, and wherewith thou shalt be bound that thou mayest be humbled.

7 And Sampson said to her, If they bind me with seven moist cords that have not been spoiled, then shall I be weak and be as one of ordinary men.

8 And the princess of the Philistines brought to her seven moist cords that had not been spoiled, and she bound him with them.