Old Testament

New Testament

Judges 16:12-28 Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV)

12. Again, Delilah tied him with these, and she cried out, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" For an ambush had been prepared in the bedroom. But he broke the bindings like the filaments of a web.

13. And Delilah spoke to him again: "How long will you deceive me and tell me falsehoods? Reveal with what you ought to be bound." And Samson responded to her, "If you weave the seven locks of my head with a loom, and if you tie these around a spike and fix it to the ground, I will be weak."

14. And when Delilah had done this, she said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson." And arising from sleep, he withdrew the spike with the hairs and the weaving.

15. And Delilah said to him: "How can you say that you love me, when your soul is not with me? You have lied to me on three occasions, and you are not willing to reveal wherein lies your very great strength."

16. And when she had been very troublesome to him, and over many days had continually stayed nearby, giving him no time to rest, his soul was faint, and he was weary, even unto death.

17. Then disclosing the truth of the matter, he said to her: "Iron has never been drawn across my head, for I am a Nazirite, that is, I have been consecrated to God from my mother's womb. If my head will be shaven, my strength will depart from me, and I will be faint and will be like other men."

18. Then, seeing that he had confessed to her his whole soul, she sent to the leaders of the Philistines and ordered: "Come up just once more. For now he has opened his heart to me." And they went up, taking with them the money that they had promised.

19. But she made him sleep upon her knees, and recline his head upon her bosom. And she called a barber, and he shaved his seven locks of hair. And she began to push him away, and to repel him from herself. For immediately his strength departed from him.

20. And she said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And awaking from sleep, he said in his mind, "I will break away and shake myself free, just as I did before." For he did not know that the Lord had withdrawn from him.

21. And when the Philistines had seized him, they immediately plucked out his eyes. And they led him, bound in chains, to Gaza. And enclosing him in a prison, they made him work a millstone.

22. And now his hair began to grow back.

23. And the leaders of the Philistines convened as one, so that they might offer great sacrifices to Dagon, their god. And they feasted, saying, "Our god has delivered our enemy, Samson, into our hands."

24. Then, too, the people, seeing this, praised their god, and they said the same, "Our god has delivered our adversary into our hands: the one who destroyed our land and who killed very many."

25. And rejoicing in their celebration, having now taken food, they instructed that Samson be called, and that he be mocked before them. And having been brought from prison, he was mocked before them. And they caused him to stand between two pillars.

26. And he said to the boy who was guiding his steps, "Permit me to touch the pillars, which support the entire house, and to lean against them, so that I may rest a little."

27. Now the house was full of men and women. And all the leaders of the Philistines were there, as well as about three thousand persons, of both sexes, on the roof and in the upper level of the house, who were watching Samson being mocked.

28. Then, calling upon the Lord, he said, "O Lord God remember me, and restore to me now my former strength, O my God, so that I may avenge myself against my enemies, and so that I may receive one vengeance for the deprivation of my two eyes."

Read complete chapter Judges 16