Judges, Ruth: Revised Edition (The NIV Application Commentary)

by K. Lawson Younger

There were two types of looms used in this period: the horizontal loom and the vertical loom. From the description given of Delilah’s loom it appears to be the former type. Four stakes were driven into the ground in a rectangular pattern. The threads that would make up the warp of the fabric were tied at regular intervals to sticks on both ends, and the sticks were then used to stretch out the threads between the stakes. When the ends of each stick were braced behind the stakes the threads would be stretched horizontal to the ground, taut for weaving. A shuttle would then be tied to the thread that was to be woven in as the woof of the fabric with a bar being used to separate alternating threads of the warp to allow the shuttle with the woof thread to pass through. Once the woof thread was in place the pin would be used to tighten that row against the previous rows. Samson has now become quite creative for he is suggesting that his hair be substituted for the woof thread. This would, however, be a logical magical procedure in that the hair was considered to contain one’s life essence and the weaving would be a binding action. When Samson jumps up he pulls the whole loom with him snapping the end sticks off the four stakes between which the fabric was stretched.102