Judges 16:12
Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread. Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
The verse belongs to the life of Samson, whose course was darkened by friendly association with the Philistines and by his choice to marry a Philistine woman. In it Delilah repeats her attempt to betray him, binding him with new ropes and crying that the Philistines are upon him while men lie in ambush waiting in the chamber. He breaks the ropes from his arms like a thread, showing his extraordinary strength remains and her attempt to discover his weakness has failed. The same binding with new ropes while Philistines lie in wait, followed by his breaking free, shows Delilah acting as a snare to him.
His extraordinary physical strength in breaking the ropes stood in sharp contrast to his lack of self-control, integrity, and firmness. Physical power alone could not keep him from yielding to temptation without reliance on God. His strength had been Israel's defense, yet it was being betrayed into the Philistines' hands through seduction. After he was captivated by Delilah, his strength was betrayed into her hands, and his infatuation led him toward captivity and the loss of his reputation, strength, and usefulness.
Even as he breaks the new ropes like thread while her schemes expose him to danger, his infatuation led him to break his sacred lifelong Nazarite pledge and become separated from God. Giving to her the love and service due to God was idolatry and brought his ruin. He was blinded by Delilah's power and unable to recognize the work to deceive and destroy him, mistaking her influence for genuine love. This illustrates the danger of being ruled by fleshly lust. Though he escapes being bound, he is deceived by Delilah and brought into danger, and her treachery pictures the power to deceive and destroy. Delilah acted as a snare to Samson, illustrating how yielding to a Delilah-like influence can draw a person farther from God and weaken their strength.