23 Then the Princes 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 hands.

24 Also when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy and destroyer of our country, which hath slain many of us.

25 And when their hearts were merry, they said, Call Samson, that he may make us pastime: So they called Samson out of the prison house, and he [a]was a laughing stock unto them, and they set him between the pillars.

26 Then Samson said unto the servant that led him by the hand, Lead me, that I may touch the pillars that the house standeth upon, and that I may lean to them.

27 (Now the house was full of men and women, and there were all the princes of the Philistines: also upon the roof were about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson [b]played)

28 Then Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, I pray thee, think upon me: O God, I beseech thee, strengthen me at this time only, that I may be [c]at once [d]avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

29 And Samson laid hold on the two middle pillars whereupon the house stood, and on which it was borne up: on the one with his right hand, and on the other with his left.

30 Then said Samson, [e]Let me lose my life with the Philistines: and he bowed him with all his might, and the house fell upon the princes, and upon all the people that were therein: so the dead which he slew at his death, were more than they which he had slain in his life.

31 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 sepulcher of Manoah his father: now he had judged Israel twenty years.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 16:25 Thus by God’s just judgments they are made slaves to infidels which neglect their vocation in defending the faithful.
  2. Judges 16:27 Or, was mocked.
  3. Judges 16:28 Hebrew, take one vengeance.
  4. Judges 16:28 According to my vocation which is to execute God’s judgments upon the wicked.
  5. Judges 16:30 He speaketh not this of despair, but humbling himself for neglecting his office and the offence thereby given.

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