d

JUDGES 16

d

15 Then she said tohim, "How can you

say, 'I love you,'when you won't

confide in me? Thisis the third time youhave made a fool ofme and haven't told

me the secret ofyour greatstrength."

16 With such nagging she prodded him dayafter day until he was tired to death.

17 So he told her everything. "No razor hasever been used on my head," he said,

"because I have been a Nazirite set apart toGod since birth.

If my head were shaved, my strength wouldleave me, and I would become as weak as

any other man."

18 When Delilah saw that he had told hereverything, she sent word to the rulers of

the Philistines,

"Come backonce more;he has told

meeverything."So the rulers

of thePhilistinesreturnedwith thesilver in

their hands.

19 Having put himto sleep on her

lap, she called aman to shave offthe seven braidsof his hair, and

so began tosubdue him. Andhis strength left

him.

20 Then shecalled,

"Samson, thePhilistines areupon you!” Heawoke from his

sleep andthought, "I'll go

out as beforeand shake

myself free."

But he did not know thatthe LORD had left him.

21 Then the Philistines seized him, gougedout his eyes and took him down to Gaza.

Binding him with bronze shackles, they sethim to grinding in the prison.

22 But the hair on his head began to growagain after it had been shaved.

23 Now the rulers of thePhilistines assembled tooffer a great sacrifice toDagon their god and to

celebrate, saying, "Our godhas delivered Samson, ourenemy, into our hands.”

24 When the peoplesaw him, they

praised their god,saying, “Our godhas delivered ourenemy into our

hands, the one wholaid waste our landand multiplied our

slain.

25 While they were in high spirits, theyshouted, "Bring out Samson to entertain

us." So they called Samson out of theprison, and he performed for them.

d

d

d

When they stood him among the pillars,26Samson said to the servant who held hishand, "Put me where I can feel the pillarsthat support the temple, so that I may lean

against them."

26 Samson saidto the servantwho held his

hand, "Put mewhere I can

feel the pillarsthat support

the temple, sothat I may

lean againstthem."

27 Now the temple was crowded with menand women; all the rulers of the Philistines

were there, and on the roof were aboutthree thousand men and women watching

Samson perform.

28 Then Samsonprayed to the LORD,"O Sovereign LORD,

remember me. OGod, please

strengthen me justonce more, and letme with one blowget revenge on thePhilistines for my

two eyes."

29 Then Samsonreached toward thetwo central pillars

on which thetemple stood.

Bracing himselfagainst them, hisright hand on theone and his left

hand on the other,

30 Samson said,"Let me die withthe Philistines!"Then he pushed

with all hismight, and downcame the templeon the rulers andall the people in

it.

Thus he killed many more when he diedthan while he lived.

d