Judges 16:18 - Meaning and Application

Here we see the terrible result of Samson’s folly in giving away the secret of his strength. He paid dearly for it. A woman who leads a man into sexual sin is like a deep pit, and the one who is hated by the Lord falls into it. Samson fell into that pit.

Notice first how carefully Delilah made sure of her payment. By the way he spoke, she saw that he had told her everything in his heart. Then she sent for the Philistine rulers who had hired her to do this shameful thing, but she made sure they brought the money with them (Judges 16:18). The wages of wickedness were handed over, while Samson knew nothing about it. It is heartbreaking to think of one of the bravest men of that time being bought and sold like a sheep for slaughter. This shows how low human pride can sink, and it warns the strong not to boast in their strength.

Notice next how Delilah carried out her bargain and handed him over. Many people would sell someone they claim to respect for far less than what Delilah received. So do not trust every friend, and do not place full confidence in every guide. She used a treacherous method: she made Samson sleep on her knees (Judges 16:19). Josephus says she gave him intoxicating drink, which put him to sleep. We do not know what she may have slipped into his cup, but he likely did not knowingly drink wine or strong drink, because that would have broken his Nazirite vow, just as cutting his hair did. She acted with great kindness while planning great harm, and she could not have succeeded unless she had first put him to sleep.

This shows the danger of false security. Satan often ruins people by lulling them to sleep, making them feel safe, until they stop watching and fearing danger. Then he steals their strength and honor and leads them where he wants. When we are asleep, our spiritual enemies are not. While Samson slept, someone cut off his hair so quietly that he did not wake, though he was plainly troubled by it. Even in sleep, his spirit seemed to sink. If someone else had done this to him without his own consent, it would not likely have had the same effect. His own sin now corrected him. His wrongdoing became his trouble.

Notice also how little concern Samson showed at the moment, (Judges 16:20). He must have noticed his hair was gone when he woke up, yet he said, in effect, that he would shake himself free as he had done before. Perhaps he thought he would be lighter now that his hair was cut, not realizing that guilt is a far heavier burden than hair. He soon sensed that something had changed in him, yet he did not know that the Lord had left him. Many people lose God’s gracious presence and do not realize it. They have sinned enough to drive him away, but they do not feel what they have lost. Their souls grow weak, their gifts dry up, and everything goes wrong, yet they do not see the true cause. They do not know that God has departed from them, and they do not seek to return to him. When God has departed, we cannot do as we did before.

Notice finally how quickly the Philistines used their advantage against him (Judges 16:21). They took Samson when God had left him. Anyone who has stepped out from under God’s protection becomes easy prey for enemies. If we sleep in the comfort of our sinful desires, we will surely wake up in the hands of the Philistines. They likely promised Delilah that they would not kill him, but they took a sure way to make him helpless. The first thing they did was put out his eyes, probably by burning them, according to the Arabic version. They knew his eyes would not grow back, while his hair might, and they understood that strong arms mean little without eyes to guide them.

His eyes had been the doorway to his sin. He had seen the woman at Gaza and gone in to her (Judges 16:1), and now his punishment began there. Since the Philistines had blinded him, he now had time to remember how his own lust had blinded him first. The safest way to guard the eyes is to turn them away from worthless things. They brought him down to Gaza, so he would appear in weakness in the very place where he had once shown such strength (Judges 16:3), and become a joke to the people who had once feared him. They bound him with bronze chains, though before he had been held by the cords of his own sin, and he was made to grind in prison, working like a slave, either for their profit, his punishment, or both.

This is how the devil deals with sinners. He blinds the minds of those who do not believe, then enslaves them and keeps them in his control. Poor Samson, how far you have fallen. How your honor has been dragged into the dust. How the glory and defense of Israel have become a servant and a spectacle for the Philistines. The crown has fallen from his head, and sorrow comes to him because he sinned. Let everyone learn from his fall. Guard your purity carefully, and watch against fleshly lusts. When the covenant of our separation to God, as spiritual Nazirites, is broken, all our glory is gone, and our defense has left us.