Old Testament

New Testament

Judges 16:23-31 The Scriptures 1998 (ISR98)

23. And the princes of the Philistines gathered to offer a great slaughtering to Dag̅on their mighty one, and to rejoice. And they said, “Our mighty one has given Shimshon our enemy into our hands!”

24. And the people saw him, and praised their mighty one, for they said, “Our mighty one has given into our hands our enemy, the destroyer of our land, who slew many of us.”

25. And it came to be, when their hearts were glad, that they said, “Call for Shimshon, and let him entertain us.” So they called for Shimshon from the prison, and he entertained them. And they made him stand between the columns.

26. And Shimshon said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me alone and let me feel the columns which support the house, so that I lean on them.”

27. And the house was filled with men and women. And all the princes of the Philistines were there. And about three thousand men and women were on the roof who watched Shimshon entertaining.

28. And Shimshon called to יהוה, saying, “O Master יהוה, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, only this time, O Elohim, and let me avenge myself on the Philistines with vengeance for my two eyes!”

29. And Shimshon took hold of the two middle columns which supported the house, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left.

30. And Shimshon said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he bowed himself mightily, and the house fell on the princes and all the people in it. And the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.

31. And his brothers and all his father’s household came down and took him, and brought him up and buried him between Tsor‛ah and Eshta’ol in the tomb of his father Manowaḥ. And he had ruled Yisra’ĕl twenty years.

Read complete chapter Judges 16