Samson was carrying out his routine surveillance check around the borders. As the current judge of Israel, he detested the Philistines-well, except for their alluring ladies-and wished YHWH would grant him strength to wipe them all out at once.

Samson was still boiling in anger at the stunt they'd played on him. How could those snivelling rats give his wife, who he'd paid an outrageous bride price for, to his best man?

His parents had warned him before the whole saga began.
"Aren't there no beautiful maidens in Israel that catch your fancy? Why do you insist on having one of the daughters of our sworn enemy? Do you wish to incur YHWH's wrath upon yourself?" Manoah, his father, had asked him the eveni he'd announced that he wanted to marry a woman of Timnah.

All Samson knew was that ever since his childhood, because of his superhuman strength and ruddy appearance, ladies flocked around him like bees to honey.
Israeli girls were too naive and boring, prattling on and on about the sacrament of virginity as outlined in the Torah.
The adventurous spirit in Samson made him crave for the brazen beauties of Philistia, much to the dismay of his parents.

Samson remembered his rage when he saw that what was rightfully his was given to another. He'd gone out captured three hundred foxes, set their tails two by two on fire and set them loose in the Philistine grain fields. When they retaliated, he killed a thousand men with the jaw bone of an ass.

Today, he was passing through the Valley of Sorek when he sighted a stunningly beautiful woman. Her eyes were like a doe's, her honey-coloured skin was flawless and glistened in the sun.

He was smitten by her appearance. Judging from her poise and flamboyant dressing, Samson guessed she was a daughter of a Philistines Lord, a high-class independent woman, nothing like the harlots of Gaza he frequented.

He watched her fluid, seductive movements unabashed. When her eyes caught his, she smiled slowly and winked.
Something stirred in his chest. He was determined to have her by all means, as his next conquest.

After flirting back and forth, she discreetly beckoned on him to follow her. Samson sheepishly followed her into her chambers.

~~~

A Week Before

"Delilah, you have guests," her mother called from the door. Her mother's tone implied urgency.

Delilah rose from the massage table, dismissed her maids and got dressed.

When she came to the outer chamber, she saw her father seated, and mother standing by his side.
The five Philistine lords, acquaintances of her father, were also seated in a semi-circle.

"My, my, the damsel is now a woman," the lord of Gath said as his leering gaze greedily roamed her body. The others nodded and muttered their agreement.

Her father cleared his throat, a sharp signal for her to show some respect.
Stiffly, she bowed her head, hating the fact that she had to.

"My lords, you are most welcome to my humble abode. How may I be of service?" she purred in her sweetest voice.

"We'll cut to the chase as everyone of us here have important things to do," her father, chosen as the spokesman, said.
"We have a thorn we'd like to get rid of. Do you know the one called Samson?"

Delilah raised her eyebrow. "Samson, the mighty? I've heard some tales about him, though I have never met him."

"He is our arch enemy. Killing our men like ants. We've noticed his love for our women and would like to hire your expertise to get rid of him."

"What can I possibly do?"

"She could poison him," the lord of Ashkelon suggested.

"I doubt that would work. I've heard legends from the mouth of those who have encountered him of how he has the endorsement of Israel's God. And I'm sure you all have heard stories of how He dealt with Egypt and all the opposing nations on this side of Jordan?"

"If you don't mind, my lords, I have a suggestion," Delilah said.

"Go on, daughter."

"What if we find out the source of his strength and sap it dry? I could pretend to love him and find out his secret."

"That is a most wonderful suggestion, Delilah. I dare say, you have raised a fine young woman," the lord of Ashdod said, impressed. Her parents beamed with pride.

"We solemnly promise to reimburse you bounteously. Each one of us will offer you eleven hundred pieces of silver to successfully carry out this mission," the lord of Ekron said.

Delilah did the math in her head. A smile formed on her lips. Now, that was what she liked to hear.

"Count on me, my lords. Before the next full moon, you'll have Samson the mighty, cowering as weakling under your grasp."

Her mother addressed her, "Now that all has been finalized, you'll need supernatural help from our great lord dagon. I'll perform the rites for you."

Some minutes later, Delilah sat, lotus style, clad in a thinly-veiled red robe, at the outer court of dagon's temple while the Philistine lords and dagon's priestess circled her, chanting incantations.
Delilah knew when the 'guardian spirits' of seduction entered into her body-their presence made her feel more powerful and confident.
Samson would be unable to resist her charm.

~~~

Samson damned the consequences. He knew the Philistines hated him and were after his life, but that didn't stop him from his escapade with the beauty that had stolen his heart. She was everything and more that he desired. He was content to be intoxicated by her love.

It seemed like a distant time in his life that he had last communed with YHWH. He even went as far as skipping Sabbaths, spending the entire day in Delilah's house. He ignored the nudging of his conscience that warned him of the evil he was toying with.

The only thing bothering him a little was that on three occasions, some men had barged into Delilah's chamber to try to capture him. But he'd effortlessly discarded their crude techniques and broken free each time.
He was a tad bit suspicious that it was Delilah that supplied them with the lies he'd told her when she playfully asked him during their times of passion.
But he dismissed it as coincidence.

Shaking off the thought, he entered her room. He met her sprawled on the bed, weeping. Distraught, he hurried over to her side.

"Delilah, what's wrong? What happened? Why are you crying? Who hurt you?"

Her sobs upgraded into a wail, ruining her lovely make-up and Samson became more agitated. If anyone was responsible for this, he'd tear that person apart limb by limb.

"I've been deceived..." she stuttered amid tears.

"By who?"

"By none other than the very man who professes to love me. You!"

He frowned, confused. "But how?"

"You lied to me, Samson! Three times I asked you to tell me the reason behind your great strength, but you told me fables.

"Haven't I bared my soul to you? I told you everything about my ugly past, hiding nothing. How my parents disowned me but the gods shined their favour on me..."

Samson groaned, rose and began pacing.
Memories of tales his father, had told him as a child about the supernatural events that heralded his birth and the strict injunction from the angelic visitor, cascaded into his mind.
Could he trust Delilah with such a sensitive matter?

He thrust his hand into the thick locks of dark hair that fell over his shoulders.
"Delilah, we've been through this. There's no big deal about my strength. Why are you still insisting to know?"

"If indeed you love me, then you must trust me enough to tell me. If not, then... I never want to see you again!"

No! No woman had pleased him like Delilah. He'd do anything to please and keep her too. He sighed in defeat. "Promise me you'll tell absolutely no one."

She went to him, held his right hand and placed it on her chest.
"I swear on my life and the gods of Philistia that no other living soul will hear of this."

He was too occupied by the feel of her breast under his palm to think coherently any more.

He used his free hand to pull her free hand up to touch his hair. She caressed the tendrils and he didn't want her to stop.

"This is my secret."

She gave him an incredulous look. "Really? That's it? Your hair? Samson, you mock me!"

"I'm dead serious. My hair has never been cut. From birth, I was dedicated to God as a nazirite. The only way I can ever be as weak as a common man is if my hair is shaved."

He watched as her eyes turned to fascination when she understood that he'd told her everything. Nothing but the truth this time.

She seemed delighted as she pulled his head down towards her and kissed him. "You have won my heart, my Samson, the mighty."

~~~

Delilah smiled deviously as she caressed his hair. He'd fallen asleep on her thigh. She'd lured him to drink some wine laced with a sleep-inducing herb in the guise of celebrating the fact that there was no secret between them anymore.

She was thrilled by the genius idea her 'guardian spirits' had inspired her with this time around. She should have known earlier that going emotional would do the trick.

Now, to perfect the work. After waving her hand in front of his face to confirm that he was deeply asleep, she signalled for one of her maids to come. She sent word to the five Philistines lords.

Within the hour they arrived, with company, speaking in hushed tones lest they woke Samson, giddy with excitement at their fortune. They brought bags of silver according to their pledge.
A man came along to shave of his hair. Delilah picked the thick dark locks before they fell to the floor. She'd offer them as a thanksgiving sacrifice to dagon for the success of her mission.

Guards positioned outside, Delilah began conjuring her guardian spirits to torment Samson in his dream. Because he had broken the hedge, it was an easy task.
Samson began to squirm and grunt from his sleep and he was soon drenched in cold sweat.

~~~

At midnight, Samson was startled out of his sleepy state by a distant ruckus, like war chants.
Still disoriented from the tormenting nightmare he'd torn away from, he heard Delilah's voice cry out in panic like at other times.
"Samson, oh Samson! The Philistines are upon you!"

He rose. His head felt strangely light but he didn't have time to process that. He had to send these pesky flies back to their nests. Who did they think they were to confront him, Samson the mighty, feared throughout the borders of Philistia and Israel?

Armed men in their numbers descended upon him. To his dismay, he realised he was getting weaker. Their swords cut through him and he bled out, pain blinding him. Before he knew what was happening, he was held tight in bronze chains. He'd never felt this weak and humiliated before.

With widening eyes of disbelief, he watched as Delilah stopped her pretence and began to converse with the Philistines lords who gave her extra silver tips and praised her for the job well done.

Samson's mind was a jumble of shock and betrayal.
Delilah had sold him? He took a final look at her, the pain evident in his eyes.
She smirked at him. He realised then that Delilah was a trap, pure evil. How had he been so clueless?

One of the guards pulled his head back. Holding it in that cruel, twisted angle, another gorged out his eyes with a dagger.
Samson howled in sheer pain and passed out. His last thought before everything went black was, "I will avenge!"

~~~

The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places:
How are the mighty fallen!
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

2 Samuel 1:19-20

~~~

Author's note: Thanks for taking your time to read this short story. This was originally published in the Christian Writers and Readers Club anthology titled Amiel.

I have always been fascinated by Biblical stories, especially that of Samson. One of the things that made me write this story was when I saw that, in Hebrews 11, he was listed among the heroes of faith.
We have so much to learn from his mistakes and errors. I hope this story blessed you and reminded you that you must be watchful because the enemy is like a roaring lion, seeking who to devour.