שופטים, פרק י״ד, פסוק י״ז

A wedding celebration is typically a time of profound joy, yet Samson's seven-day feast devolved into a period of tears, intense pressure, and emotional manipulation. A stark contrast emerged between the intended happiness of the week and the reality of his new Philistine bride weeping continuously [מצודת דוד]. Through her tears, she accused Samson of not truly loving her. However, her emotional display was not born of slighted romance, but rather a deep-seated fear of what her own people would do to her if she failed to uncover the answer to his riddle [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Commentators differ on how long this weeping actually lasted. One perspective suggests the tears spanned the remaining days of the feast, beginning on the fourth day when her people first threatened her [רש״י]. Another view places the events within a broader two-week celebration, where the crying consumed the entire second week dedicated specifically to the wedding banquet [אברבנאל].

Ultimately, Samson surrendered on the seventh day due to the overwhelming distress she caused him, which created a heavy, inescapable burden [מצודת ציון]. The primary approach among commentators is that she broke his resolve through endless nagging, complaints, and tears. However, other scholars suggest a more intimate form of coercion, explaining that she withheld physical affection and refused marital relations during a time when his desires were strong [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, אברבנאל].

Samson finally chose to reveal the answer on the very last day of the feast. He reasoned that the solution would only need to be kept secret for one more day, and he simply wanted to satisfy her desperate urge to share a private confidence hidden from everyone else [מלבי״ם]. Yet, the moment he gave in, the bride wasted no time. She immediately rushed to share the solution with the men of her city, ensuring they had the answer before the sun set and the deadline expired [רלב״ג, אברבנאל]. This swift betrayal exposed where her true loyalties lay, proving that her mind and heart were entirely devoted to her fellow Philistines rather than to her foreign husband [מלבי״ם].