Judges 16

Samson Escapes Gaza

1One day SamsonH8123 wentH1980 to GazaH5804, whereH8033H802 he sawH7200 a prostituteH2181 and went in to spend the nightH935 with herH413.

2When the GazitesH5841 heard thatH559 SamsonH8123 wasH935 thereH2008, they surroundedH5437 that place and lay in waitH693 for him allH3605 nightH3915 at the cityH5892 gateH8179. They were quietH2790 throughoutH3605 the nightH3915, sayingH559, “Let us wait untilH5704 dawnH216H1242; then we will kill himH2026.”

3But SamsonH8123 lay thereH7901 only untilH5704 midnightH2677H3915, when he got upH6965, took holdH270 of the doorsH1817 of the cityH5892 gateH8179 and bothH8147 gatepostsH4201, and pulled them outH5265, barH1280 and allH5973. Then he putH7760 them onH5921 his shouldersH3802 and took themH5927 toH413 the topH7218 of the mountainH2022 overlookingH5921H6440 HebronH2275.

4

Samson and Delilah

Some time laterH310H3651, Samson fell in love withH157 a womanH802 in the ValleyH5158 of SorekH7796, whose nameH8034 was DelilahH1807. 5The lordsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 wentH5927 to herH413 and saidH559, “EnticeH6601 himH853 and find outH7200 the source ofH4100 his greatH1419 strengthH3581 and howH4100 we can overpowerH3201 him to tie him upH631 and subdue himH6031. Then each oneH376 of usH587 will giveH5414 you eleven hundredH505H3967 shekels of silverH3701.1”

6So DelilahH1807 saidH559 toH413 SamsonH8123, “PleaseH4994 tellH5046 me the sourceH4100 of your greatH1419 strengthH3581 and howH4100 you can be tied upH631 and subduedH6031.”

7SamsonH8123 told herH559H413, “IfH518 they tie me upH631 with sevenH7651 freshH3892 bowstringsH3499 thatH834 have notH3808 been driedH2717, I will become as weakH2470H1961 as anyH259 other manH120.”

8So the lordsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 broughtH5927 her sevenH7651 freshH3892 bowstringsH3499 thatH834 had notH3808 been driedH2717, and she tied him upH631 with them. 9While the menH693 were hiddenH3427 in her roomH2315, she called outH559, “SamsonH8123, the PhilistinesH6430 are hereH5921!”

But he snappedH5423 the bowstringsH3499 likeH834 a strandH6616 of yarnH5296 searedH5423H7306 by a flameH784. So the source of his strengthH3581 remained unknownH3808H3045.

10Then DelilahH1807 saidH559 toH413 SamsonH8123H2009, “You have mockedH2048 me and lied to meH1696H413H3577! NowH6258 pleaseH4994 tellH5046 me howH4100 you can be tied upH631.”

11He repliedH559H413, “IfH518 they tie me upH631 with newH2319 ropesH5688 thatH834 have neverH3808 been usedH6213H4399, I will become as weakH2470H1961 as anyH259 other manH120.”

12So DelilahH1807 tookH3947 newH2319 ropesH5688, tied him upH631 with them, and called outH559H413, “SamsonH8123, the Philistines areH6430 hereH5921!”

But while the menH693 were hiddenH3427 in her roomH2315, he snappedH5423 the ropes offH5921 his armsH2220 like they were threadsH2339.

13Then DelilahH1807 saidH559 toH413 SamsonH8123, “You have mockedH2048 me and lied to meH1696H413H3577 all alongH5704H2008! TellH5046 me howH4100 you can be tied upH631.”

He told herH559H413, “IfH518 you weaveH707 the sevenH7651 braidsH4253 of my headH7218 intoH5973 the web of a loomH4545 and tighten it with a pin, I will become as weak as any other man.2”

14So while he slept, Delilah took the seven braids of his hair and wove them into the web. 3Then she tightened it with a pinH3489 and calledH559 to himH413, “SamsonH8123, the PhilistinesH6430 are hereH5921!”

But he awokeH3364 from his sleepH8142 and pulled outH5265 the pinH3489 with the loomH708 and the webH4545.

Delilah Learns the Secret

15“HowH349 can you sayH559H413, ‘I love youH157,’” she askedH559, “when your heartH3820 is notH369 with meH854? ThisH2088 is the thirdH7969 timeH6471 you have mockedH2048 me and failedH3808 to revealH5046 to me the sourceH4100 of your great strengthH3581H1419!”

16Finally, afterH1961 she had pressedH6693 him dailyH3605H3117 with her wordsH1697 and pleadedH509 until heH5315 was sickH7114 to deathH4191, 17Samson toldH5046 her all that wasH3605 in his heartH3820: “My hairH7218 has neverH3808 been cutH4177H5927H5921, becauseH3588 IH589 have been a NaziriteH5139 to GodH430 from my mother’sH517 wombH990. IfH518 I am shavedH1548, my strengthH3581 will leaveH5493 meH4480, and I will become as weakH2470 asH1961 anyH3605 other manH120.”

18When DelilahH1807 realizedH7200 thatH3588 he had revealedH5046 to her allH3605 that was in his heartH3820, she sentH7971H7121 this messageH559 to the lordsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430: “Come upH5927 once moreH6471, forH3588 he has revealedH5046 to me allH3605 that is in his heartH3820.”

Then the lordsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 cameH5927 to herH413, bringingH5927 the moneyH3701 in their handsH3027.

19And having lulled him to sleepH3462 onH5921 her lapH1290, she calledH7121 a manH376 to shave offH1548 the sevenH7651 braidsH4253 of his headH7218. In this way she beganH2490 to subdue himH6031,4 and his strengthH3581H5921 left himH5493. 20Then she called outH559, “SamsonH8123, the PhilistinesH6430 are hereH5921!”

When Samson awokeH3364 from his sleepH8142, he thoughtH559, “I will escapeH3318 as I did beforeH6471 and shake myself freeH5287.” But heH1931 did notH3808 knowH3045 thatH3588 the LORDH3068 had departedH5493 from himH5921.

21Then the PhilistinesH6430 seized himH270, gouged outH5365 his eyesH5869, and brought him downH3381 to GazaH5804, where he was boundH631 with bronze shacklesH5178 and forcedH1961 to grindH2912 grain in the prisonH1004H615.

22However, the hairH8181 of his headH7218 beganH2490 to growH6779 back afterH834 it had been shavedH1548.

Samson’s Vengeance and Death

23Now the lordsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 gathered togetherH622 to offerH2076 a greatH1419 sacrificeH2077 to their godH430 DagonH1712. They rejoicedH8057 and saidH559, “Our godH430 has deliveredH5414 SamsonH8123 our enemyH341 into our handsH3027.”

24And when the peopleH5971 saw himH7200, they praisedH1984 their godH430, sayingH3588:

25AndH1961 while their heartsH3820 were merryH2895, they saidH559, “CallH7121 for SamsonH8123 to entertainH7832 us.” So they calledH7121 SamsonH8123 out of the prisonH1004H615 to entertain themH6711H6440. And they stationedH5975 himH853 betweenH996 the pillarsH5982.

26SamsonH8123 saidH559 toH413 the servantH5288 who heldH2388 his handH3027, “LeadH5117 meH853 where I can feelH3237 the pillarsH5982 supportingH3559 the templeH1004, so I can leanH8172H5921 against themH5921.”

27Now the templeH1004 was fullH4392 of menH582 and womenH802; allH3605 the lordsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 were thereH8033, and about threeH7969 thousandH505 menH376 and womenH802 were onH5921 the roofH1406 watchingH7200 SamsonH8123 entertain themH7832.

28Then SamsonH8123 called outH7121 toH413 the LORDH3068H559: “O LordH136 GODH3069, pleaseH4994 remember meH2142. Strengthen meH2388H4994, O GodH430, justH389 once moreH6471H2088, so that with oneH259 vengeful blowH5359 I may pay backH5358 the PhilistinesH6430 for my twoH8147 eyesH5869.”

29And SamsonH8123 reached outH3943 for the twoH8147 centralH8432 pillarsH5982 supportingH3559 the templeH1004. Bracing himselfH5564H5921 against themH5921 with his right handH3225 on oneH259 pillar and his left handH8040 on the otherH259, 30SamsonH8123 saidH559, “Let meH5315 dieH4191 withH5973 the PhilistinesH6430.”

Then he pushedH5186 with all his mightH3581, and the templeH1004 fellH5307 onH5921 the lordsH5633 andH5921 allH3605 the people in itH5971. So in his deathH4194 he killedH4191H834 moreH7227 thanH834 he had killedH4191 in his lifeH2416.

31Then Samson’s brothersH251H3605 and his father’sH1H5375 familyH1004 came downH3381, carried him backH5927, and buriedH6912 himH853 betweenH996 ZorahH6881H996 and EshtaolH847 in the tombH6913 of his fatherH1 ManoahH4495. And heH1931 had judgedH8199 IsraelH3478 twentyH6242 yearsH8141.