 |
| Max Liebermann Samson and Delilah 1902 drawing British Museum |
 |
| William Blake Samson Subdued ca. 1800 watercolor Philadelphia Museum of Art |
 |
| Pompeo Batoni Samson and Delilah 1766 oil on canvas private collection |
And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known. And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 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. And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with a web. And she fastened it all with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.
 |
| James Hopwood the Younger after John Francis Rigaud Samson and Delilah ca. 1799-1838 stipple-engraving, etching British Museum |
And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein they great strength lieth. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; that he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart.
– from the book of Judges, chapter 16
 |
| Anonymous printmaker Delilah after Samson's capture 1874 chromolithograph British Museum |
 |
| Palma il Giovane Samson and Delilah ca. 1611 etching Philadelphia Museum of Art |
 |
| Giuseppe Caletti Samson and Delilah 17th century etching Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
 |
| Christoffel van Sichem III Samson and Delilah 1645 woodcut Bible illustration British Museum |
 |
| Matthäus Merian Samson and Delilah ca. 1625-30 etching British Museum |
 |
| Claude Mellan Samson and Delilah ca. 1629 engraving Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
 |
| Michel Corneille Samson and Delilah 1660s etching National Gallery of Art, Washington DC |
 |
| Johan Zoffany Samson and Delilah 1750s etching British Museum |
 |
| James Neagle after Peter Paul Rubens Samson and Delilah ca. 1790-1822 engraving, drypoint British Museum |
 |
| Dalziel Brothers after Frederick Richard Pickersgill Samson and Delilah 1850 wood-engraving British Museum |
 |
| Charles Theodore Deblois after Alexandre Cabanel Delilah ca. 1878-1900 etching, engraving British Museum |