Definition: Now [there were] men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this Bible verse together. It's a pretty dramatic and interesting passage from the Book of Judges! Here’s what it means in simpler terms: The Basic Story: This verse describes a terrifying situation where a woman (we don’t know her name) is deliberately setting up a trap for Samson, the famous hero of the Bible. She's essentially creating a scenario where he would be vulnerable and easily harmed. Let’s unpack it: “Now there were men lying in wait…” : This tells us that Samson was being targeted – someone was actively planning to hurt him. “…abiding with her in the chamber.” : This suggests this was a secret, private meeting or location. It's not a public confrontation. “And she said unto him…” : The woman is speaking directly to Samson, giving him instructions. “The Philistines be upon thee…” : This is the crucial part. She’s telling him that the Philistines (a group of people living near the coast) are coming to attack him. “And he broke the withs…” : “Withs” refers to a kind of rope or thread – Samson was using this to create a trap. He was twisting and manipulating it, making it so that it would easily snap when exposed to fire. “As a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire.” : This is a really powerful metaphor. "Tow" is like a rope or string. When you burn it, it breaks into smaller pieces. The phrase “toucheth the fire” means it’s exposed to heat. So, Samson was creating this trap so that any touch by the Philistines would break his thread, making him helpless. “So his strength was not known.” : This is the final point. Because he was so easily defeated and vulnerable due to this trap, his power and might were diminished. He wasn’t strong enough to overcome the threat. What’s it about? This verse highlights a few important themes: Danger Lurks: It shows that danger can be hidden in plain sight. Strategic Planning: It demonstrates that evil often plans its moves carefully, using deception and traps. The Power of God's Intervention: The woman’s action is seen as a deliberate act of opposition to Samson’s power, suggesting a divine plan at work. In short, this verse describes a cunning scheme by a woman to defeat Samson, resulting in him being weakened and vulnerable. --- Do you want me to: Explain any part of this verse in more detail? Connect this story to other stories or biblical themes? Give you a quick summary of the overall context of Judges 16?