Judges 16:9 - Now she had an ambush waiting in the inner room. She said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He broke the cords, as a string of tow is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.

Generated Verse: Judges 16:9

What does "Judges 16:9" mean?


This verse from Judges 16:9 is part of the story of Samson and Delilah, a narrative fraught with betrayal and the misuse of God-given strength. Here's a breakdown of the verse's meaning:

"Now she had an ambush waiting in the inner room." This sets the scene. Delilah, having been bribed by the Philistines to discover the secret of Samson's strength, has hidden Philistine warriors in a room within her house. They are lying in wait to capture Samson once he is weakened. This highlights Delilah's treachery and the conspiracy against Samson.

"She said to him, 'The Philistines are on you, Samson!'" Delilah, following her agreement with the Philistines, tests Samson by attempting to weaken and capture him. She warns him that the Philistines are attacking, a signal for the hidden warriors to emerge.

"He broke the cords, as a string of tow is broken when it touches the fire." Samson easily breaks the ropes. His immense strength, still intact, allows him to snap the cords as if they were mere threads, comparing them to dry flax (tow) that is easily consumed by fire. This shows that the method Delilah attempted was ineffective in weakening him.

"So his strength was not known." This is a key point. Because Samson broke free so easily, the Philistines and, more importantly, Delilah, do not yet know the true source or nature of his extraordinary strength. This failure motivates them to try again, leading to further attempts to deceive and overpower Samson. The secret remains undiscovered for now.

In essence, this verse highlights Delilah's deceitful plot, Samson's continued physical prowess, and the ongoing mystery surrounding the source of his strength, which keeps the Philistines determined to uncover it. It is a critical part of the build-up to Samson's ultimate downfall.