Was Delilah, who cut Samson’s hair, an Israelite or a Philistine?

The Scriptural evidence suggests that she was an Israelite.


Jehovah raised up Samson and gave him His spirit, to ‘save Israel’ from the enemy Philistines. (Judg. 13:1, 5, 25) After years of doing that Samson “fell in love” with Delilah. Though the Bible does not state her nationality, many Bible commentators think that she was a Philistine courtesan after whom Samson lusted. But God’s Word does not say that. It says that in visiting Delilah judge Samson was going to see a woman whom he loved.—Judg. 16:4.


Furthermore, when the Philistines tried to get her help, they did not use an appeal based on patriotic sentiment as they likely would have done if Delilah had been a fellow Philistine. Rather, they bribed her with a very large sum of money.—Judg. 16:5.


Earlier, three thousand Judeans had, out of fear, helped the Philistines to capture Samson. (Judg. 15:9-13) But Delilah did so out of greed. She pestered Samson until he revealed the secret of his strength. Then she brought the enemy down on him. Later, God enabled Samson to undo the effect of this treachery even as He had helped on that earlier occasion.—Judg. 15:14; 16:28-30.


Consequently, it seems that Delilah was an Israelite woman who was bribed into being a traitor for the Philistines. But the Bible lists Samson as an example of faith.—Heb. 11:32-34.