Judges 16

Samson’s Weakness

1Now SamsonH8123 wentH1980 to 1GazaH5804 and sawH7200 a prostituteH2181 thereH8033, and hadH935 relationsH935 withH935 her. 2When it was reported to the GazitesH5841, sayingH559, “SamsonH8123 has comeH935 hereH2008,” they 2surroundedH5437 the place and layH693 inH693 waitH693 for him allH3605 nightH3915 at the gateH8179 of the cityH5892. And they keptH2790 silentH2790 allH3605 nightH3915, sayingH559, “Let’s wait untilH5704 the morningH1242 lightH216, then we will killH2026 him.” 3Now SamsonH8123 layH7901 asleep untilH5704 midnightH2677H3915, and at midnightH2677H3915 he gotH6965 upH6965 and tookH270 holdH270 of the doorsH1817 of the cityH5892 gateH8179 and the twoH8147 doorpostsH4201, and pulledH5265 them upH5265 alongH5973 withH5973 the barsH1280; then he putH7760 them on his shouldersH3802, and carriedH5927 them upH5927 to the topH7218 of the mountainH2022 whichH834 is oppositeH5921H6440 HebronH2275.

4AfterH310 thisH3651 it cameH1961 aboutH1961 that he was in loveH157 with a womanH802 in the ValleyH5158 of SorekH7796, whose nameH8034 was DelilahH1807. 5So the 3governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 cameH5927 upH5927 to her and saidH559 to her, “4EnticeH6601 him, and seeH7200 whereH4100 his greatH1419 strengthH3581 lies and 5howH4100 we can overpowerH3201 him so that we may bindH631 him to humbleH6031 him. Then we will eachH376 giveH5414 you 1,100H505H3967 pieces of silverH3701.” 6So DelilahH1807 saidH559 to SamsonH8123, “PleaseH4994 tellH5046 me whereH4100 your greatH1419 strengthH3581 lies, and 6howH4100 you can be boundH631 to humbleH6031 you.” 7And SamsonH8123 saidH559 to her, “IfH518 they bindH631 me with sevenH7651 freshH3892 7animal tendonsH3499 that have not been driedH2717, then I will becomeH2470 weakH2470 and be like anyH259 other manH120.” 8Then the governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 broughtH5927 upH5927 to her sevenH7651 freshH3892 8animal tendonsH3499 that had not been driedH2717, and she boundH631 him with them. 9Now she hadH3427 men preparedH3427H693 forH693 anH693 ambushH693 in an innerH2315 roomH2315. And she saidH559 to him, “The PhilistinesH6430 are upon you, SamsonH8123!” But he toreH5423 the tendonsH3499 toH5423 piecesH5423 justH3512 likeH3512 a threadH6616 of flaxH5296 is tornH5423 apartH5423 when it 9comesH7381 tooH7381 closeH7381 toH7381 fireH784. So his strengthH3581 was not discoveredH3045.

10Then DelilahH1807 saidH559 to SamsonH8123, “BeholdH2009, you have toyedH8524 with me and toldH1696 me liesH3577; nowH6258 pleaseH4994 tellH5046 me 10howH4100 you may be boundH631.” 11Then he saidH559 to her, “IfH518 they bindH631 me tightlyH631 with newH2319 ropesH5688 11whichH834 have not been usedH6213H4399, then I will becomeH2470 weakH2470 and be like anyH259 other manH120.” 12So DelilahH1807 tookH3947 newH2319 ropesH5688 and boundH631 him with them and saidH559 to him, “The PhilistinesH6430 are upon you, SamsonH8123!” For the men in the ambushH693 were waitingH3427 in the innerH2315 roomH2315. But he toreH5423 12the ropes from his armsH2220 like threadH2339.

13Then DelilahH1807 saidH559 to SamsonH8123, “Up to nowH2008 you have toyedH8524 with me and toldH1696 me liesH3577; tellH5046 me 13howH4100 you may be boundH631.” And he saidH559 to her, “IfH518 you weaveH707 the sevenH7651 locksH4253 of my 14hairH7218 with the 15webH4545 16[and fasten it with the pin, then I will be weak like any other man.” 14So while he slept, Delilah wove the seven locks of his 17hair with the web]. And she fastenedH8628 it with the pinH3489 and saidH559 to him, “The PhilistinesH6430 are upon you, SamsonH8123!” But he awokeH3364 from his sleepH8142 and pulledH5265 outH5265 the pinH3489 of the loomH708 and the webH4545.

Delilah Extracts His Secret

15Then she saidH559 to him, “18HowH349 can you sayH559, ‘I loveH157 you,’ when your heartH3820 is not with me? You have toyedH8524 with me theseH2088 threeH7969 timesH6471 and have not toldH5046 me whereH4100 your greatH1419 strengthH3581 is.” 16And it cameH1961 aboutH1961, whenH3588 she pressedH6693 him dailyH3117 with her wordsH1697 and urgedH509 him, that his soulH5315 was 19annoyedH7114 to deathH4191. 17So he toldH5046 her allH3605 that was in his heartH3820 and saidH559 to her, “A razorH4177 has neverH3808 comeH5927 on my headH7218, for I have been a 20NaziriteH5139 to GodH430 from my mother’sH517 wombH990. IfH518 I am shavedH1548, then my strengthH3581 will leaveH5493H4480 me and I will becomeH2470 weakH2470 and be like anyH3605 other manH120.”

18When DelilahH1807 sawH7200 that he had toldH5046 her allH3605 that was in his heartH3820, she sentH7971 word and calledH7121 the governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430, sayingH559, “ComeH5927 upH5927 onceH6471 moreH6471, for he has toldH5046 me allH3605 that is in his heartH3820.” Then the governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 cameH5927 upH5927 to her and broughtH5927 upH5927 the moneyH3701 in their handsH3027. 19And she made him sleepH3462 on her kneesH1290, and calledH7121 for a manH376 and had him shaveH1548 offH1548 the sevenH7651 locksH4253 of his headH7218. Then she beganH2490 to humbleH6031 him, and his strengthH3581 leftH5493 him. 20She saidH559, “The PhilistinesH6430 are upon you, SamsonH8123!” And he awokeH3364 from his sleepH8142 and saidH559, “I will goH3318 outH3318 as at otherH6471 timesH6471 and shakeH5287 myself freeH5287.” But he did not knowH3045 that 21the LordH3068 had departedH5493 from him. 21Then the PhilistinesH6430 seizedH270 him and gougedH5365 outH5365 his eyesH5869; and they broughtH3381 him downH3381 to GazaH5804 and restrainedH631 him with bronzeH5178 chainsH5178, and he becameH1961 a grinderH2912 in the prisonH1004H631. 22However, the hairH8181 of his headH7218 beganH2490 to growH6779 again afterH3512 it was shavedH1548 offH1548.

23Now the governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 assembledH622 to offerH2076 a greatH1419 sacrificeH2077 to 22DagonH1712 their godH430, and to celebrateH8057, for they saidH559, “Our godH430 has handedH5414H3027 SamsonH8123 our enemyH340 overH5414 to us.” 24When the peopleH5971 sawH7200 him, 23they praisedH1984 their godH430, for they saidH559, “Our godH430 has handedH5414H3027 our enemyH340 overH5414 to us, Even the destroyerH2717 of our countryH776, WhoH834 has killedH2491 manyH7235 of us.” 25It so happenedH1961 when 24they were in highH2895 spiritsH3820, that they saidH559, “CallH7121 for SamsonH8123, that he may amuseH7832 us.” So they calledH7121 for SamsonH8123 from the prisonH1004H631, and he 25entertainedH6711H6440 them. And they made him standH5975 betweenH996 the pillarsH5982. 26Then SamsonH8123 saidH559 to the boyH5288 who was holdingH2388 his handH3027, “26LetH5117 me feelH4184 the pillarsH5982 on whichH834 the houseH1004 restsH3559, so that I may leanH8172 againstH5921 them.” 27Now the houseH1004 was fullH4390 of menH376 and womenH802, and allH3605 the governorsH5633 of the PhilistinesH6430 were thereH8033. And about threeH7969 thousandH505 menH376 and womenH802 were on the roofH1406 lookingH7200 on while SamsonH8123 was entertainingH7832 them.

Samson Is Avenged

2827Then SamsonH8123 calledH7121 to the LordH3068 and saidH559, “LordH136 28GodH3068, pleaseH4994 rememberH2142 me and pleaseH4994 strengthenH2388 me justH389 thisH2088 timeH6471, O GodH430, that I may at onceH259 29take vengeanceH5358 on the PhilistinesH6430 for my twoH8147 eyesH5869.” 29Then SamsonH8123 graspedH3943 the twoH8147 middleH8432 pillarsH5982 on whichH834 the houseH1004 restedH3559, and bracedH5564 himself againstH5921 them, the oneH259 with his rightH3225 handH3225 and the otherH259 with his leftH8040. 30And SamsonH8123 saidH559, “Let 30me dieH4191 with the PhilistinesH6430!” And he pushedH5186 outwardsH5186 powerfullyH3581, so that the houseH1004 fellH5307 on the governorsH5633 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were in it. And the deadH4191 whomH834 he killedH4191 at his deathH4194 were moreH7227 thanH4480 those whomH834 he killedH4191 during his lifetimeH2425. 31Then his brothersH251 and allH3605 his father’sH1 householdH1004 cameH3381 downH3381 and tookH5375 him, and broughtH5927 him upH5927 and buriedH6912 him betweenH996 ZorahH6881 and EshtaolH847 in the tombH6913 of his fatherH1 ManoahH4495. 31So he had judgedH8199 IsraelH3478 for twentyH6242 yearsH8141.