Samson’s Death and Burial

²³ The rulers of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate. They said, “Our god has handed Samson, our enemy, over to us.” ²⁴ When the people saw him,^[a] they praised their god, saying, “Our god has handed our enemy over to us, the one who ruined our land and killed so many of us!”^[b]

²⁵ When they really started celebrating,^[c] they said, “Call for Samson so he can entertain us!” So they summoned Samson from the prison and he entertained them.^[d] They made him stand between two pillars. ²⁶ Samson said to the young man who held his hand, “Position me so I can touch the pillars that support the temple.^[e] Then I can lean on them.” ²⁷ Now the temple^[f] was filled with men and women, and all the rulers of the Philistines were there. There were 3,000 men and women on the roof watching Samson entertain. ²⁸ Samson called to the Lord, “O Sovereign Lord,^[g] remember me! Strengthen me just one more time, O God, so I can get swift revenge^[h] against the Philistines for my two eyes!” ²⁹ Samson took hold of the two middle pillars that supported the temple^[i] and he leaned against them, with his right hand on one and his left hand on the other. ³⁰ Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He pushed hard,^[j] and the temple collapsed on the rulers and all the people in it. He killed many more people in his death than he had killed during his life.^{[k] 31} His brothers and all his family^[l] went down and brought him back.^[m] They buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led^[n] Israel for twenty years.