²³ Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to ^(A)Dagon their god, and to rejoice, for they said,

²⁴ When the people saw him, ^(B)they praised their god, for they said,

²⁵ It so happened when ^[a]they were in high spirits, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may amuse us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he ^[b]entertained them. And they made him stand between the pillars. ²⁶ Then Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.” ²⁷ Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there. And about 3,000 men and women were on the roof looking on while Samson was amusing them.

Samson Is Avenged

^28 (C)Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord ^[c]God, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once ^(D)be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” ²⁹ Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left. ³⁰ And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he bent with ^[d]all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life.

⁸ It came about the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ^9 (A)So they stripped him and took his head and his armor and sent messengers around the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. ¹⁰ They put his armor in the house of their gods and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.