Delilah’s conduct in Judges 16 : a critical fabulation

Abstract

This study explores Delilah's character in Judges 16 through feminist and postmodern perspectives, using critical fabulations to reinterpret traditional narratives. The primary objective is to contest conventional views of Delilah as merely a femme fatale, broadening the analysis to consider her as a metaphor for folly and the intricate dynamics of power, gender, and cultural identity within the biblical text. By applying postmodern hermeneutics and feminist critique, the research deconstructs patriarchal power structures, particularly highlighting how Delilah's foreignness and gender have been manipulated in the narrative. Using critical fabulations, the study reconstructs Delilah’s character to reveal new insights into her motivations, agency, and socio-cultural significance. The findings indicate that Delilah symbolises male fears of cultural infiltration and the vulnerability of Israelite identity, while also exposing Samson’s weaknesses and leadership failures. Instead of portraying Delilah solely as a traitor, the research underscores her role in emphasising themes of folly and wisdom central to Proverbs and other wisdom literature. The study argues that Delilah’s narrative challenges binary gender stereotypes and patriarchal norms. Through speculative history, it opens new pathways for understanding marginalised female voices in biblical literature.