One day Samson fell in love with a woman whose name was Delilah. The Philistines came to her and said, "Trick and find out the secret of his strength and how we may overcome him. We will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver."
So Delilah said to Samson, "Tell me the secret of your great strength."
He said, "If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings which have not dried, I shall be weak."
So the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings and she bound him with them. Then she said to Samson, "The Philistines are after you." But he snapped the strings as a thread and the secret of his strength remain hidden.
Delilah again said to Samson, "You have mocked me and told me a lie. Now tell me how you may be bound."
Samson said, "If they bind me with new ropes I shall be as weak as any other man."
So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them. Then she said to him. "The Philistines are upon you, Samson. But he snapped off the ropes like thread.
Again Delilah said to Samson, "Up to now, you have mocked me. Tell me how you maybe bound."
He said, "If you weave my seven locks of hair into a web and fasten them in with a pin, I shall be weak." So while he fell asleep Delilah made the web and fastened it in with a pin. Then she said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson." Awakening from his sleep he pulled out both the weaver's pin and the web.
Then Delilah said, "How can you say that you love me when you don't tell me the truth?"
So he told her, "No razor has touched my head. If I am shaved, I shall be weak."
Delilah had him sleep on her lap and called for a man to shave off his seven locks of hair. Then she shouted, "The Philistines are upon you,Samson." He woke up and tried to escape. But the Philistine captured him, blinded him and put him in prison. But the hair of his head began to grow as soon as it was shaved.
The lords of the Philistines offered a sacrifice to their god, Dagon. "Our god has delivered Samson to us," they said.
At the height of the feasting they called Samson from prison to entertain them. They stationed him between the columns. Samson said to the attendant. "Put me where I may touch the columns that support the temple." The temple was full of men and women, all the lords of the Philistines were there. Samson cried to the Lord, "Strengthen me, O God, this last time that for my two eyes I may avenge myself." Samson grasped the two middle columns, braced himself against them and said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" He pushed hard and the temple fell upon the lords and ladies and all the people who were in it.
His family came and took his body for burial in the grave of his father.
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