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Then the Philistines went up and camped in Judah and spread out in Lehi. 10 So the men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” And they said, “We have come up to bind Samson in order to do to him as he did to us.” 11 Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, “Do you not know (A)that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.” 12 And they said to him, “We have come down to bind you so that we may give you into the hand of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you yourselves will not [a]kill me.” 13 So they said to [b]him, “No, but we will bind you fast and give you into their hands; yet surely we will not put you to death.” Then they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.

14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. And (B)the Spirit of Yahweh [c]came upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds [d]dropped from his hands. 15 And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he sent forth his hand and took it and struck down (C)1,000 men with it. 16 Then Samson said,

“With the jawbone of a donkey,
[e]Heaps upon heaps,
With the jawbone of a donkey
I have struck down 1,000 men.”

17 Now it happened that when he had finished speaking, he threw the jawbone from his hand; and he named that place [f]Ramath-lehi. 18 Then he became very thirsty, and he (D)called to Yahweh and said, “You have given this great salvation by the hand of Your slave, but now [g]shall I die of thirst [h]and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” 19 So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi and water came out of it. Then he drank, (E)and his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore he named it [i]En-hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day. 20 And (F)he judged Israel twenty years in (G)the days of the Philistines.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 15:12 Lit fall upon me
  2. Judges 15:13 Lit him, saying
  3. Judges 15:14 Lit succeeded, rushed upon
  4. Judges 15:14 Lit were melted
  5. Judges 15:16 Lit Heap, two heaps; Heb is same root as donkey
  6. Judges 15:17 Lit the high place of the jawbone
  7. Judges 15:18 Or I shall...uncircumcised
  8. Judges 15:18 Or or
  9. Judges 15:19 Lit the spring of him who called

Then the Philistines went up and camped in Judah, and spread out in Lehi. 10 The men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” And they said, “We have come up to bind Samson in order to do to him as he did to us.” 11 Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, “Do you not know (A)that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.” 12 They said to him, “We have come down to bind you so that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not [a]kill me.” 13 So they said to [b]him, “No, but we will bind you fast and give you into their hands; yet surely we will not kill you.” Then they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.

14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. And (B)the Spirit of the Lord [c]came upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds [d]dropped from his hands. 15 He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he [e]reached out and took it and [f]killed (C)a thousand men with it. 16 Then Samson said,

“With the jawbone of a donkey,
[g]Heaps upon heaps,
With the jawbone of a donkey
I have [h]killed a thousand men.”

17 When he had finished speaking, he threw the jawbone from his hand; and he named that place [i]Ramath-lehi. 18 Then he became very thirsty, and he (D)called to the Lord and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant, and now [j]shall I die of thirst [k]and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” 19 But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi so that water came out of it. When he drank, (E)his [l]strength returned and he revived. Therefore he named it [m]En-hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day. 20 So (F)he judged Israel twenty years in (G)the days of the Philistines.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 15:12 Lit fall upon me yourselves
  2. Judges 15:13 Lit him, saying
  3. Judges 15:14 Lit rushed upon
  4. Judges 15:14 Lit were melted
  5. Judges 15:15 Lit stretched out his hand
  6. Judges 15:15 Lit smote
  7. Judges 15:16 Lit Heap, two heaps; Heb is same root as donkey
  8. Judges 15:16 Lit smitten
  9. Judges 15:17 I.e. the high place of the jawbone
  10. Judges 15:18 Or I shall...uncircumcised
  11. Judges 15:18 Or or
  12. Judges 15:19 Lit spirit
  13. Judges 15:19 I.e. the spring of him who called