Samson in the Bible

Meaning: his sun; his service; there the second time

Exact Match

And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

But Samson retorted to his father, "Get her for me, since she looks fine to me." Meanwhile, his father and mother did not know that she was from the LORD, because he had been seeking a favorable opportunity concerning the Philistines, since the Philistines were dominating Israel at that time.

Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?

And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?

However Samson’s wife wept before him seven days while their [wedding] feast lasted, and on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. Then she told the [answer to the] riddle to her countrymen.

So the men of the city said to Samson on the seventh day before sundown,

“What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?”


And he said to them,

“If you had not plowed with my heifer,
You would not have solved my riddle.”

The Spirit of the Lord took control of him, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed 30 of their men. He stripped them and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. In a rage, Samson returned to his father’s house,

But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.

And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.

Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.

And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.

And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.

Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.

And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.

When Samson arrived at Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, so that the ropes that bound him were like flax that's been burned by fire, and his bonds dissolved.

And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.

Then Samson was very thirsty, and he called out to the Lord and said, “You have given this great victory through the hand of Your servant, and now am I to die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised (pagans)?”

So God split a hollow place in the ground at Lehi, and water came out of it. After Samson drank, his strength returned, and he revived. That is why he named it En-hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.

And Samson judged Israel in the days of [occupation by] the Philistines for twenty years.

And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.

And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.

After this Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the Sorek Valley.

And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.

And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.

And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.

She made Samson sleep on her knees, and she called a man and had him shave off the seven braids of his head. Then she began to abuse Samson, and his strength left him.

And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

When the people saw Samson, they praised their god, for they said,

“Our god has handed over our enemy to us,
The ravager of our country,
Who has killed many of us.”

And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.

Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.

And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.

And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

Thematic Bible



they shall separate themselves from wine and strong drink and shall drink no vinegar of wine or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall they drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes or dried. All the days of their Nazariteship they shall eat nothing that is made of the wine vine, from the kernels even to the husk.

And the angel of the LORD replied unto Manoah, Let the woman keep herself from all that I said. She may not eat of any thing that comes of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her keep.

Therefore, he told her all his heart and said unto her, A razor has never come upon my head, for I am a Nazarite of God from my mother's womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto this woman and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren and hast had no children, but thou shalt conceive and bear a son. Now keep thyself and drink no wine nor strong drink and eat no unclean thing. For thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.


Then Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there and went in unto her.


Therefore, he told her all his heart and said unto her, A razor has never come upon my head, for I am a Nazarite of God from my mother's womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.


For thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

but he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.


And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.


And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them and taking their spoil, he gave the changes of garments to those who had explained the enigma. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand, but he did not make known unto his father or his mother what he had done.


And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them and taking their spoil, he gave the changes of garments to those who had explained the enigma. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand, but he did not make known unto his father or his mother what he had done.


And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them and taking their spoil, he gave the changes of garments to those who had explained the enigma. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

And the Spirit of the LORD began to manifest himself at times in him in the camps of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand, but he did not make known unto his father or his mother what he had done.


And she said, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep and said, This time I will go out like before and escape; not knowing that the LORD had departed from him.


And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.


And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he pushed with all his might, and the house fell upon the cardinals and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those which he slew in his life.



And they gathered together in Mizpeh and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted on that day and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpeh.

And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpeh and judged Israel in all those places. Then he would return to Ramah, for there was his house, and there he judged Israel, and there he built an altar unto the LORD.


And it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abiah; they were judges in Beersheba. And his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after greed, receiving bribes and perverting that which is right. read more.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel in Ramah and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons do not walk in thy ways; therefore make us a king to judge us like all the Gentiles.


And it came to pass when he made mention of the ark of God, Eli fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old man and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.


And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he pushed with all his might, and the house fell upon the cardinals and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those which he slew in his life.


Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the sepulchre of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.


Then Samson went down with his father and his mother to Timnath, and when they came to the vineyards of Timnath, behold, a young lion came roaring against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand, but he did not make known unto his father or his mother what he had done. And he went down and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well. read more.
And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside from the way to see the carcase of the lion; and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. And he took of it in his hands and went along the way eating, and when he came to his father and mother, he also gave them some to eat, but he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.


Then Samson went down with his father and his mother to Timnath, and when they came to the vineyards of Timnath, behold, a young lion came roaring against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand, but he did not make known unto his father or his mother what he had done.


Then Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me and told me lies; now tell me, I pray thee, how thou might be bound.


And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of Dan, whose name was Manoah, and his wife was barren, (she had never born children). And the angel of the LORD appeared unto this woman and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren and hast had no children, but thou shalt conceive and bear a son. Now keep thyself and drink no wine nor strong drink and eat no unclean thing. read more.
For thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible; but I did not ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name; but he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. Then Manoah prayed unto the LORD and said, O my Lord, let the man of God whom thou didst send come again unto us and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her. And the woman made haste and ran and told her husband and said unto him, Behold, the man that came unto me has appeared unto me today. And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said unto him, Art thou the man that spoke unto this woman? And he said, I am. Then Manoah said, Now let thy word come to pass. How shall we order the child, and what shall he do? And the angel of the LORD replied unto Manoah, Let the woman keep herself from all that I said. She may not eat of any thing that comes of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her keep. And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. And the angel of the LORD replied unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread, but if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, sacrifice it unto the LORD. For Manoah did not know that this was the angel of the LORD. And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name that when thy words come to pass we may honour thee? And the angel of the LORD replied, Why dost thou ask for my name? It is wonderful. So Manoah took a kid with a present and sacrificed it upon a rock unto the LORD, and the angel did wondrously, and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar as Manoah and his wife looked on, and they prostrated themselves on the ground on their faces. But the angel of the LORD did not appear any more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the LORD. And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die because we have seen God. But his wife said unto him, If the LORD had desired to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and the present from our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would he have announced this according to the time. And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.


And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them and taking their spoil, he gave the changes of garments to those who had explained the enigma. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

And he found a new jawbone of an ass and put forth his hand and took it and slew a thousand men with it.


And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he pushed with all his might, and the house fell upon the cardinals and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those which he slew in his life.


And Samson slept until midnight and arose at midnight and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.


And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand, but he did not make known unto his father or his mother what he had done.


Therefore, he told her all his heart and said unto her, A razor has never come upon my head, for I am a Nazarite of God from my mother's womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.

For thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

but he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.


So his father went down unto the woman; and Samson made a banquet there, for the young men used to do so.

And as Samson went down to Timnath, he saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.


Then Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood and on which it was borne up, and leaned upon them, on the one with his right hand and on the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he pushed with all his might, and the house fell upon the cardinals and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those which he slew in his life.


And he found a new jawbone of an ass and put forth his hand and took it and slew a thousand men with it. Then Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, one heap, two heaps; with the jaw of an ass I have slain a thousand men.


And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet I will be avenged of you, and after that I will cease. And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter, and he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock Etam.


And Samson replied unto them, Now I shall be blameless before the Philistines if I do them injury. And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turning them tail to tail, he put a torch between every two tails. Then, setting the torches on fire, he let them go into the standing grain of the Philistines and burnt up both the shocks and also the standing grain with the vineyards and oliveyards.


And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them and taking their spoil, he gave the changes of garments to those who had explained the enigma. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.


But the Philistines took hold of him and put out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with fetters of iron that he should grind in the prison house.


For thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.


And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them and taking their spoil, he gave the changes of garments to those who had explained the enigma. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand, but he did not make known unto his father or his mother what he had done.


And he was sore athirst and called on the LORD and said, Thou hast given this great salvation by the hand of thy slave; and now shall I die for thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? Then God broke a tooth that was in the jaw, and water came out there; and he drank, and recovered his spirit, and he lived. Therefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, , which is in Lehi unto this day.


And she fastened it with the stake and said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep and went away with the stake of the loom and with the cloth.

And Samson slept until midnight and arose at midnight and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.

Now there were men lying in wait in a chamber of her house. And she said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he broke the wicker strands as a thread of tow is broken when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.

Delilah therefore took new ropes and bound him with them and said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And there were men lying in wait abiding in a chamber. But he broke them from off his arms like a thread.


And the Spirit of the LORD began to manifest himself at times in him in the camps of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

And when he came unto Lehi, , the Philistines received him with shouts; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.


Therefore, he told her all his heart and said unto her, A razor has never come upon my head, for I am a Nazarite of God from my mother's womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.

For thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.


And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon and of Barak and of Samson and of Jephthae, of David also and Samuel and of the prophets,

But the Philistines took hold of him and put out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with fetters of iron that he should grind in the prison house. And the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. Then the cardinals of the Philistines gathered themselves together to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god and to rejoice, for they said, Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands. read more.
And when the people saw him, they praised their god, for they said, Our god has delivered our enemy into our hands, the destroyer of our country, who slew many of us. And it came to pass when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson that he may make us laugh. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport, and they set him between the pillars. And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Bring me near and let me feel the pillars upon which the house stands that I may lean upon them. Now the house was full of men and women; and all the cardinals of the Philistines were there, and upon the roof there were about three thousand men and women that beheld while Samson was mocked. Then Samson called unto the LORD and said, O Lord GOD, remember me now and strengthen me now only this once, O God, that I may take vengeance at once of the Philistines for my two eyes. Then Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood and on which it was borne up, and leaned upon them, on the one with his right hand and on the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he pushed with all his might, and the house fell upon the cardinals and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those which he slew in his life. Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the sepulchre of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.


And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon and of Barak and of Samson and of Jephthae, of David also and Samuel and of the prophets,

And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet I will be avenged of you, and after that I will cease. And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter, and he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock Etam. Then the Philistines went up and pitched camp in Judah and spread themselves in Lehi. read more.
And the men of Judah said, Why have ye come up against us? And they answered, We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he has done to us. Then three thousand men of Judah went to the cleft of the rock Etam and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? What is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them. And they said unto him, We have come to bind thee that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. And they answered him, saying, No, we will bind thee fast and deliver thee into their hands; but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords and brought him up from the rock. And when he came unto Lehi, , the Philistines received him with shouts; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.


But Samson's wife was given to his companion, who had fed him before.

But it came to pass within some days in the time of wheat harvest that Samson visited his wife with a kid, and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not allow him to go in. And her father said, I was persuaded that thou didst utterly hate her; therefore, I gave her to thy companion. Is not her younger sister fairer than she? Take her, I pray thee, instead of her.


And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thy heart is not with me? Thou hast mocked me these three times and hast not yet told me what gives thee thy great strength. And it came to pass that, pressing and grinding him daily with her words, his soul was reduced unto mortal anguish. Therefore, he told her all his heart and said unto her, A razor has never come upon my head, for I am a Nazarite of God from my mother's womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.


Then three thousand men of Judah went to the cleft of the rock Etam and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? What is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them. And they said unto him, We have come to bind thee that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. And they answered him, saying, No, we will bind thee fast and deliver thee into their hands; but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords and brought him up from the rock. read more.
And when he came unto Lehi, , the Philistines received him with shouts; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.


And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the child grew, and the LORD blessed him. And the Spirit of the LORD began to manifest himself at times in him in the camps of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of Dan, whose name was Manoah, and his wife was barren, (she had never born children). And the angel of the LORD appeared unto this woman and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren and hast had no children, but thou shalt conceive and bear a son. Now keep thyself and drink no wine nor strong drink and eat no unclean thing. read more.
For thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible; but I did not ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name; but he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.


Then Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there and went in unto her. And it was told unto those of Gaza, Samson is come here. And they compassed him in and laid in wait for him all night in the gate of the city and were quiet all that night, saying, In the morning when it is light, we shall kill him. And Samson slept until midnight and arose at midnight and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron. read more.
And it came to pass afterward that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.


And as Samson went down to Timnath, he saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. And he came up and told his father and his mother, saying, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore get her for me to wife. Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren or among all my people that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleases me well.


And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he pushed with all his might, and the house fell upon the cardinals and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those which he slew in his life.


And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turning them tail to tail, he put a torch between every two tails.


And they answered him, saying, No, we will bind thee fast and deliver thee into their hands; but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords and brought him up from the rock. And when he came unto Lehi, , the Philistines received him with shouts; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. And he found a new jawbone of an ass and put forth his hand and took it and slew a thousand men with it. read more.
Then Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, one heap, two heaps; with the jaw of an ass I have slain a thousand men. And when he had finished speaking, he cast away the jawbone out of his hand and called that place Ramathlehi.


And he was sore athirst and called on the LORD and said, Thou hast given this great salvation by the hand of thy slave; and now shall I die for thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? Then God broke a tooth that was in the jaw, and water came out there; and he drank, and recovered his spirit, and he lived. Therefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, , which is in Lehi unto this day.


Then Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there and went in unto her. And it was told unto those of Gaza, Samson is come here. And they compassed him in and laid in wait for him all night in the gate of the city and were quiet all that night, saying, In the morning when it is light, we shall kill him. And Samson slept until midnight and arose at midnight and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron. read more.
And it came to pass afterward that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the cardinals of the Philistines came up unto her and said unto her, Entice him and see what gives him his great strength and by what means we may overcome him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and each one of us will give thee eleven hundred pieces of silver. And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, what gives thee thy great strength and how might thou be bound to afflict thee. And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green wicker strands that were never dried, then I shall become weak and be as any other man. Then the cardinals of the Philistines brought up to her seven green wicker strands which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now there were men lying in wait in a chamber of her house. And she said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he broke the wicker strands as a thread of tow is broken when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known. Then Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me and told me lies; now tell me, I pray thee, how thou might be bound. And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then I shall become weak and be as any other man. Delilah therefore took new ropes and bound him with them and said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And there were men lying in wait abiding in a chamber. But he broke them from off his arms like a thread. And Delilah said unto Samson, Until now thou hast mocked me, and told me lies. Tell me, therefore, now, how thou might be bound. Then he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the cloth. And she fastened it with the stake and said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep and went away with the stake of the loom and with the cloth. And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thy heart is not with me? Thou hast mocked me these three times and hast not yet told me what gives thee thy great strength. And it came to pass that, pressing and grinding him daily with her words, his soul was reduced unto mortal anguish. Therefore, he told her all his heart and said unto her, A razor has never come upon my head, for I am a Nazarite of God from my mother's womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man. And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the cardinals of the Philistines, saying, Come up this time, for he has showed me all his heart. Then the cardinals of the Philistines came up unto her and brought the money in their hand. And she caused him to sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. And she said, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep and said, This time I will go out like before and escape; not knowing that the LORD had departed from him.


And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside from the way to see the carcase of the lion; and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. And he took of it in his hands and went along the way eating, and when he came to his father and mother, he also gave them some to eat, but he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. So his father went down unto the woman; and Samson made a banquet there, for the young men used to do so. read more.
And when they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him, unto whom Samson said, I will now put forth an enigma unto you, which if ye can declare it and discover it to me within the seven days of the banquet, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty changes of garments. But if ye cannot declare it to me, then ye shall give me thirty sheets and thirty changes of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy enigma that we may hear it. And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not declare the enigma in three days. And it came to pass on the seventh day that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband that he may declare unto us this enigma lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye called us here to impoverish us? And Samson's wife wept before him and said, Thou dost only hate me and dost not love me, for thou hast not declared unto me the enigma that thou hast put forth unto the sons of my people. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor my mother, and must I tell it to thee? And she wept before him the seven days while their banquet lasted, but on the seventh day, he told her, because she lay sore upon him, and she declared the enigma to the sons of her people. And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye would have never discovered my enigma. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them and taking their spoil, he gave the changes of garments to those who had explained the enigma. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.


And as Samson went down to Timnath, he saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. And he came up and told his father and his mother, saying, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore get her for me to wife. Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren or among all my people that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleases me well. read more.
But his father and his mother did not know that it was of the LORD that he sought an occasion against the Philistines, for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. Then Samson went down with his father and his mother to Timnath, and when they came to the vineyards of Timnath, behold, a young lion came roaring against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand, but he did not make known unto his father or his mother what he had done. And he went down and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.


And Samson replied unto them, Now I shall be blameless before the Philistines if I do them injury. And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turning them tail to tail, he put a torch between every two tails. Then, setting the torches on fire, he let them go into the standing grain of the Philistines and burnt up both the shocks and also the standing grain with the vineyards and oliveyards. read more.
Then the Philistines said, Who has done this? And they answered, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up and burnt her and her father with fire. And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet I will be avenged of you, and after that I will cease. And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter, and he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock Etam.


And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them and taking their spoil, he gave the changes of garments to those who had explained the enigma. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.


Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the sepulchre of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.


And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them and taking their spoil, he gave the changes of garments to those who had explained the enigma. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand, but he did not make known unto his father or his mother what he had done.


Then Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood and on which it was borne up, and leaned upon them, on the one with his right hand and on the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he pushed with all his might, and the house fell upon the cardinals and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those which he slew in his life.


And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he pushed with all his might, and the house fell upon the cardinals and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those which he slew in his life.

blotting out the bill of the decrees that was against us, which was contrary to us and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross , and having spoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.


References

Hastings

Easton

American

Fausets

Morish

Smith

Watsons