17 he told her the whole truth and said to her, “My hair has never been cut,[a] because I am a Nazirite(A) to God from birth. If I am shaved, my strength will leave me, and I will become weak and be like any other man.”

18 When Delilah realized that he had told her the whole truth, she sent this message to the Philistine leaders: “Come one more time, for he has told me the whole truth.” The Philistine leaders came to her and brought the silver with them.

19 Then she let him fall asleep on her lap and called a man to shave off the seven braids on his head. In this way, she made him helpless, and his strength left him.

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Footnotes

  1. 16:17 Lit A razor has not gone up on my head

17 So he told her everything.(A) “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite(B) dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”

18 When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines(C), “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands.(D) 19 After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him.[a] And his strength left him.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 16:19 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and he began to weaken