Judges 16
Samson, still ruling as judge over Israel, again gave in to his lustful temptations in Gaza, where he met with a prostitute. The people there conspired to kill him at dawn, but he escaped again with a display of God-given supernatural strength. Next, Samson fell in love with a Philistine woman in Sorek, named Delilah. The Philistine leaders made a deal with her, paying her generously to lure and manipulate Samson into revealing his weakness and the source of his great strength. After many days of nagging, prodding, and torment, Samson finally gave in to her manipulation and explained his Nazirite status and that his great strength would be lost if he broke his vow and shaved his head. The Philistine leaders helped Delilah shave Samson's head while he was asleep and they then subdued him and seized him, gouged out his eyes and imprisoned him. Samson was surely humbled and realized his desperate need for God's mercy and grace, praying "O Sovereign Lord, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more". He was taken in shackles before the rulers of the Philistines to entertain them. But, Samson braced himself against the two central support pillars on which the temple stood and pushed them, toppling the structure down on the rulers and all the people, killing "many more when he died than while he lived".