⁴Some time later, Samson fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. ⁵The lords of the Philistines went to her and said, “Entice him and find out the source of his great strength and how we can overpower him to tie him up and subdue him. Then each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver. ” ⁶So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me the source of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.” ⁷Samson told her, “If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I will become as weak as any other man.” ⁸So the lords of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him up with them. ⁹While the men were hidden in her room, she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” ¹⁰Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have mocked me and lied to me! Now please tell me how you can be tied up.” ¹¹He replied, “If they tie me up with new ropes that have never been used, I will become as weak as any other man.” ¹²So Delilah took new ropes, tied him up with them, and called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” ¹³Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have mocked me and lied to me all along! Tell me how you can be tied up.” ¹⁴So while he slept, Delilah took the seven braids of his hair and wove them into the web. Then she tightened [it] with a pin and called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are here!”