And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is comehither. And theycompassed him in, and laidwait for him all night in the gate of the city, and werequiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shallkill him.
And Samson lay tillmidnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and wentawaywiththem, bar and all, and put themupon his shoulders, and carriedthem up to the top of an hillthat is beforeHebron.
And the lords of the Philistinescame up unto her, and saidunto her, Entice him, and see wherein his greatstrengthlieth, and by whatmeans we may prevailagainst him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we willgivetheeevery one of us elevenhundredpieces of silver.
Now therewere men lying in wait, abidingwith her in the chamber. And she saidunto him, The Philistines be uponthee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is brokenwhen it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
Delilahthereforetook new ropes, and bound him therewith, and saidunto him, The Philistines be uponthee, Samson. And therewereliers in waitabiding in the chamber. And he brakethemfrom off his armslike a thread.
And DelilahsaiduntoSamson, Hithertothouhastmocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewiththoumightest be bound. And he saidunto her, If thouweavest the sevenlocks of my headwith the web.
And she fastened it with the pin, and saidunto him, The Philistines be uponthee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and wentawaywith the pin of the beam, and with the web.
And she saidunto him, How canstthou say, I lovethee, whenthineheart is not with me? thouhastmocked me thesethreetimes, and hast not told me wherein thy greatstrengthlieth.
That he told her all his heart, and saidunto her, Therehath not come a razoruponminehead; for I havebeen a Nazariteunto God from my mother’swomb: if I be shaven, then my strengthwill go from me, and I shallbecomeweak, and be like any other man.
And whenDelilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up thisonce, for he hathshewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistinescame up unto her, and broughtmoney in theirhand.
And she made him sleepupon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the sevenlocks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strengthwentfrom him.
And she said, The Philistines be uponthee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at othertimesbefore, and shakemyself. And he wist not that the LORD was departedfrom him.
But the Philistinestook him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him withfetters of brass; and he did grind in the prisonhouse.
Then the lords of the Philistinesgatheredthemtogether for to offer a greatsacrificeuntoDagontheir god, and to rejoice: for theysaid, Our god hathdeliveredSamson our enemyinto our hand.
And when the people saw him, theypraisedtheir god: for theysaid, Our god hathdeliveredinto our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, whichslewmany of us.
And it came to pass, whentheirheartsweremerry, thattheysaid, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And theycalled for Samson out of the prisonhouse; and he madethemsport: and they set him between the pillars.
Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistineswerethere; and therewereupon the roofaboutthreethousand men and women, thatbeheldwhileSamsonmadesport.
And Samsoncalledunto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I praythee, and strengthen me, I praythee, onlythisonce, O God, that I may be at onceavenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
And Samsontookhold of the two middlepillarsuponwhich the housestood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his righthand, and of the otherwith his left.
And Samsonsaid, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowedhimselfwith all his might; and the housefellupon the lords, and upon all the peoplethatweretherein. So the deadwhich he slew at his deathweremorethantheywhich he slew in his life.
Then his brethren and all the house of his fathercamedown, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him betweenZorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judgedIsraeltwentyyears.