STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS. 149

and besought him to tell her the truth. “If thou
weavest,” he said, “ the seven locks of my head with
the web.” When he was asleep she wove his hair into
the web, and fastened it firmly. “The Philistines be
upon thee, Samson,” she called. He rose, and so strong
was his hair that he carried off with it the web into
which it was woven, and the pin that fastened it. Al-
though Delilah saw that she had been mocked three
times, she did not cease her attempt to find out in what
Samson’s great strength lay. She pressed him daily,
and urged him so that he had no rest; and he was at
last prevailed upon to tell her the truth. He had been
a Nazarite, he told her, from his birth; and if his hair
were taken from him he would lose his strength.

Marianne. Why did he tell her that, when he knew
she would give him up to the Philistines? It was not
right in Samson.

Grandfather. It was very wrong, and he suffered for
it severely.

Johnnie. But what difference could the having long
hair make to his strength ? I do not understand it.

Grandfather. It could make no difference in itself,
but the command had come from God that the hair of
Samson’s head was neither to be cut nor shaven. To
neglect this was disobedience to a divine command ;
and He who gave the command justly punished the
disobedience of it, by taking away the strength that was
his gift. We may learn from this that we cannot ex-
pect the blessing of God to be with us unless we attend