1. Judges 16:4 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What is the purpose of “after this”?

Judges 16:4 (ESV)

4 After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

The phrase after this links what Samson does in the following with what has gone before. The narrative of Samson and Delilah is connected to that of the Gaza prostitute. Samson is in effect continuing on his downhill course. He flirts once again with danger.