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Jij 11:29-15:20
Haitian Creole Version
Jij 11:29-15:20
Haitian Creole Version
29 ¶ Lespri Seyè a te sou Jefte. Jefte travèse peyi Galarad ak peyi Manase, li tounen lavil Mispa nan peyi Galarad. Apre sa, li kite lavil Mispa, li pase nan peyi Amon an.
30 Jefte te fè Seyè a yon ve. Li te di: -Si ou lage moun Amon yo nan men m',
31 m'ap ofri ou premye moun ki va soti lakay mwen vin kontre m' lè m'a tounen soti kraze moun Amon yo. M'ap boule l' nèt nan dife pou ou.
32 Se konsa, Jefte janbe lòt bò fwontyè a, li antre nan peyi moun Amon yo, l' al goumen ak yo. Epi Seyè a lage yo nan men l'.
33 Li bat yo depi lavil Awoyè rive nan tout zòn Minit la jouk Abèl Kiramen. Sa te fè vin lavil antou. Yo te touye anpil moun. Se konsa, moun Amon yo vin soumèt devan pèp Izrayèl la.
34 Lè Jefte tounen lakay li lavil Mispa, vwala se pitit fi li a ki te soti vin kontre l'. Li t'ap danse, li t'ap jwe tanbouren. Se te sèl pitit li te genyen. Li pa t' gen lòt pitit ankò, ni fi ni gason.
35 Lè Jefte wè li, li chire rad sou li sitèlman sa te fè l' lapenn, li di: -O pitit fi mwen! Ou touye papa ou. Poukisa se ou menm ki pou fè m' tout lapenn sa a! Mwen te fè yon gwo ve bay Seyè a. Koulye a m' pa ka pa kenbe l'.
36 Pitit fi a di l': -Papa, si ou te fè yon ve bay Seyè a, se pou ou fè m' sa ou te di w'ap fè m' lan, paske Seyè a te ba ou pouvwa pou ou tire revanj sou lènmi ou yo.
37 Apre sa li di papa l' konsa: -Yon sèl bagay m'ap mande ou! Ban m' yon ti delè de mwa pou m' al pwonmennen ansanm ak zanmi m' yo nan mòn yo pou m' al kriye, paske mwen pral mouri san m' pa marye.
38 Jefte kite l' ale pou de mwa. Se konsa, pitit fi Jefte a ansanm ak zanmi l' yo ale nan mòn, y' al kriye paske li tapral mouri tifi.
39 Sou de mwa, li tounen vin jwenn papa l' ki fè sa l' te pwomèt fè pou Seyè a. Se konsa, li mouri tifi. Se depi lè sa a sa rete yon koutim nan peyi Izrayèl la,
40 pou chak lanne medam pèp Izrayèl yo soti al pase kat jou ap kriye pou pitit fi Jefte, moun peyi Galarad la.
12 ¶ Lè sa a, moun branch fanmi Efrayim yo reyini ansanm, yo janbe lòt bò larivyè Jouden, y' al lavil Zafon. Yo di Jefte konsa: -Poukisa ou travèse al goumen ak moun Amon yo san ou pa rele nou ale avè ou? Se poutèt sa, nou pral boule kay ou a sou ou.
2 Men Jefte di yo: -Moun pa m' yo ansanm avè m', nou te gen yon gwo kont ak moun Amon yo. Mwen te rele nou, men nou pa t' vle vin delivre m' anba men yo.
3 Lè m' wè nou pa t' soti pou nou vin pote m' sekou, m' al riske vi m'. Mwen travèse al goumen ak moun Amon yo, epi Seyè a lage yo nan men m'. Poukisa pou koulye a nou moute jouk lakay mwen vin chache m' kont?
4 Lè sa a menm, Jefte sanble tout gason ki nan peyi Galarad la, y' al goumen ak moun Efrayim yo. Yo bat yo byen bat. Moun Efrayim yo te konn joure moun Galarad yo. Yo te konn di: Moun Galarad yo, se yon bann trèt yo ye. Yo kite peyi yo, Efrayim, y' al rete nan peyi Manase a!
5 Apre sa, moun Galarad yo pran kontwole tout pas larivyè Jouden kote pou janbe ale nan peyi Efrayim. Chak fwa yonn nan moun Efrayim yo rive pou yo kouri janbe al nan peyi yo, li te blije mande yo pèmisyon. Lè konsa, moun Galarad yo mande l' èske se moun Efrayim li ye. Si li reponn non,
6 lè sa a yo mande l' pou l' di: Chibolèt. Men li di: Sibolèt paske li pa t' ka rive di l' jan yo di l' la. Lamenm yo mete men sou li, yo touye l' la nan pas la. Lè sa a, yo te touye karanndemil (42.000) moun nan branch fanmi Efrayim lan.
7 Jefte, moun Galarad la, te gouvènen pèp Izrayèl la pandan sizan. Apre sa, li mouri, epi yo antere l' nan lavil kote li te fèt la nan peyi Galarad.
8 ¶ Apre Jefte, se Ibzan, moun lavil Betleyèm, ki te gouvènen pèp Izrayèl la.
9 Li te gen trant pitit gason ak trant pitit fi. Li marye trant pitit fi l' yo ak moun ki pa t' nan branch fanmi l' epi li fè chache jenn fi nan lòt branch fanmi pou pitit gason l' yo. Li gouvènen pèp Izrayèl la pandan sètan.
10 Apre sa, Ibzan mouri, yo antere l' lavil Betleyèm.
11 Apre li, se Elon, moun Zabilon an, ki te gouvènen pèp Izrayèl la pandan dizan.
12 Lè Elon, moun Zabilon an, mouri, yo antere l' lavil Ajalon nan peyi Zabilon.
13 Apre li, se Abdon, pitit gason Ilèl, moun lavil Piraton, ki t'ap gouvènen pèp Izrayèl la.
14 Li te gen karant pitit gason ak trant pitit pitit gason ki te konn moute sou swasanndis ti bourik. Li gouvènen pèp Izrayèl la pandan witan.
15 Lè Abdon, pitit gason Ilèl la, mouri, yo antere l' lavil Piraton nan peyi Efrayim, nan mòn moun Amalèk yo.
13 ¶ Moun pèp Izrayèl yo te rekonmanse ankò ap fè sa ki mal nan je Seyè a. Seyè a lage yo nan men moun Filisti yo pandan karantan.
2 Te gen yon nonm yo te rele Manoak. Se te moun lavil Zora, li te fè pati branch fanmi Dann lan. Madanm li pa t' janm ka fè pitit.
3 Zanj Seyè a parèt devan madanm lan, li di l' konsa: -Ou pa t' janm ka fè pitit, pa vre? Men ou pral vin ansent, ou pral fè yon pitit gason.
4 Piga ou janm bwè diven, ni ankenn lòt bweson ki pou fè ou sou. Nitou, piga ou manje anyen ki pa bon pou moun k'ap sèvi Bondye manje.
5 Paske ou pral ansent, ou pral fè yon pitit gason. Piga ou janm koupe cheve nan tèt li, paske depi nan vant manman l', se yon gason k'ap viv apa pou Bondye tankou nazirit yo l'ap ye. Se li menm ki pral konmanse travay pou delivre pèp Izrayèl la anba men moun Filisti yo.
6 Apre sa, madanm lan antre al di mari l': -Yon moun Bondye te vin bò kote m'. Lè mwen gade l', pou jan li te fè m' pè a ou ta di yon mesaje Bondye. Mwen pa mande l' kote l' soti, ni li pa ban m' non li.
7 Li di m' konsa: Ou pral ansent, ou pral fè yon pitit gason. Piga ou janm bwè diven, ni ankenn lòt bweson ki pou fè ou sou. Ni piga ou manje anyen ki pa bon pou moun k'ap sèvi Bondye manje. Paske pitit gason ou lan pral viv apa pou Bondye tankou nazirit yo depi nan vant manman l' jouk jou li mouri.
8 ¶ Lè sa a, Manoak lapriyè Seyè a, li di: -Tanpri, Mèt mwen, fè moun Bondye ou te voye a vin bò kote nou ankò pou l' ka di nou sa pou nou fè pou ti gason ki pral fèt la.
9 Bondye fè sa Manoak te mande l' la vre. Epi mesaje Bondye a vin bò kote madanm lan ki te chita nan yon jaden. Manoak, mari a, pa t' avè l'.
10 Madanm lan prese kouri al bay mari l' nouvèl la. Li di li konsa: -Men moun ki te vin bò kote m' lòt jou a parèt devan m' ankò.
11 Manoak leve, li swiv madanm li. L' al jwenn nonm lan, epi li di l': -Se ou menm ki te pale ak madanm sa a? Li reponn: -Wi, se mwen.
12 -Manoak di l': -Bon. Lè tou sa ou di yo va rive, kijan pou m' elve ti pitit la? Kisa pou l' fè ak sa pou l' pa fè?
13 Mesaje Seyè a di Manoak konsa: -Se pou madanm ou fè tou sa mwen di l' fè a.
14 Piga li janm manje anyen ki fèt avèk rezen. Piga li janm bwè diven ni ankenn lòt bweson ki pou fè l' sou. Piga li janm manje anyen ki pa bon pou moun k'ap sèvi Bondye manje. Se pou li fè tou sa mwen mande l' fè a.
15 ¶ Manoak di mesaje Seyè a: -Tanpri, poko ale. Kite nou kwit yon jenn ti kabrit pou ou.
16 Mesaje Seyè a di Manoak konsa: -Menm si mwen rete mwen p'ap manje manje w'ap ban mwen an. Men si ou vle, touye yon ti kabrit, boule l' nan dife tankou yon ofrann pou Seyè a. Manoak pa t' ankò konnen si se te yon mesaje Seyè a ki te devan l'.
17 Manoak di mesaje Seyè a: -Di nou ki jan ou rele pou nou ka fè lwanj pou ou lè pawòl ou di yo va rive vre.
18 Mesaje Seyè a di l': -Poukisa nou vle konnen non m'? Non m' se yon mèvèy.
19 Manoak pran jenn ti kabrit la ak kèk grenn jaden, li mete yo sou lotèl wòch la, li ofri yo pou Seyè a ki fè yon mèvèy devan Manoak ak madanm li ki te rete la ap gade.
20 Pandan flanm dife yo t'ap soti sou lotèl la moute nan syèl la, Manoak ak madanm li wè mesaje Seyè a moute nan syèl la nan flanm dife a. Lè yo wè sa, yo lage kò yo fas atè.
21 Manoak ak madanm li pa janm wè mesaje Bondye a ankò. Se lè sa a, Manoak vin konprann se te yon mesaje Seyè a ki te parèt devan yo a.
22 Lè sa a, Manoak di madanm li: -Nou pral mouri, paske nou wè Bondye!
23 Madanm lan di l': -Si Seyè a te vle touye nou, li pa ta asepte ofrann nou fè pou li yo. Li pa ta fè nou wè tout bagay sa yo, ni li pa ta fè nou tande tout pawòl sa yo.
24 ¶ Apre sa, madanm lan fè yon pitit gason, li rele l' Samson. Pitit la grandi, Seyè a te beni l'.
25 Epi lespri Seyè a konmanse travay nan li antan li te nan kan moun Dann yo, ant Soreja ak Echtawòl.
14 ¶ Yon jou Samson desann ale lavil Timna, li wè yon jenn fi nan moun Filisti yo li renmen.
2 Li tounen vin di papa l' ak manman l': -Mwen wè lavil Timna yon jenn fi mwen renmen nan moun Filisti yo. Al mande pou li pou mwen.
3 Manman l' ak papa l' di l' konsa: -Poukisa pou ou ale jouk kay moun Filisti yo, moun ki p'ap sèvi Bondye nou an, pou al chache yon madanm? Ou pa jwenn yon jenn fi nan fanmi ou, osinon nan pèp nou an pou ou marye? Men, Samson reponn papa l': -Tanpri, al fè lademann lan pou mwen, paske se li menm mwen renmen.
4 Papa l' ak manman l' pa t' konnen se Seyè a ki t'ap pouse Samson fè sa pou l' te ka jwenn yon okazyon gen kont ak moun Filisti yo. Lè sa a, se moun Filisti ki te chèf sou moun pèp Izrayèl yo.
5 Se konsa Samson desann lavil Timna ansanm ak papa l' ak manman l'. Lè yo rive nan jaden rezen ki toupre lavil Timna a, li wè yon jenn lyon ki t'ap gwonde ki t'ap vanse sou li.
6 Lamenm, lespri Seyè a vin sou li. Li vin gen yon sèl fòs, li dechèpiye lyon an pak an pak ak men li tankou si se te yon jenn ti kabrit. Men, li pa rakonte papa l' ak manman l' sa l' te fè a.
7 Lèfini, l' ale, li pale ak ti fi a, li renmen l'.
8 Kèk tan apre sa, li tounen vin marye avè l'. Sou wout li, li fè yon ti detou pou l' al wè kadav lyon li te touye a. Li tou sezi jwenn yon desen myèl avèk siwo myèl anndan kadav la.
9 Li pran ti moso gato myèl nan men l', li manje ladan l' antan l'ap fè rès vwayaj la. L' al jwenn manman l' ak papa l', li ba yo rès gato myèl la, epi yo manje. Men, li pa t' di yo se nan kadav lyon an li te pran l'.
10 ¶ Apre sa, papa l' desann ale kay ti fi a. Lè sa a, Samson fè yon bèl resepsyon lakay la. Se konsa jenn gason yo toujou fè lè y'ap marye.
11 Lè moun Filisti yo wè l', yo pran trant jenn gason yo voye pou rete avè l'.
12 Samson di yo: -Mwen pral ban nou yon kont. Si nou jwenn li anvan sèt jou fèt nòs la fin pase, m'ap ban nou trant bèl varèz ak trant rechanj fèt ak bèl twal.
13 Men, si nou pa jwenn li anvan lè sa a, se nou ki pral ban mwen trant varèz ak trant rechanj. Yo di l': -Dakò! Ban nou kont la. Fè nou tande l'.
14 Li di yo: -Manje soti nan vant sa ki konn touye pou manje. Sa ki dous soti nan sa ki gen anpil fòs. Twa jou pase, yo pa t' ankò jwenn kont la.
15 Sou katriyèm jou a, yo rele madan Samson, yo di l' konsa: -Pran tèt mari ou, fè l' ban nou kont la. Si ou pa fè sa, n'ap mete dife lakay papa ou, n'ap boule l' ansanm avè ou ladan l'! Gen lè se pou eskanmòte tou sa nou genyen ou te envite nou isit la?
16 Se konsa madan Samson al jwenn mari l', li pran kriye sou zepòl li, li di l' konsa: -Ou pa renmen m'! Se rayi ou rayi m'! Ou bay zanmi m' yo yon kont, ou pa janm di m' sa l' vle di! Samson reponn li: -Gade, machè! Mwen pa menm di papa m' ak manman m' sa kont la ye. Atò se ou menm mwen ta di l'?
17 Pandan tout sèt jou fèt nòs la, li pa t' sispann kriye nan zòrèy Samson. Sou setyèm jou a, Samson ba li sekrè kont la paske fanm lan t'ap anbete l' twòp. Lèfini fanm lan soti al di ras li yo sa kont lan vle di.
18 Se konsa, sou setyèm jou a, anvan Samson antre nan chanm li pou l' al dòmi, mesye lavil yo di l' konsa: -Kisa ki pi dous pase siwo myèl? Kisa ki gen plis fòs pase lyon? Samson di yo: -Si nou pa t' travay tèt madanm mwen, nou pa ta janm jwenn kont mwen an!
19 Lè sa a, lespri Seyè a desann sou Samson pou ba l' fòs. Li pati, l' ale lavil Askalon. Li touye trant gason nan moun lavil la, epi li pran rad ki te sou yo, li pote yo bay mesye ki te jwenn kont lan. Apre sa, li fè yon sèl kòlè, li tounen lakay papa l'.
20 Lè sa a, moun yo rele yonn nan moun ki te avèk Samson yo, sa ki te pi bon zanmi l' lan, yo ba li madan Samson pou madanm li.
15 ¶ Kèk tan apre sa, pandan rekòt ble a, Samson al rann madanm li vizit. Li te pote yon jenn ti kabrit pou li. Li di bòpè li: -Mwen pral antre nan chanm madanm mwen! Men, bòpè a pa t' kite l' antre.
2 Li di Samson konsa: -Mwen te kwè ou te rayi l'! Se konsa, mwen pran l' bay pi bon zanmi ou lan. Men, ti sè l' la pi bèl pase l'. Ou te mèt pran ti sè a nan plas gran sè a.
3 Samson di yo: -Fwa sa a, si m' fè moun Filisti yo kichòy, piga pesonn vin di m' anyen.
4 L' ale, li pran twasan (300) chen mawon. Li mare yo nan ke de pa de, ak yon bwa chandèl nan mitan ke yo.
5 Apre sa, li mete dife nan bwa chandèl yo, epi li lage chen mawon yo nan jaden ble moun Filisti yo. Dife boule dènye ble moun yo, non sèlman ble ki kase deja yo, men tou ble ki te sou pye toujou. Dife a boule ata jaden rezen yo ak jaden oliv yo.
6 Lè sa a, moun Filisti yo mande: -Ki moun ki fè sa? Yo di yo: -Se Samson, bofi nonm lavil Timna a, ki fè l', paske bòpè l' te pran madan Samson, li bay yon bon zanmi Samson. Se konsa moun Filisti yo ale yo boule madanm lan ansanm ak papa l' nan kay la.
7 Samson di yo: -Anhan! Se konsa nou fè sa? Bon. Mwen p'ap sispann toutotan mwen pa fin fè nou peye sa nou fè m' la a.
8 Se konsa, li atake yo avèk raj, li touye anpil ladan yo. Apre sa, l' ale rete nan yon twou wòch bò lavil Etam.
9 ¶ Moun Filisti yo al moute kan yo nan peyi Jida, epi yo atake lavil Leki.
10 Moun peyi Jida yo mande yo: -Poukisa nou vin atake nou? Yo reponn: -Nou vin isit la pou n' mare Samson, pou n' fè l' pase menm sa li te fè nou pase a.
11 Lè sa a, twamil (3000) gason peyi Jida desann bò twou wòch Etam lan, epi yo di Samson: -Gen lè ou pa konnen se moun Filisti yo ki chèf nan peyi nou an? Poukisa ou fè nou sa? Li reponn yo: -Mwen fè yo menm sa yo te fè m' lan.
12 Yo di l': -Nou vin isit la pou nou mare ou, pou nou ka mennen ou bay moun Filisti yo. Samson di yo: -Fè m' sèman nou p'ap touye m', nou menm!
13 Yo di l': -O non! N'ap annik mare ou, epi n'ap mennen ou bay moun Filisti yo. Nou p'ap touye ou! Yo pran de kòd tou nèf, yo mare l' byen mare epi yo tounen avè l' soti nan twou wòch la.
14 Lè yo rive lavil Leki, moun Filisti yo kouri vin kontre avè l', yo t'ap rele sitèlman yo te kontan yo te pran li. Lespri Seyè a desann sou Samson. Epi li kase kòd ki te mare de bra l' yo. Moso kòd yo tonbe atè, ou ta di fil ki boule nan dife.
15 Li jwenn zo machwè yon bourik ki te fenk mouri, li lonje men l', li pran l', li touye mil (1000) moun avè l'.
16 Lèfini, li pran chante, li di: -Avèk yon zo machwè bourik mwen touye mil moun. Avèk yon zo machwè bourik mwen bat yo byen bat.
17 Lè li fin di sa, li voye zo machwè bourik la jete. Li rele kote l' te ye a: Mòn zo machwè.
18 ¶ Apre sa, Samson vin anvi bwè dlo. Li rele Seyè a, li di: -Ou fin fè m' genyen bèl batay sa a. Koulye a, w'ap kite m' mouri swaf dlo pou bann moun ki p'ap sèvi ou yo mete men sou mwen!
19 Lè sa a, Bondye louvri yon twou nan tè a bò lavil Leki a, epi dlo pete soti ladan l'. Samson bwè dlo, li santi l' refè. Se poutèt sa yo rele sous sa a Sous Akore. Sous sa a la bò lavil Leki jouk jòdi a.
20 Samson gouvènen pèp Izrayèl la pandan ventan sou rèy moun Filisti yo.
Judges 11:29-15:20
New International Version
Judges 11:29-15:20
New International Version
29 Then the Spirit(A) of the Lord came on Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah(B) of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites.(C) 30 And Jephthah made a vow(D) to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph(E) from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.(F)”
32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith,(G) as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.
34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing(H) to the sound of timbrels!(I) She was an only child.(J) Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes(K) and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.(L)”
36 “My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised,(M) now that the Lord has avenged you(N) of your enemies,(O) the Ammonites. 37 But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.”
38 “You may go,” he said. And he let her go for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. 39 After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin.
From this comes the Israelite tradition 40 that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.
Jephthah and Ephraim
12 The Ephraimite forces were called out, and they crossed over to Zaphon.(P) They said to Jephthah,(Q) “Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you?(R) We’re going to burn down your house over your head.”
2 Jephthah answered, “I and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I called, you didn’t save me out of their hands. 3 When I saw that you wouldn’t help, I took my life in my hands(S) and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave me the victory(T) over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?”
4 Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead(U) and fought against Ephraim. The Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh.(V)” 5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan(W) leading to Ephraim, and whenever a survivor of Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he replied, “No,” 6 they said, “All right, say ‘Shibboleth.’” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce the word correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed at that time.
7 Jephthah led[a] Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in a town in Gilead.
Ibzan, Elon and Abdon
8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem(X) led Israel. 9 He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters away in marriage to those outside his clan, and for his sons he brought in thirty young women as wives from outside his clan. Ibzan led Israel seven years. 10 Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.
11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite led Israel ten years. 12 Then Elon died and was buried in Aijalon(Y) in the land of Zebulun.
13 After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon,(Z) led Israel. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons,(AA) who rode on seventy donkeys.(AB) He led Israel eight years. 15 Then Abdon son of Hillel died and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.(AC)
The Birth of Samson
13 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, so the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines(AD) for forty years.(AE)
2 A certain man of Zorah,(AF) named Manoah,(AG) from the clan of the Danites,(AH) had a wife who was childless,(AI) unable to give birth. 3 The angel of the Lord(AJ) appeared to her(AK) and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son.(AL) 4 Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink(AM) and that you do not eat anything unclean.(AN) 5 You will become pregnant and have a son(AO) whose head is never to be touched by a razor(AP) because the boy is to be a Nazirite,(AQ) dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead(AR) in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”
6 Then the woman went to her husband and told him, “A man of God(AS) came to me. He looked like an angel of God,(AT) very awesome.(AU) I didn’t ask him where he came from, and he didn’t tell me his name. 7 But he said to me, ‘You will become pregnant and have a son. Now then, drink no wine(AV) or other fermented drink(AW) and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from the womb until the day of his death.(AX)’”
8 Then Manoah(AY) prayed to the Lord: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God(AZ) you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.”
9 God heard Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman while she was out in the field; but her husband Manoah was not with her. 10 The woman hurried to tell her husband, “He’s here! The man who appeared to me(BA) the other day!”
11 Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, “Are you the man who talked to my wife?”
“I am,” he said.
12 So Manoah asked him, “When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule that governs the boy’s life and work?”
13 The angel of the Lord answered, “Your wife must do all that I have told her. 14 She must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, nor drink any wine or other fermented drink(BB) nor eat anything unclean.(BC) She must do everything I have commanded her.”
15 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat(BD) for you.”
16 The angel of the Lord replied, “Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering,(BE) offer it to the Lord.” (Manoah did not realize(BF) that it was the angel of the Lord.)
17 Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the Lord, “What is your name,(BG) so that we may honor you when your word comes true?”
18 He replied, “Why do you ask my name?(BH) It is beyond understanding.[b]” 19 Then Manoah took a young goat, together with the grain offering, and sacrificed it on a rock(BI) to the Lord. And the Lord did an amazing thing while Manoah and his wife watched: 20 As the flame(BJ) blazed up from the altar toward heaven, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame. Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell with their faces to the ground.(BK) 21 When the angel of the Lord did not show himself again to Manoah and his wife, Manoah realized(BL) that it was the angel of the Lord.
22 “We are doomed(BM) to die!” he said to his wife. “We have seen(BN) God!”
23 But his wife answered, “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and grain offering from our hands, nor shown us all these things or now told us this.”(BO)
24 The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson.(BP) He grew(BQ) and the Lord blessed him,(BR) 25 and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir(BS) him while he was in Mahaneh Dan,(BT) between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Samson’s Marriage
14 Samson(BU) went down to Timnah(BV) and saw there a young Philistine woman. 2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”(BW)
3 His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people?(BX) Must you go to the uncircumcised(BY) Philistines to get a wife?(BZ)”
But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.” 4 (His parents did not know that this was from the Lord,(CA) who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines;(CB) for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)(CC)
5 Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. 6 The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him(CD) so that he tore the lion apart(CE) with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. 7 Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.
8 Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at the lion’s carcass, and in it he saw a swarm of bees and some honey. 9 He scooped out the honey with his hands and ate as he went along. When he rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.
10 Now his father went down to see the woman. And there Samson held a feast,(CF) as was customary for young men. 11 When the people saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions.
12 “Let me tell you a riddle,(CG)” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast,(CH) I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.(CI) 13 If you can’t tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.”
“Tell us your riddle,” they said. “Let’s hear it.”
14 He replied,
“Out of the eater, something to eat;
out of the strong, something sweet.”(CJ)
For three days they could not give the answer.
15 On the fourth[c] day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax(CK) your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death.(CL) Did you invite us here to steal our property?”
16 Then Samson’s wife threw herself on him, sobbing, “You hate me! You don’t really love me.(CM) You’ve given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.”
“I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother,” he replied, “so why should I explain it to you?” 17 She cried the whole seven days(CN) of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people.
18 Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him,
“What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?”(CO)
Samson said to them,
“If you had not plowed with my heifer,
you would not have solved my riddle.”
19 Then the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him.(CP) He went down to Ashkelon,(CQ) struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger,(CR) he returned to his father’s home. 20 And Samson’s wife was given to one of his companions(CS) who had attended him at the feast.
Samson’s Vengeance on the Philistines
15 Later on, at the time of wheat harvest,(CT) Samson(CU) took a young goat(CV) and went to visit his wife. He said, “I’m going to my wife’s room.”(CW) But her father would not let him go in.
2 “I was so sure you hated her,” he said, “that I gave her to your companion.(CX) Isn’t her younger sister more attractive? Take her instead.”
3 Samson said to them, “This time I have a right to get even with the Philistines; I will really harm them.” 4 So he went out and caught three hundred foxes(CY) and tied them tail to tail in pairs. He then fastened a torch(CZ) to every pair of tails, 5 lit the torches(DA) and let the foxes loose in the standing grain of the Philistines. He burned up the shocks(DB) and standing grain, together with the vineyards and olive groves.
6 When the Philistines asked, “Who did this?” they were told, “Samson, the Timnite’s son-in-law, because his wife was given to his companion.(DC)”
So the Philistines went up and burned her(DD) and her father to death.(DE) 7 Samson said to them, “Since you’ve acted like this, I swear that I won’t stop until I get my revenge on you.” 8 He attacked them viciously and slaughtered many of them. Then he went down and stayed in a cave in the rock(DF) of Etam.(DG)
9 The Philistines went up and camped in Judah, spreading out near Lehi.(DH) 10 The people of Judah asked, “Why have you come to fight us?”
“We have come to take Samson prisoner,” they answered, “to do to him as he did to us.”
11 Then three thousand men from Judah went down to the cave in the rock of Etam and said to Samson, “Don’t you realize that the Philistines are rulers over us?(DI) What have you done to us?”
He answered, “I merely did to them what they did to me.”
12 They said to him, “We’ve come to tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines.”
Samson said, “Swear to me(DJ) that you won’t kill me yourselves.”
13 “Agreed,” they answered. “We will only tie you up and hand you over to them. We will not kill you.” So they bound him with two new ropes(DK) and led him up from the rock. 14 As he approached Lehi,(DL) the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him.(DM) The ropes on his arms became like charred flax,(DN) and the bindings dropped from his hands. 15 Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men.(DO)
16 Then Samson said,
“With a donkey’s jawbone
I have made donkeys of them.[d](DP)
With a donkey’s jawbone
I have killed a thousand men.”
17 When he finished speaking, he threw away the jawbone; and the place was called Ramath Lehi.[e](DQ)
18 Because he was very thirsty, he cried out to the Lord,(DR) “You have given your servant this great victory.(DS) Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” 19 Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned and he revived.(DT) So the spring(DU) was called En Hakkore,[f] and it is still there in Lehi.
20 Samson led[g] Israel for twenty years(DV) in the days of the Philistines.
Footnotes
- Judges 12:7 Traditionally judged; also in verses 8-14
- Judges 13:18 Or is wonderful
- Judges 14:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew seventh
- Judges 15:16 Or made a heap or two; the Hebrew for donkey sounds like the Hebrew for heap.
- Judges 15:17 Ramath Lehi means jawbone hill.
- Judges 15:19 En Hakkore means caller’s spring.
- Judges 15:20 Traditionally judged
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