Judges 16:23-31
New English Translation
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.
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- Judges 16:24 tn Most interpret this as a reference to Samson, but this seems premature, since v. 25 suggests he was not yet standing before them. Consequently some prefer to see this statement as displaced and move it to v. 25 (see C. F. Burney, Judges, 387). It seems more likely that the pronoun refers to an image of Dagon.
- Judges 16:24 tn Heb “multiplied our dead.”
- Judges 16:25 tn Heb “When their heart was good.”
- Judges 16:25 tn Heb “before them.”
- Judges 16:26 tn Heb “the pillars upon which the house is founded.”
- Judges 16:27 tn Heb “house.”
- Judges 16:28 tn The Hebrew has אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה (ʾadonay yehovih, “Lord Yahweh”).
- Judges 16:28 tn Heb “so I can get revenge with one act of vengeance.”
- Judges 16:29 tn Heb “the pillars upon which the house was founded.”
- Judges 16:30 tn Heb “he stretched out with strength.”
- Judges 16:30 tn Heb “And the ones whom he killed in his death were many more than he killed in his life.”
- Judges 16:31 tn Heb “and all the house of his father.”
- Judges 16:31 tn Heb “and lifted him up and brought up.”
- Judges 16:31 tn Traditionally, “judged.”
Judges 16:23-31
Legacy Standard Bible
23 Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to (A)Dagon their god and to be glad; and they said,
“Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands.”
24 Then the people saw him and (B)praised their god, for they said,
“Our god has given our enemy into our hands,
Even the destroyer of our country,
Who has slain many of us.”
25 So it happened when their hearts were merry, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may amuse us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he [a]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 is established, 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’s Revenge
28 (C)Then Samson called to Yahweh and said, “O Lord Yahweh, 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 was established and supported 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 his strength so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he put to death by his death were more than those whom he put to death in his life. 31 Then his brothers and all his father’s household came down, carried him, brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the tomb of Manoah his father. (E)Thus he had judged Israel twenty years.
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- Judges 16:25 Lit made sport before them
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