Judges 16:17He told her all his heart, and said to her, "No razor has ever come on my head; for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will go from me, and I will become weak, and be like any other man."
The setting
Gaza, Palestine (modern-day Gaza Strip). ~1100 BC. In Delilah's house, Samson finally breaks after her relentless questioning...
The emotion here: exhausted by manipulation, giving in against better judgment
The original word
nāzîr (נזיר) — one separated, consecrated to God from birth with specific vows
Why it matters
Nazirite vows included no wine, no contact with dead bodies, and uncut hair - violating any broke the vow
Read with care
What most readers miss in Judges 16:17
This is the FOURTH time she's asked - he's been lying to her for weeks before this moment
Common misconceptionPeople think Samson was just weak with women, but this was psychological warfare - Delilah tormented him daily until he broke.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Judges 16:17
Bible Genome reading
Judges 16:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Judges 16:17 comes from the book of Judges, written during the judges period. These words are attributed to Samson. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include vulnerability, sacred vows, spiritual calling. Notable phrases: told her all his heart; Nazirite to God; from my mother's womb.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Judges 16:17 mean to you, today?
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