1Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a prostitute, and he went in to her. (Jos 15:47)2The Gazites were told, “Samson has come here.” And they surrounded the place and set an ambush for him all night at the gate of the city. They kept quiet all night, saying, “Let us wait till the light of the morning; then we will kill him.” (1Sa 23:26; Ps 118:10; Ac 9:24)3But Samson lay till midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and pulled them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that is in front of Hebron.4After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.5And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” (Jos 13:3; Jud 14:15; Jud 16:19)6So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.” (Jud 16:5)7Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.” (Jud 16:11; Jud 16:17)8Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she bound him with them.9Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the bowstrings, as a thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.10Then Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have mocked me and told me lies. Please tell me how you might be bound.”11And he said to her, “If they bind me with new ropes that have not been used, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.” (Jud 15:13)12So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And the men lying in ambush were in an inner chamber. But he snapped the ropes off his arms like a thread.13Then Delilah said to Samson, “Until now you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me how you might be bound.” And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and fasten it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.”14So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his head and wove them into the web.[1] And she made them tight with the pin and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he awoke from his sleep and pulled away the pin, the loom, and the web.15And she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and you have not told me where your great strength lies.” (Jud 14:16)16And when she pressed him hard with her words day after day, and urged him, his soul was vexed to death. (Jud 14:17)17And he told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.” (Jud 13:5)18When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up again, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. (Jud 16:5)19She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. (Jud 16:5)20And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. (1Sa 28:15)21And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison. (Ex 11:5; Mt 24:41)22But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.
The Death of Samson
23Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.” (1Sa 5:2; 1Ch 10:10)24And when the people saw him, they praised their god. For they said, “Our god has given our enemy into our hand, the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us.”[2] (Da 5:4)25And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, that he may entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars. (Jud 19:6; 2Sa 13:28)26And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.”27Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained. (De 22:8; 2Sa 11:2; Ne 8:16; Mt 24:17; Mr 13:15; Lu 17:31)28Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” (Jer 15:15)29And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other.30And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.31Then his brothers and all his family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had judged Israel twenty years. (Jud 13:25)
1One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.2The people of Gaza were told, ‘Samson is here!’ So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They made no move during the night, saying, ‘At dawn we’ll kill him.’3But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.4Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah.5The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, ‘See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so that we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels[1] of silver.’6So Delilah said to Samson, ‘Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.’7Samson answered her, ‘If anyone ties me with seven fresh bow-strings that have not been dried, I’ll become as weak as any other man.’8Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bow-strings that had not been dried, and she tied him with them.9With men hidden in the room, she called to him, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ But he snapped the bow-strings as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.10Then Delilah said to Samson, ‘You have made a fool of me; you lied to me. Come now, tell me how you can be tied.’11He said, ‘If anyone ties me securely with new ropes that have never been used, I’ll become as weak as any other man.’12So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them. Then, with men hidden in the room, she called to him, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ But he snapped the ropes off his arms as if they were threads.13Delilah then said to Samson, ‘All this time you have been making a fool of me and lying to me. Tell me how you can be tied.’ He replied, ‘If you weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric on the loom and tighten it with the pin, I’ll become as weak as any other man.’ So while he was sleeping, Delilah took the seven braids of his head, wove them into the fabric14and[2] tightened it with the pin. Again she called to him, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ He awoke from his sleep and pulled up the pin and the loom, with the fabric.15Then she said to him, ‘How can you say, “I love you,” when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.’16With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.17So he told her everything. ‘No razor has ever been used on my head,’ he said, ‘because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.’18When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, ‘Come back once more; he has told me everything.’ So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands.19After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him.[3] And his strength left him.20Then she called, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ He awoke from his sleep and thought, ‘I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.’ But he did not know that the Lord had left him.21Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding corn in the prison.22But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.
The death of Samson
23Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, ‘Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.’24When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, ‘Our god has delivered our enemy into our hands, the one who laid waste our land and multiplied our slain.’25While they were in high spirits, they shouted, ‘Bring out Samson to entertain us.’ So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. When they stood him among the pillars,26Samson said to the servant who held his hand, ‘Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.’27Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform.28Then Samson prayed to the Lord, ‘Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.’29Then Samson reached towards the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other,30Samson said, ‘Let me die with the Philistines!’ Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.31Then his brothers and his father’s whole family went down to get him. They brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led[4] Israel for twenty years.
Judges 16
King James Version
1Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.2And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.3And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.4And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.5And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth , and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.6And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth , and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.7And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.8Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.9Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.10And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.11And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.12Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.13And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.14And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.15And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth .16And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;17That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother' womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.18And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.19And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.20And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.21But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.22Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.23Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.24And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.25And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.26And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.27Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.28And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.29And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.30And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.31Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.
1One day Samson went to Gaza. There he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.2The people of Gaza were told, ‘Samson is here!’ So they surrounded the place. They hid and waited for him at the city gate all night long. They didn’t make any move against him during the night. They said, ‘Let’s wait until the sun comes up. Then we’ll kill him.’3But Samson stayed there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up. He took hold of the doors of the city gate. He also took hold of the two doorposts. He tore them loose, together with their metal bar. He picked them up and put them on his shoulders. Then he carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.4Some time later, Samson fell in love again. The woman lived in the Valley of Sorek. Her name was Delilah.5The rulers of the Philistines went to her. They said, ‘See if you can get him to tell you the secret of why he’s so strong. Find out how we can overpower him. Then we can tie him up. We can bring him under our control. Each of us will give you 13 kilograms of silver.’6So Delilah said to Samson, ‘Tell me the secret of why you are so strong. Tell me how you can be tied up and controlled.’7Samson answered her, ‘Let someone tie me up with seven new bowstrings. They must be strings that aren’t completely dry. Then I’ll become as weak as any other man.’8So the Philistine rulers brought seven new bowstrings to her. They weren’t completely dry. Delilah tied Samson up with them.9Men were hiding in the room. She called out to him, ‘Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!’ But he snapped the bowstrings easily. They were like pieces of string that had come too close to a flame. So the secret of why he was so strong wasn’t discovered.10Delilah spoke to Samson again. ‘You have made me look foolish,’ she said. ‘You told me a lie. Come on. Tell me how you can be tied up.’11Samson said, ‘Let someone tie me tightly with new ropes. They must be ropes that have never been used. Then I’ll become as weak as any other man.’12So Delilah got some new ropes. She tied him up with them. Men were hiding in the room. She called out to him, ‘Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!’ But he snapped the ropes off his arms. They fell off just as if they were threads.13Delilah spoke to Samson again. ‘All this time you have been making me look foolish,’ she said. ‘You have been telling me lies. This time really tell me how you can be tied up.’ He replied, ‘Weave the seven braids of my hair into the cloth on a loom. Then tighten the cloth with a pin. If you do, I’ll become as weak as any other man.’ So while Samson was sleeping, Delilah took hold of the seven braids of his hair. She wove them into the cloth on a loom.14Then she tightened the cloth with a pin. Again she called out to him, ‘Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!’ He woke up from his sleep. He pulled up the pin and the loom, together with the cloth.15Then she said to him, ‘How can you say, “I love you”? You won’t even share your secret with me. This is the third time you have made me look foolish. And you still haven’t told me the secret of why you are so strong.’16She continued to pester him day after day. She nagged him until he was sick and tired of it.17So he told her everything. He said, ‘My hair has never been cut. That’s because I’ve been a Nazirite since the day I was born. A Nazirite is set apart to God. If you shave my head, I won’t be strong anymore. I’ll become as weak as any other man.’18Delilah realised he had told her everything. So she sent a message to the Philistine rulers. She said, ‘Come back one more time. He has told me everything.’ So the rulers returned. They brought the silver with them.19Delilah got Samson to go to sleep on her lap. Then she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair. That’s how she began to bring Samson under her control. And he wasn’t strong anymore.20She called out, ‘Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!’ He woke up from his sleep. He thought, ‘I’ll go out just as I did before. I’ll shake myself free.’ But he didn’t know that the LORD had left him.21Then the Philistines grabbed him. They poked his eyes out. They took him down to Gaza. They put bronze chains around him. Then they made him grind corn in the prison.22His head had been shaved. But the hair on it began to grow again.
Samson dies
23The rulers of the Philistines gathered together. They were going to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They were going to celebrate. They said, ‘Our god has handed our enemy Samson over to us.’24When the people saw Samson, they praised their god. They said, ‘Our god has handed our enemy over to us. Our enemy has destroyed our land. He has killed large numbers of our people.’25After they had drunk a lot of wine, they shouted, ‘Bring Samson out. Let him put on a show for us.’ So they called Samson out of the prison. He put on a show for them. They stood him near the temple pillars.26Then he spoke to the servant who was holding his hand. He said, ‘Put me where I can feel the pillars. I’m talking about the ones that hold up the temple. I want to lean against them.’27The temple was crowded with men and women. All the Philistine rulers were there. About 3,000 men and women were on the roof. They were watching Samson put on a show.28Then he prayed to the LORD. Samson said, ‘LORD and King, show me that you still have concern for me. Please, God, make me strong just one more time. Let me pay the Philistines back for what they did to my two eyes. Let me do it with only one blow.’29Then Samson reached towards the two pillars that were in the middle of the temple. They were the ones that held up the temple. He put his right hand on one of them. He put his left hand on the other. He leaned hard against them.30Samson said, ‘Let me die together with the Philistines!’ Then he pushed with all his might. The temple came down on the rulers. It fell on all the people in it. So Samson killed many more Philistines when he died than he did while he lived.31Then his brothers went down to get him. So did his father’s whole family. All of them brought Samson back home. They buried him in the tomb of his father Manoah. It’s between Zorah and Eshtaol. Samson had led Israel for 20 years.