hine
heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast
not told me wherein thy great strength lieth."

And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and
urged him, that his soul was sorely vexed.

And he told her all his heart, and said to her, "There hath not come a
razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazirite unto God from my
birth: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall
become weak, and be like any other man."

And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and
called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, "Come up this once,
for he hath told me all his heart."

Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought the
money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she
called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and his
strength went from him.

And she said, "The Philistines be upon thee, Samson."

{179}{180}

[Illustration]
THE VALLEY OF SOREK

From a photograph taken by Prof. D. G. Lyon
and used by his kind permission.

The valley of Sorek, a narrow gorge at its upper end, broadens out
into the lowlands of Judah at its lower end, and here in the
foothills overlooking the Philistine country was the home of Samson.
It was up this valley that the Philistines often made their
frequent raids against Jerusalem and the highlands of Judah. It was
here that the battle was fought when Israel was defeated under the
leadership of Eli's wicked sons, and "the ark of God was taken." The
modern railway from Jaffa to Jerusalem follows this valley.
[End illustration]

{181}

And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, "I will go out as at other
times, and shake myself free."

But he knew not that the Lord was departed from him. And the
Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought
him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and they made
him grind in the mill in the prison house. Howbeit the hair of his
head began to grow again after he was shaven.

_How Samson Had His Revenge_.

And the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great
sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, "Our
god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand."

And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said,
"Our god hath delivered into our hand our enemy, and the destroyer of
our country, which hath sl