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Chapter 16
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Verse 1

And Samson{H8123} went{H3212} to Gaza,{H5804} and saw{H7200} there a harlot,{H802} and went in{H935} unto her.

Verse 2

[ And it was told] the Gazites,{H5841} saying,{H559} Samson{H8123} is come{H935} hither. And they compassed him in,{H5437} and laid wait{H693} for him all night{H3915} in the gate{H8179} of the city,{H5892} and were quiet{H2790} all the night,{H3915} saying,{H559} [Let be] till morning{H1242} light,{H216} then we will kill{H2026} him.

Verse 3

And Samson{H8123} lay{H7901} till midnight,{H2677} and arose{H6965} at midnight,{H2677} and laid hold{H270} of the doors{H1817} of the gate{H8179} of the city,{H5892} and the two{H8147} posts,{H4201} and plucked them up, bar{H1280} and all, and put{H7760} them upon his shoulders,{H3802} and carried{H5265} them up{H5927} to the top{H7218} of the mountain{H2022} that is before{H6440} Hebron.{H2275}

Verse 4

And it came to pass afterward,{H310} that he loved{H157} a woman{H802} in the valley{H5158} of Sorek,{H7796} whose name{H8034} was Delilah.{H1807}

Verse 5

And the lords{H5633} of the Philistines{H6430} came up{H5927} unto her, and said{H559} unto her, Entice{H6601} him, and see{H7200} wherein his great{H1419} strength{H3581} lieth, and by what means we may prevail{H3201} against him, that we may bind{H631} him to afflict{H6031} him: and we will give{H5414} thee every one{H376} of us eleven hundred{H505} [pieces] of silver.{H3701}

Verse 6

And Delilah{H1807} said{H559} to Samson,{H8123} Tell{H5046} me, I pray thee, wherein thy great{H1419} strength{H3581} lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound{H631} to afflict{H6031} thee.

Verse 7

And Samson{H8123} said{H559} unto her, If they bind{H631} me with seven{H7651} green{H3892} withes{H3499} that were never dried,{H2717} then shall I become weak,{H2470} and be as another{H259} man.{H120}

Verse 8

Then the lords{H5633} of the Philistines{H6430} brought up{H5927} to her seven{H7651} green{H3892} withes{H3499} which had not been dried,{H2717} and she bound{H631} him with them.

Verse 9

Now she had liers-in-wait{H693} abiding{H3427} in the inner chamber.{H2315} And she said{H559} unto him, The Philistines{H6430} are upon thee, Samson.{H8123} And he brake{H5423} the withes,{H3499} as a string{H6616} of tow{H5296} is broken{H5423} when it toucheth{H7306} the fire.{H784} So his strength{H3581} was not known.{H3045}

Verse 10

And Delilah{H1807} said{H559} unto Samson,{H8123} Behold, thou hast mocked{H2048} me, and told{H1696} me lies:{H3577} now tell{H5046} me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.{H631}

Verse 11

And he said{H559} unto her, If they only bind{H631} me{H631} with new{H2319} ropes{H5688} wherewith no work hath been done,{H4399} then shall I become weak,{H2470} and be as another{H259} man.{H120}

Verse 12

So Delilah{H1807} took{H3947} new{H2319} ropes,{H5688} and bound{H631} him therewith, and said{H559} unto him, The Philistines{H6430} are upon thee, Samson.{H8123} And the liers-in-wait{H693} were abiding{H3427} in the inner chamber.{H2315} And he brake{H5423} them off his arms{H2220} like a thread.{H2339}

Verse 13

And Delilah{H1807} said{H559} unto Samson,{H8123} Hitherto{H2008} thou hast mocked{H2048} me, and told{H1696} me lies:{H3577} tell{H5046} me wherewith thou mightest be bound.{H631} And he said{H559} unto her, If thou weavest{H707} the seven{H7651} locks{H4253} of my head{H7218} with the web.{H4545}

Verse 14

And she fastened{H8628} it with the pin,{H3489} and said{H559} unto him, The Philistines{H6430} are upon thee, Samson.{H8123} And he awaked{H3364} out of his sleep,{H8142} and plucked away{H5265} the pin{H3489} of the beam,{H708} and the web.{H4545}

Verse 15

And she said{H559} unto him, How{H349} canst thou say,{H559} I love{H157} thee, when thy heart{H3820} is not with me? thou hast mocked{H2048} me these three{H7969} times,{H6471} and hast not told{H5046} me wherein thy great{H1419} strength{H3581} lieth.

Verse 16

And it came to pass, when she pressed{H6693} him daily{H3117} with her words,{H1697} and urged{H509} him, that his soul{H5315} was vexed{H7114} unto death.{H4191}

Verse 17

And he told{H5046} her all his heart,{H3820} and said{H559} unto her, There hath not come{H5927} a razor{H4177} upon my head;{H7218} for I have been a Nazirite{H5139} unto God{H430} from my mother's{H517} womb:{H990} if I be shaven,{H1548} then my strength{H3581} will go{H5493} from me, and I shall become weak,{H2470} and be like any other man.{H120}

Verse 18

And when Delilah{H1807} saw{H7200} that he had told{H5046} her all his heart,{H3820} she sent{H7971} and called{H7121} for the lords{H5633} of the Philistines,{H6430} saying,{H559} Come up{H5927} this once,{H6471} for he hath told{H5046} me all his heart.{H3820} Then the lords{H5633} of the Philistines{H6430} came up{H5927} unto her, and brought{H5927} the money{H3701} in their hand.{H3027}

Verse 19

And she made him sleep{H3462} upon her knees;{H1290} and she called{H7121} for a man,{H376} and shaved off{H1548} the seven{H7651} locks{H4253} of his head;{H7218} and she began{H2490} to afflict{H6031} him, and his strength{H3581} went{H5493} from him.

Verse 20

And she said,{H559} The Philistines{H6430} are upon thee, Samson.{H8123} And he awoke{H3364} out of his sleep,{H8142} and said,{H559} I will go out{H3318} as at other times,{H6471} and shake{H5287} myself free. But he knew{H3045} not that Jehovah{H3068} was departed{H5493} from him.

Verse 21

And the Philistines{H6430} laid{H270} hold on him, and put out{H5365} his eyes;{H5869} and they brought him down{H3381} to Gaza,{H5804} and bound{H631} him with fetters of brass;{H5178} and he did grind{H2912} in the {H631} prison-house.{H1004}

Verse 22

Howbeit the hair{H8181} of his head{H7218} began{H2490} to grow again{H6779} after{H834} he was shaven.{H1548}

Verse 23

And the lords{H5633} of the Philistines{H6430} gathered them together{H622} to offer{H2076} a great{H1419} sacrifice{H2076} unto Dagon{H1712} their god,{H430} and to rejoice;{H8057} for they said,{H559} Our god{H430} hath delivered{H5414} Samson{H8123} our enemy{H341} into our hand.{H3027}

Verse 24

And when the people{H5971} saw{H7200} him, they praised{H1984} their god;{H430} for they said,{H559} Our god{H430} hath delivered{H5414} into our hand{H3027} our enemy,{H341} and the destroyer{H2717} of our country,{H776} who hath slain{H2491} many{H7235} of us.

Verse 25

And it came to pass, when their hearts{H3820} were merry,{H2896} that they said,{H559} Call{H7121} for Samson,{H8123} that he may make us sport.{H7832} And they called{H7121} for Samson{H8123} out of the {H631} prison-house;{H1004} and he made sport{H6711} before them.{H6440} And they set{H5975} him between the pillars:{H5982}

Verse 26

and Samson{H8123} said{H559} unto the lad{H5288} that held{H2388} him by the hand,{H3027} Suffer{H3240} me that I may feel{H4184} the pillars{H5982} whereupon the house{H1004} resteth,{H3559} that I may lean{H8172} upon them.

Verse 27

Now the house{H1004} was full{H4390} of men{H582} and women;{H802} and all the lords{H5633} of the Philistines{H6430} were there; and there were upon the roof{H1406} about three{H7969} thousand{H505} men{H376} and women,{H802} that beheld{H7200} while Samson{H8123} made sport.{H7832}

Verse 28

And Samson{H8123} called{H7121} unto Jehovah,{H3068} and said,{H559} O Lord{H3068} Jehovah,{H3068} remember{H2142} me, I pray thee, and strengthen{H2388} me, I pray thee, only this once,{H6471} O God,{H430} that I may be at once{H259} avenged{H5358} of the Philistines{H6430} for my two{H8147} eyes.{H5869}

Verse 29

And Samson{H8123} took hold{H3943} of the two{H8147} middle{H8432} pillars{H5982} upon which the house{H1004} rested,{H3559} {H5564} and leaned upon them, the one{H259} with his right hand,{H3225} and the other{H259} with his left.{H8040}

Verse 30

And Samson{H8123} said,{H559} Let me die{H4191} with the Philistines.{H6430} And he bowed{H5186} himself with all his might;{H3581} and the house{H1004} fell{H5307} upon the lords,{H5633} and upon all the people{H5971} that were therein. So the dead{H4191} that he slew{H4191} at his death{H4194} were more{H7227} than they that he slew{H4191} in his life.{H2416}

Verse 31

Then his brethren{H251} and all the house{H1004} of his father{H1} came down,{H3381} and took{H5375} him, and brought him up,{H5927} and buried{H6912} him between Zorah{H6881} and Eshtaol{H847} in the burying-place{H6913} of Manoah{H4495} his father.{H1} And he judged{H8199} Israel{H3478} twenty{H6242} years.{H8141}

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