12. “We came here to tie you up and turn you over to them,” said the men of Judah.“I won't put up a fight,” Samson answered, “but you have to promise not to hurt me yourselves.”
13-14. “We promise,” the men said. “We will only tie you up and turn you over to the Philistines. We won't kill you.” Then they tied up his hands and arms with two brand-new ropes and led him away from Etam Rock.When the Philistines saw that Samson was being brought to their camp at Jawbone, they started shouting and ran towards him. But the Lord's Spirit took control of Samson, and Samson broke the ropes, as though they were pieces of burnt cloth.
15. Samson glanced around and spotted the jawbone of a donkey. The jawbone had not yet dried out, so it was still hard and heavy. Samson grabbed it and started hitting Philistines—he killed a thousand of them!
16. After the fighting was over, he made up this poem about what he had done to the Philistines:I used a donkey's jawboneto kill a thousand men;I beat them with this jawboneover and over again.
17. Samson tossed the jawbone on the ground and decided to call the place Jawbone Hill. It is still called that today.
18. Samson was so thirsty that he prayed, “Our Lord, you helped me win a battle against a whole army. Please don't let me die of thirst now. Those heathen Philistines will carry off my dead body.”
19. Samson was tired and weary, but God sent water gushing from a rock. Samson drank some and felt strong again.Samson named the place Caller Spring, because he had called out to God for help. The spring is still there at Jawbone.
20. Samson was a leader of Israel for twenty years, but the Philistines were still the rulers of Israel.