What Does “Do Not Consent” Look Like? — Proverbs 1:10, Joseph, and Samson

This week I was copying Proverbs 1:10 when one question stayed with me.

“My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.”

Proverbs 1:10 NASB 1995

Is saying no always enough?

Joseph left.

In Genesis 39, Potiphar’s wife did not tempt Joseph only once. She spoke to him day after day (Genesis 39:10).

Joseph kept refusing. Then, when she grabbed his garment:

“he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.”

Genesis 39:12 NASB 1995

He did not only keep saying no. He left.

Then I read Samson.

What surprised me was that Samson did not tell Delilah the truth the first time either.

• First: fresh bowstrings (Judges 16:7–9)
• Second: new ropes (Judges 16:11–12)
• Third: his hair enters the answer (Judges 16:13–14)

He resisted more than once. But he stayed in the situation.

Then Judges 16:16 says Delilah pressed him daily. The next verse says:

“he told her all that was in his heart.”

Judges 16:17 NASB 1995

Joseph left. Samson stayed.

That brought me back to the words in Proverbs 1:10: “do not consent.”

Are there times when “do not consent” means I need to leave?

And then I thought about Eve.

In Genesis 3:2–3, Eve knew what God had said. The serpent continued speaking, and the conversation continued. By verse 6, she saw the fruit, took it, and ate.

Genesis does not say that Eve should have walked away at that moment. That is not something I want to add to the text.

But Joseph, Samson, and Eve together left me asking: Are there situations where I should stop trying to prove that I can resist and simply leave?

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Then I noticed something else in Samson’s story.

“I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.”

Judges 16:20 NASB 1995

Samson had done this before. He expected to do it again. But the verse continues:

“But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.”

Judges 16:20 NASB 1995

Was Samson’s strength really in his hair?

Earlier in Judges, his strength is repeatedly connected with the Spirit of the LORD coming upon him (Judges 14:6, 14:19, 15:14). His uncut hair was connected to his being set apart to God as a Nazirite. It was not a magical source of power.

Near the end of the story, Samson prays:

“O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time…”

Judges 16:28 NASB 1995

Before: “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.”
Later: “Please strengthen me.”

That made me think about the things I am good at.

If what I have is from God, shouldn’t knowing that make me more humble?

And one more verse stayed with me. Before Samson was born, God had already said that he would “begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5).

Samson’s choices still had real consequences. But God’s purpose was not dependent on Samson being strong enough.

Two questions I’m keeping with me

1. Is there something I should leave instead of continuing to test how well I can resist it?

2. Have I started treating something God gave me as simply “my ability”?

Passages from this study: Proverbs 1:10 · Genesis 39:7–13 · Judges 16:6–21, 28 · Judges 13:5 · Genesis 3:2–6

Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB 1995).