Deli'lah (Heb. Delilah% nh'^h^, prob. hngidsh- ing, sc. with lustful desire ; Sept AaXtdd, Josephus AaXtXa), a woman who dwelt in the valley of Sorek, beloved by Samson (Judg. xvi, 4-18). B.C. 1166. Her connection with Samson forms the third and last of those amatory adventures which in his history are so Inextricably blended with the craft and prowess of a judge in Israel. She was bribed by the "lords of the Philistines*' to win from Samson the secret of his strength, and the means of overcoming it. See Sam- son. It is not stated, either in Judges or Josephus, whether she was an Israelite or a Philistine. Nor can this question be determined^by reference to the geog- raphy of Sorek, since. In the time of the judges, the frontier was shifting and indefinite. The following considerations, however, supply presumptive evidence that she was a Philistine :
1. Her occupation, which seems to have been that of
a courtesan of the higher cUiss, a kind of political He-
1. This view is still more decided in Josephus
(who cills her ywfi kra»/^oftiv% and Mod influence over Samson with woroc and vsmms^i V, 8, 11). He also states more deariv h« vMm. a political agent to tlie " lords of the py^ (0*^3*^0, Joseph, ol irpotOTurrtiCyik &fixpvnc^^m vmv ; Sept. opxovrcC) o* i^ov cocyov ; tas^paia Utieal loitis, MUton, Sams, A$, 850, 119$), ^ under their directions "liers in wmif * p^StTL n i ' l^ov ; comp. Josh, viii, 14). On the otiier \aaL C^ sostom and many of the fisthers have waSas6uad,% Delilah was married to Samson (so Mihtm. gj natural but uncritical attempt to save tlie ooo^l the Jewish cliampion. See Judg. xvi, 9, IS. s in ing an exclusive command of her ertahli^iwcaa sistent with the idea of matrimonial coDuetioe ?a rick, ad loc.). There seema to be litde deif t she was a courtesan ; and her empkrymeirf » i^ ical emissary, together with the luge sum vhid n offered for her services (1100 pieces of stiver &«& lord =5500 shekels ; comp. Judg. Si, S), <b^ tb* a which is attributed to her in Judges, hit mm ra dally in Josephus, indicates a position not lik&Tb occupied by any Israelitish woman at tfast posi : national depression. See Philistises.
2. The general tendency of the Scriptme mts^ the sexual temptation represented as scdngGftsi Israelites from wiikont (Num. xxv, 1, 6 ; xxii li >' SeeHABLOT. 8. The special case of Samson (Judg. xir, 1 ; xrl' In Milton Delilah appears as a PhilistiDe, ial':'^< fies herself to Samson on the ground of J8fik£ {Sam, Ag. 860, 980).— Smith, s. v.
Delliiia (AiXXcoc)} Qunrrvs, a £svorite p^ : Antony, whose unprindpled offickmsnesi cbk vs. embroiling Herod with Yentidiua (JoBephu,iil^ 15, 1 ; XV, 2, 6 ; War, i, xv, 8). He wb * Be* knight who was concerned in the civil mn^skii^ triumvirate, and is frequently mentioned in cM history (Smith, DicL of Class. Biog, s. v.).
DelOB. See Delus.
Deluge, a term specifically applied in s:^ times to Noah's flood, as related in Geo. tu, Tm. s^* Flood.
I. Biblical History of the FZcNNi.— The nocdMc rian informs us that in the ninth genentioi ^ Adam, when the race of man had grestfy niik^; on the face of the earth, wickedness of eTei7 kj»i ^ fearfully increased, that every Imsginstios o^^ thoughts of the human heart was only evil oeotisb^ ly, that the earth was filled with violence, ssdtk^ such a degree of depravity had the whole nceoae that '4t repented the Lord that he had nsde nm r^ the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." ^*^ forther told, in gmphic and impressive hugsir-^ the Creator determined to purge Uie earfii fo« ^ presence of the creature whom he had made. ^I ^^ destroy man whom I have created from the 6oe«» earth ; both man and beast, and the creepiDg t^ and the fowls of the air; for it repeoteth ne tbn have made them." See Awtheopokobpbb* ^ the midst of a world of crime and gaih there ^ however, one household, that of Noah, ni wh*^ ^ fear of God still remained. "Noah was ajrt ®|j and perfect in his generations, and wslked vith v^ And Noah found grace in the ejres of the ^^"^' was commanded to make an ark of gopher vQoi'p' hundred cubits long, fifty hroad, and thiitj \o^ '^ this large vessel he vras to collect a pair of "«^^ ing thing of all flesh," fowls, cattle, and o^ things after their kind, along with a suitable ^ of food. He was to enter it himself; taking vi^|^ his wife, and his three sons with their wirei, ^ ^ no other human company. The reason of tha* P^ arations was made Imown in the solenin ^^'^''^^^ hold I, even I, do bring a flood of waten ^ "^
DELUGE
738
DELUGE
to desti^ an flesh, whetein is the breath of life, month on the monntains of Ararat After this the tmder heaven ; and eTerything that is in the waters gradually decreased till the first day of the shall die." The ark thus commissioned was tenth month, when the tope of the mountains were y prepared by Noah. See Abk. At length, in seen. It was then that Noah sent forth, first, the ra- ils, hundredth year of his age, the ark was fin- ven, which flew hither and thither, resting probably on , and all its living freight was gathered into it as the moantain4ope, bat not returning to the ark ; and place of safety. Jehovah shut him in, says the next (? alter an interval of seven days ; comp. ver. licler, speaking of Noah. And then there ensued i 10), the dove, ** to see if the waters were abated from