DELILAH  , in the

Bible, the heroine of Samson's last love-story and the cause of his downfall (Judg. xvi.) . She was a Philistine of Sorek (mod . Surik), west of Zorah, and when her countrymen offered her an enormous bribe to betray him, she set to work to find out the source of his strength . Thrice Samson scoffingly told her how he might be bound, and thrice he readily broke the bonds with which she had fettered him in his sleep; seven green bow-strings, new ropes, and even the braiding of his hair into the frame of the loom failed to secure him . At length he disclosed the secret of his power . Delilah put him to sleep upon her lap, called in a man to shave off his seven locks, and this time he was easily captured . See SAMSON .