Judges

Chapter 16

1 Then went3212 Samson8123 to Gaza,5804 and saw7200 there8033 an harlot,2181 and went935 in to her.

2 And it was told the Gazites,5841 saying,559 Samson8123 is come935 here. And they compassed5437 him in, and laid wait693 for him all3605 night3915 in the gate8179 of the city,5892 and were quiet2790 all3605 the night,3915 saying,559 In the morning,1242 when5704 it is day,1242 we shall kill2026 him.

3 And Samson8123 lay7901 till5704 midnight,2677 3915 and arose6965 at midnight,2677 3915 and took270 the doors1817 of the gate8179 of the city,5892 and the two8147 posts,4201 and went5265 away5265 with them, bar1280 and all,5973 and put7760 them on his shoulders,3802 and carried5927 them up to the top7218 of an hill2022 that is before5921 6440 Hebron.2275

4 And it came1961 to pass afterward,310 3651 that he loved157 a woman802 in the valley5158 of Sorek,7796 whose name8034 was Delilah.1807

5 And the lords5633 of the Philistines6430 came5927 up to her, and said559 to her, Entice6601 him, and see7200 wherein4100 his great1419 strength3581 lies, and by what4100 means we may prevail3201 against him, that we may bind631 him to afflict6031 him; and we will give5414 you every376 one376 of us eleven505 3967 hundred3967 pieces of silver.3701

6 And Delilah1807 said559 to Samson,8123 Tell5046 me, I pray4994 you, wherein4100 your great1419 strength3581 lies, and with which4100 you might be bound631 to afflict6031 you.

7 And Samson8123 said559 to her, If518 they bind631 me with seven7651 green3892 thongs3499 that were never3808 dried,2717 then shall I be weak,2470 and be as another259 man.120

8 Then the lords5633 of the Philistines6430 brought5927 up to her seven7651 green3892 thongs3499 which834 had not been dried,2717 and she bound631 him with them.

9 Now there were men lying in wait,693 abiding3427 with her in the chamber.2315 And she said559 to him, The Philistines6430 be on you, Samson.8123 And he broke5423 the thongs,3499 as a thread6616 of wick5296 is broken5423 when it touches7306 the fire.784 So his strength3581 was not known.3045

10 And Delilah1807 said559 to Samson,8123 Behold,2009 you have mocked2048 me, and told1696 me lies:3576 now6258 tell5046 me, I pray4994 you, with which4100 you might be bound.631

11 And he said559 to her, If518 they bind631 me fast with new2319 ropes5688 that never3808 were occupied,6213 4399 then shall I be weak,2470 and be as another259 man.120

12 Delilah1807 therefore took3947 new2319 ropes,5688 and bound631 him therewith, and said559 to him, The Philistines6430 be on you, Samson.8123 And there were liers in wait693 abiding3427 in the chamber.2315 And he broke5423 them from off5921 his arms2220 like a thread.2339

13 And Delilah1807 said559 to Samson,8123 Till now5704 2008 you have mocked2048 me, and told1696 me lies:3576 tell5046 me with which4100 you might be bound.631 And he said559 to her, If518 you weave707 the seven7651 locks4253 of my head7218 with the web.4545

14 And she fastened8628 it with the pin,3489 and said559 to him, The Philistines6430 be on you, Samson.8123 And he awaked3364 out of his sleep,8142 and went5265 away5265 with the pin3489 of the beam,708 and with the web.4545

15 And she said559 to him, How349 can you say,559 I love157 you, when your heart3820 is not with me? you have mocked2048 me these2088 three7969 times,6471 and have not told5046 me wherein4100 your great1419 strength3581 lies.

16 And it came1961 to pass, when3588 she pressed6693 him daily3117 with her words,1697 and urged509 him, so that his soul5315 was vexed7114 to death;4191

17 That he told5046 her all3605 his heart,3820 and said559 to her, There has not come5927 a razor4177 on my head;7218 for I have been a Nazarite5139 to God430 from my mother's517 womb:990 if518 I be shaven,1548 then my strength3581 will go5493 from me, and I shall become2470 weak,2470 and be like any3605 other man.120

18 And when Delilah1807 saw7200 that he had told5046 her all3605 his heart,3820 she sent7971 and called7121 for the lords5633 of the Philistines,6430 saying,559 Come5927 up this once,6471 for he has showed5046 me all3605 his heart.3820 Then the lords5633 of the Philistines6430 came5927 up to her, and brought5927 money3701 in their hand.3027

19 And she made him sleep3462 on her knees;1290 and she called7121 for a man,376 and she caused him to shave1548 off the seven7651 locks4253 of his head;7218 and she began2490 to afflict6031 him, and his strength3581 went5493 from him.

20 And she said,559 The Philistines6430 be on you, Samson.8123 And he awoke3364 out of his sleep,8142 and said,559 I will go3318 out as at other times6471 before,6471 and shake5287 myself. And he knew3045 not that the LORD3068 was departed5493 from him.

21 But the Philistines6430 took270 him, and put5365 out his eyes,5869 and brought3381 him down3381 to Gaza,5804 and bound631 him with fetters5178 of brass;5178 and he did grind2912 in the prison631 house.1004

22 However, the hair8181 of his head7218 began2490 to grow6779 again after834 he was shaven.1548

23 Then the lords5633 of the Philistines6430 gathered6908 them together for to offer2076 a great1419 sacrifice2077 to Dagon1712 their god,430 and to rejoice:8057 for they said,559 Our god430 has delivered5414 Samson8123 our enemy341 into our hand.3027

24 And when the people5971 saw7200 him, they praised1984 their god:430 for they said,559 Our god430 has delivered5414 into our hands3027 our enemy,341 and the destroyer2717 of our country,776 which834 slew2491 many7235 of us.

25 And it came1961 to pass, when3588 their hearts3820 were merry,2896 that they said,559 Call7121 for Samson,8123 that he may make us sport.7832 And they called7121 for Samson8123 out of the prison631 house;1004 and he made them sport:6711 and they set5975 him between996 the pillars.5982

26 And Samson8123 said559 to the lad5288 that held2388 him by the hand,3027 Suffer3240 me that I may feel4184 the pillars5982 whereupon834 5921 the house1004 stands,3559 that I may lean8172 on them.

27 Now the house1004 was full4390 of men582 and women;802 and all3605 the lords5633 of the Philistines6430 were there;8033 and there were on the roof1406 about three7969 thousand505 men376 and women,802 that beheld7200 while Samson8123 made sport.7832

28 And Samson8123 called7121 to the LORD,3068 and said,559 O Lord136 God,3069 remember2142 me, I pray4994 you, and strengthen2388 me, I pray4994 you, only389 this2088 once,6471 O God,430 that I may be at once avenged5358 of the Philistines6430 for my two8147 eyes.5869

29 And Samson8123 took hold3943 of the two8147 middle8432 pillars5982 on which834 the house1004 stood,3559 and on5921 which it was borne5564 up, of the one259 with his right3225 hand,3225 and of the other259 with his left.8040

30 And Samson8123 said,559 Let me die4191 with the Philistines.6430 And he bowed5186 himself with all his might;3581 and the house1004 fell5307 on the lords,5633 and on all3605 the people5971 that were therein. So the dead4191 which834 he slew4191 at his death4194 were more7227 than they which834 he slew4191 in his life.2416

31 Then his brothers251 and all3605 the house1004 of his father1 came3381 down,3381 and took5375 him, and brought5927 him up, and buried6912 him between996 Zorah6881 and Eshtaol847 in the burial plot6913 of Manoah4495 his father.1 And he judged8199 Israel3478 twenty6242 years.8141