Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.” New Living Translation The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “Entice Samson to tell you what makes him so strong and how he can be overpowered and tied up securely. Then each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” English Standard Version And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” Berean Standard Bible The 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.” Berean Literal Bible And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him and find out in what is his great power, and by what we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him. And we will give to you, each man, a thousand and a hundred shekels of silver.” King James Bible And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. New King James Version And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” New American Standard Bible So the governors of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see where his great strength lies and how we can overpower him so that we may bind him to humble him. Then we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” NASB 1995 The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see where his great strength lies and how we may overpower him that we may bind him to afflict him. Then we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” NASB 1977 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, “Entice him, and see where his great strength lies and how we may overpower him that we may bind him to afflict him. Then we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” Legacy Standard Bible And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see where his great strength lies and how we may overpower him that we may bind him to afflict him. Then we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” Amplified Bible So the [five] lords (governors) of the Philistines came to her and said to her, “Persuade him, and see where his great strength lies and [find out] how we may overpower him so that we may bind him to subdue him. And each of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” Berean Annotated Bible The lords of the Philistines (immigrants) 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 <27.6 lb / 12.5 kg>. Christian Standard Bible The Philistine leaders went to her and said, “Persuade him to tell you where his great strength comes from, so we can overpower him, tie him up, and make him helpless. Each of us will then give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” Holman Christian Standard Bible The Philistine leaders went to her and said, “Persuade him to tell you where his great strength comes from, so we can overpower him, tie him up, and make him helpless. Each of us will then give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” American Standard Version And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. Contemporary English Version The Philistine rulers went to Delilah and said, "Trick Samson into telling you what makes him so strong and what can make him weak. Then we can tie him up so he can't get away. If you find out his secret, we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver." English Revised Version And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. GOD'S WORD® Translation The Philistine rulers came to her and said, "Trick him, and find out what makes him so strong. Find out how we can overpower him. We want to tie him up in order to torture him. Each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver." Good News Translation The five Philistine kings went to her and said, "Trick Samson into telling you why he is so strong and how we can overpower him, tie him up, and make him helpless. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver." International Standard Version The Philistine officials approached her and told her, "Entice him to discover where his great strength is, and how we can overpower him. We intend to tie him up and torture him. We'll each pay you 1,100 silver coins." NET Bible The rulers of the Philistines went up to visit her and said to her, "Trick him! Find out what makes him so strong and how we can subdue him and humiliate him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred silver pieces." New Heart English Bible The lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, "Entice him, and see in which his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver." Webster's Bible Translation And the lords of the Philistines came to her, and said to her, Entice him, and see in what his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThe 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.” World English Bible The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see in which his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand the princes of the Philistines come up to her, and say to her, “Entice him, and see wherein his great power [is], and wherein we are able for him—and we have bound him to afflict him, and each one of us gives eleven hundred pieces of silver to you.” Berean Literal Bible And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him and find out in what is his great power, and by what we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him. And we will give to you, each man, a thousand and a hundred shekels of silver.” Young's Literal Translation and the princes of the Philistines come up unto her, and say to her, 'Entice him, and see wherein his great power is, and wherein we are able for him -- and we have bound him to afflict him, and we -- we give to thee, each one, eleven hundred silverlings.' Smith's Literal Translation And the princes of Philisteim will come up and will say to her, Persuade him, and see in what is his great strength, and in what we shall prevail against him, and bind him to humble him: and we give to thee each a thousand and a hundred of silver. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd the princes of the Philistines came to her, and said: Deceive him, and learn of him wherein his great strength lieth, and how we may be able to overcome him, to bind and afflict him: which if thou shalt do, we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. Catholic Public Domain Version And the leaders of the Philistines went to her, and they said: “Deceive him, and learn from him wherein lies his great strength, and how we may be able to overcome him and to impose restraints on him. And if you will do this, each one of us will give you one thousand one hundred silver coins.” New American Bible The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said, “Trick him and find out where he gets his great strength, and how we may overcome and bind him so as to make him helpless. Then for our part, we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” New Revised Standard Version The lords of the Philistines came to her and said to her, “Coax him, and find out what makes his strength so great, and how we may overpower him, so that we may bind him in order to subdue him; and we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to disgrace him; and we will give you every one of us thirteen hundred pieces of silver. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And the Tyrants of the Philistines came up to her, and they were saying to her: “Entice him and see in what his great power is, and in what we will master the power, that we may bind him to his shame, and we will give to you, each man, one thousand and three hundred pieces of silver” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her: 'Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.' Brenton Septuagint Translation And the princess of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Beguile him, and see wherein his great strength is, and wherewith we shall prevail against him, and bind him to humble him; and we will give thee each eleven hundred pieces of silver. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Samson and Delilah4Some 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.”… Cross References The lords of the Philistines went to her and said, Judges 14:15 So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?” 1 Samuel 5:8 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel. 1 Samuel 29:2 As the Philistine leaders marched out with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched behind them with Achish. “Entice him and find out the source of his great strength Judges 14:17 She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and finally on the seventh day, because she had pressed him so much, he told her the answer. And in turn she explained the riddle to her people. Proverbs 7:21 With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him. Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them. and how we can overpower him to tie him up and subdue him. Matthew 12:29 Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. Mark 3:27 Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Luke 11:21-22 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure. / But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and then he divides up his plunder. Then each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.” Judges 17:2 said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!” Proverbs 17:23 A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice. Zechariah 11:12-13 Then I told them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver. / And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent price at which they valued me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD. Proverbs 6:26 For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. Proverbs 5:3-4 Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil, / in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword. Proverbs 2:16-19 It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words / who abandons the partner of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God. / For her house sinks down to death, and her tracks to the departed spirits. … Proverbs 7:25-27 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths. / For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number. / Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death. Treasury of Scripture And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give you every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. the lords Judges 3:3 Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath. Joshua 13:3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites: 1 Samuel 29:6 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not. entice Judges 14:15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so? Proverbs 2:16-19 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; … Proverbs 5:3-11 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: … afflict. Judges 17:2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son. Genesis 33:16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. Numbers 22:17,18 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people… Jump to Previous Afflict Bind Eleven Entice Hundred Lords Means Philistines Pieces Prevail Silver Strength WhereinJump to Next Afflict Bind Eleven Entice Hundred Lords Means Philistines Pieces Prevail Silver Strength WhereinJudges 16 1. Samson at Gaza escapes, and carries away the gates of the city4. Delilah corrupted by the Philistines, entices Samson 6. Thrice she is deceived 15. At last she overcomes him 21. The Philistines take him, and put out his eyes 22. His strength renewing, he pulls down the house upon the Philistines and dies The lords of the Philistines went to her and said The "lords of the Philistines" refers to the rulers or leaders of the five major Philistine cities: Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. These cities were part of a confederation that often acted in unison, especially in matters of military and political strategy. The Philistines were a significant adversary of Israel during the period of the Judges, often oppressing the Israelites and engaging in battles with them. The fact that these leaders approached Delilah indicates the seriousness of their intent to capture Samson, who had been a thorn in their side due to his extraordinary strength and the havoc he wreaked on their people. “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.” Persons / Places / Events 1. SamsonA judge of Israel known for his supernatural strength, which was a gift from God. His life is marked by a Nazirite vow and a series of conflicts with the Philistines. 2. Delilah A woman from the Valley of Sorek whom Samson loved. She is approached by the Philistine lords to discover the secret of Samson's strength. 3. Philistine Lords The rulers of the Philistines, who were enemies of Israel. They sought to capture Samson to weaken Israel's power. 4. Valley of Sorek A region where Delilah lived, and where Samson frequently visited. It was a border area between the Philistines and Israelites. 5. Eleven Hundred Shekels of Silver The bribe offered to Delilah by each Philistine lord, indicating the high value they placed on capturing Samson. Teaching Points The Danger of CompromiseSamson's relationship with Delilah illustrates the peril of compromising one's values and calling for personal desires. Believers are called to remain steadfast in their commitments to God. The Power of Temptation Delilah's enticement of Samson serves as a reminder of the power of temptation and the need for vigilance and reliance on God's strength to resist it. The Consequences of Sin The Philistine's plot against Samson underscores the destructive consequences of sin and disobedience. Sin can lead to bondage and loss of spiritual power. The Importance of Discernment Samson's lack of discernment in his relationship with Delilah highlights the need for wisdom and discernment in choosing relationships and alliances. God's Sovereignty and Redemption Despite Samson's failures, God ultimately uses his life to fulfill His purposes. This teaches that God can redeem our mistakes for His glory. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Judges 16:5?2. How does Judges 16:5 illustrate the dangers of compromising with the enemy? 3. What can we learn from Delilah's role in Samson's downfall in Judges 16:5? 4. How does Judges 16:5 connect to warnings against temptation in Proverbs? 5. How can we guard against betrayal by those we trust, as seen here? 6. What steps can we take to resist manipulation, inspired by Judges 16:5? 7. Why did the Philistines bribe Delilah in Judges 16:5? 8. How does Judges 16:5 reflect on human vulnerability to temptation? 9. What does Judges 16:5 reveal about the Philistines' view of Samson? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Judges 16? 11. What defines the Delilah spirit? 12. What defines the Delilah spirit? 13. What is the meaning of Samson and Delilah's story? 14. In Judges 16:4-20, why would Samson keep trusting Delilah after she repeatedly betrayed him? What Does Judges 16:5 Mean The lords of the Philistines went to her and said,• The “lords” are the five rulers of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath (Joshua 13:3; 1 Samuel 6:18). Their unified visit shows how seriously they viewed Samson’s threat. • They go “to her”—Delilah—because Samson has already shown a weakness for Philistine women (Judges 14:1–2; 16:1). As with Samson’s first wife (Judges 14:15), the enemy again exploits a close relationship to get at him. • Notice that Israel’s judge is being opposed not by ordinary soldiers but by political leaders, hinting at a larger spiritual contest behind the scene (Ephesians 6:12). Entice him and find out the source of his great strength • “Entice” points to deliberate seduction, echoing Proverbs 7:21 where persuasive words lure a man to ruin. • Samson’s “great strength” is repeatedly attributed to the Spirit of the LORD (Judges 13:25; 14:6; 15:14). The Philistines assume it is a secret technique; believers know it is divine empowerment flowing from Samson’s Nazirite calling (Numbers 6:5). • Satan still seeks to discover and undermine the believer’s God-given power—our faith, the Word, the Spirit (1 Peter 5:8; Matthew 4:1–11). and how we can overpower him to tie him up and subdue him. • Their aim is total domination: “overpower… tie… subdue.” Earlier, fellow Israelites tied Samson with two new ropes (Judges 15:13), but the Spirit broke them “like flax.” The Philistine lords want a method that finally works. • Tying implies bondage; subduing implies humiliation (compare Judges 16:21). In Christ, believers are called to freedom, not bondage (Galatians 5:1), yet the adversary still schemes to re-enslave through sin (John 8:34). • The sequence mirrors the enemy’s strategy: discover the weakness, bind, then oppress. Paul warns, “Do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:27). Then each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver. • Five lords × 1,100 = 5,500 shekels—an enormous bribe, underscoring how desperate they are. Compare Gideon’s victory spoils of 1,700 shekels (Judges 8:26); Delilah is offered more than triple. • Money motivates betrayal throughout Scripture: Joseph’s brothers receive twenty shekels (Genesis 37:28); Judas sells the Lord for thirty pieces (Matthew 26:14-15). Greed is “a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). • Delilah’s acceptance (Judges 16:18) contrasts sharply with Ruth’s loyalty (Ruth 1:16-17). We are cautioned: “Keep your lives free from the love of money” (Hebrews 13:5). summary Judges 16:5 exposes a coordinated, calculated plot against the LORD’s servant. Philistine rulers recruit Delilah, banking on seduction, secrecy, and silver to pierce the divine strength empowering Samson. The verse warns that spiritual opposition often targets personal relationships, tempts through fleshly desires, and leverages greed to bind and subdue. Believers are reminded to guard their calling, resist enticement, and prize faithfulness over any earthly reward. (5) The lords of the Philistines.--The five "satraps." (See Note on Judges 3:3.) If she were what Josephus asserts, the Philistines might both get access to her, and tempt the cupidity of an unprincipled and degraded mind. Had she been of their own race, threats would probably have been even more effectual with her than with the lady of Timnath (Judges 13:15). The LXX. here begin to call the Philistines allophuloi, or "aliens."Entice him.--See Proverbs 2:16; Proverbs 2:18-19. Wherein his great strength lieth.--Rather, wherein his strength is great. They attributed his strength to some amulet which might be removed. Eleven hundred pieces of silver.--That is, "eleven hundred silver shekels." The same sum recurs in Judges 17:2 as the amount laid by for the construction of teraphim by the mother of Micah. If the five lords each gave 1,100 shekels, the amount would be nearly two talents of silver (Exodus 38:25-26)--a most enormous bribe for that age, and especially to such a woman as Delilah. It may be regarded as an almost conclusive proof that Milton is mistaken in making her a Philistine. . . . Verse 5. - Lords. See Judges 3:3, note,' His great strength lieth - literally, wherein (or by what means) his strength is great. They guessed that it was through some charm or secret amulet that his Herculean might was nourished. Eleven hundred pieces, or shekels, of silver. The whole sum promised by the five lords would be no less than 5500 shekels, equal to about £620 of our money. The curious notation, eleven hundred pieces, occurs again Judges 17:2. The reason of it is unknown.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew The lordsסַרְנֵ֣י (sar·nê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 5633: An axle, a peer of the Philistines פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים (p̄ə·liš·tîm) Noun - proper - masculine plural Strong's 6430: Philistines -- inhabitants of Philistia went וַיַּעֲל֨וּ (way·ya·‘ă·lū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively to her אֵלֶ֜יהָ (’ê·le·hā) Preposition | third person feminine singular Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to and said, וַיֹּ֨אמְרוּ (way·yō·mə·rū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 559: To utter, say “Entice פַּתִּ֣י (pat·tî) Verb - Piel - Imperative - feminine singular Strong's 6601: To open, be, roomy, to be, simple, delude him אוֹת֗וֹ (’ō·w·ṯōw) Direct object marker | third person masculine singular Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case and find out וּרְאִי֙ (ū·rə·’î) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular Strong's 7200: To see the source of בַּמֶּה֙ (bam·meh) Preposition-b | Interrogative Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what his great גָד֔וֹל (ḡā·ḏō·wl) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent strength כֹּח֣וֹ (kō·ḥōw) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species) and how וּבַמֶּה֙ (ū·ḇam·meh) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Interrogative Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what we can overpower נ֣וּכַל (nū·ḵal) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural Strong's 3201: To be able, have power him ל֔וֹ (lōw) Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's Hebrew to tie him up וַאֲסַרְנֻ֖הוּ (wa·’ă·sar·nu·hū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural | third person masculine singular Strong's 631: To yoke, hitch, to fasten, to join battle and subdue him. לְעַנֹּת֑וֹ (lə·‘an·nō·ṯōw) Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 6031: To be bowed down or afflicted Then each one אִ֕ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person of us וַאֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙ (wa·’ă·naḥ·nū) Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common plural Strong's 587: We will give נִתַּן־ (nit·tan-) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural Strong's 5414: To give, put, set you לָ֔ךְ (lāḵ) Preposition | second person feminine singular Strong's Hebrew eleven hundred [shekels] אֶ֥לֶף (’e·lep̄) Number - masculine singular Strong's 505: A thousand of silver.” כָּֽסֶף׃ (kā·sep̄) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3701: Silver, money Links Judges 16:5 NIVJudges 16:5 NLT Judges 16:5 ESV Judges 16:5 NASB Judges 16:5 KJV Judges 16:5 BibleApps.com Judges 16:5 Biblia Paralela Judges 16:5 Chinese Bible Judges 16:5 French Bible Judges 16:5 Catholic Bible OT History: Judges 16:5 The lords of the Philistines came up (Jd Judg. 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