שֹׁפְטִים 16
| וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ שִׁמְשֹׁ֖ון עַזָּ֑תָה וַיַּרְא־שָׁם֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה זֹונָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֖א אֵלֶֽיהָ׃ | 1 |
Samson went to Gaza. There he saw a prostitute and he went to have sex with her that night.
| לֽ͏ַעַזָּתִ֣ים ׀ לֵאמֹ֗ר בָּ֤א שִׁמְשֹׁון֙ הֵ֔נָּה וַיָּסֹ֛בּוּ וַיֶּאֶרְבוּ־לֹ֥ו כָל־הַלַּ֖יְלָה בְּשַׁ֣עַר הָעִ֑יר וַיִּתְחָרְשׁ֤וּ כָל־הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר עַד־אֹ֥ור הַבֹּ֖קֶר וַהֲרְגְנֻֽהוּ׃ | 2 |
The men of Gaza found out Samson was there, so they gathered to spend the night lying in wait for him at the town gates. They kept quiet all night, whispering to one another, “We'll kill him when it gets light.”
| וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב שִׁמְשֹׁון֮ עַד־חֲצִ֣י הַלַּיְלָה֒ וַיָּ֣קָם ׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה וַיֶּאֱחֹ֞ז בְּדַלְתֹ֤ות שַֽׁעַר־הָעִיר֙ וּבִשְׁתֵּ֣י הַמְּזוּזֹ֔ות וַיִּסָּעֵם֙ עִֽם־הַבְּרִ֔יחַ וַיָּ֖שֶׂם עַל־כְּתֵפָ֑יו וַֽיַּעֲלֵם֙ אֶל־רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י חֶבְרֹֽון׃ פ | 3 |
But Samson only stayed until halfway through the night. He grabbed hold of the town gates along with their two posts and ripped them up, along with the lock-bar. Putting them on his shoulders, he carried them to the hill opposite Hebron.
| וֽ͏ַיְהִי֙ אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב אִשָּׁ֖ה בְּנַ֣חַל שֹׂרֵ֑ק וּשְׁמָ֖הּ דְּלִילָֽה׃ | 4 |
Later he fell in love with a woman named Delilah living in the Sorek Valley.
| וַיַּעֲל֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יהָ סַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וַיֹּ֨אמְרוּ לָ֜הּ פַּתִּ֣י אֹותֹ֗ו וּרְאִי֙ בַּמֶּה֙ כֹּחֹ֣ו גָדֹ֔ול וּבַמֶּה֙ נ֣וּכַל לֹ֔ו וַאֲסַרְנֻ֖הוּ לְעַנֹּתֹ֑ו וַאֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙ נִתַּן־לָ֔ךְ אִ֕ישׁ אֶ֥לֶף וּמֵאָ֖ה כָּֽסֶף׃ | 5 |
The Philistine leaders approached her, saying, “See if you can seduce him and get him to show you the secret of his incredible strength, and find out how we can overpower him and tie him up so he can't do anything. We'll all give you eleven hundred shekels of silver each.”
| וַתֹּ֤אמֶר דְּלִילָה֙ אֶל־שִׁמְשֹׁ֔ון הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א לִ֔י בַּמֶּ֖ה כֹּחֲךָ֣ גָדֹ֑ול וּבַמֶּ֥ה תֵאָסֵ֖ר לְעַנֹּותֶֽךָ׃ | 6 |
Delilah went and pleaded with Samson, “Please tell me where your incredible strength comes from, and what can be used to tie you up so you can't do anything.”
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ שִׁמְשֹׁ֔ון אִם־יַאַסְרֻ֗נִי בְּשִׁבְעָ֛ה יְתָרִ֥ים לַחִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־חֹרָ֖בוּ וְחָלִ֥יתִי וְהָיִ֖יתִי כְּאַחַ֥ד הָאָדָֽם׃ | 7 |
“If I'm tied up with seven supple bowstrings that haven't dried out, I'll become just as weak,” Samson told her.
| וַיַּעֲלוּ־לָ֞הּ סַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים שִׁבְעָ֛ה יְתָרִ֥ים לַחִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־חֹרָ֑בוּ וַתַּאַסְרֵ֖הוּ בָּהֶֽם׃ | 8 |
The Philistine leaders brought her seven supple bowstrings that hadn't dried out, and she tied him up with them.
| וְהָאֹרֵ֗ב יֹשֵׁ֥ב לָהּ֙ בַּחֶ֔דֶר וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו פְּלִשְׁתִּ֥ים עָלֶ֖יךָ שִׁמְשֹׁ֑ון וַיְנַתֵּק֙ אֶת־הַיְתָרִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִנָּתֵ֤ק פְּתִֽיל־הַנְּעֹ֙רֶת֙ בַּהֲרִיחֹ֣ו אֵ֔שׁ וְלֹ֥א נֹודַ֖ע כֹּחֹֽו׃ | 9 |
Having arranged for men to hide in her bedroom ready to attack him, she shouted out, “Samson, the Philistines are here to get you!” But he snapped the bowstrings like a thread snaps when a flame touches it. So nobody found out where his strength came from.
| וַתֹּ֤אמֶר דְּלִילָה֙ אֶל־שִׁמְשֹׁ֔ון הִנֵּה֙ הֵתַ֣לְתָּ בִּ֔י וַתְּדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלַ֖י כְּזָבִ֑ים עַתָּה֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א לִ֔י בַּמֶּ֖ה תֵּאָסֵֽר׃ | 10 |
Later Delilah said to Samson, “You've made me look stupid, telling me these lies! So now please tell me what can be used to tie you up.”
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֶ֔יהָ אִם־אָסֹ֤ור יַאַסְר֙וּנִי֙ בַּעֲבֹתִ֣ים חֲדָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־נַעֲשָׂ֥ה בָהֶ֖ם מְלָאכָ֑ה וְחָלִ֥יתִי וְהָיִ֖יתִי כְּאַחַ֥ד הָאָדָֽם׃ | 11 |
“If I'm tied up tight with new ropes that haven't been used before, I'll become just as weak as anyone else,” he told her.
| וַתִּקַּ֣ח דְּלִילָה֩ עֲבֹתִ֨ים חֲדָשִׁ֜ים וַתַּאַסְרֵ֣הוּ בָהֶ֗ם וַתֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֤ים עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ שִׁמְשֹׁ֔ון וְהָאֹרֵ֖ב יֹשֵׁ֣ב בֶּחָ֑דֶר וַֽיְנַתְּקֵ֛ם מֵעַ֥ל זְרֹעֹתָ֖יו כַּחֽוּט׃ | 12 |
So Delilah got some new ropes and tied him up with them. She shouted out, “Samson, the Philistines are here to get you!” As before, men were hiding in her bedroom. But again Samson snapped the ropes from his arms as if they were thin threads.
| וַתֹּ֨אמֶר דְּלִילָ֜ה אֶל־שִׁמְשֹׁ֗ון עַד־הֵ֜נָּה הֵתַ֤לְתָּ בִּי֙ וַתְּדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלַי֙ כְּזָבִ֔ים הַגִּ֣ידָה לִּ֔י בַּמֶּ֖ה תֵּאָסֵ֑ר וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֶ֔יהָ אִם־תַּאַרְגִ֗י אֶת־שֶׁ֛בַע מַחְלְפֹ֥ות רֹאשִׁ֖י עִם־הַמַּסָּֽכֶת׃ | 13 |
Delilah said to Samson, “You keep on making me look stupid, telling me these lies! Just tell me what can be used to tie you up!” “If you were to weave the seven braids of my hair into the web on the loom and tighten it with the pin, I'll become as weak as anyone else,” he told her. So while he was asleep, Delilah took the seven braids of his head, weaving them into the web,
| וַתִּתְקַע֙ בַּיָּתֵ֔ד וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו פְּלִשְׁתִּ֥ים עָלֶ֖יךָ שִׁמְשֹׁ֑ון וַיִּיקַץ֙ מִשְּׁנָתֹ֔ו וַיִּסַּ֛ע אֶת־הַיְתַ֥ד הָאֶ֖רֶג וְאֶת־הַמַּסָּֽכֶת׃ | 14 |
and tightening the pin. She shouted out, “Samson, the Philistines are here to get you!” But Samson woke up and ripped out both the pin and the web from the loom.
| וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו אֵ֚יךְ תֹּאמַ֣ר אֲהַבְתִּ֔יךְ וְלִבְּךָ֖ אֵ֣ין אִתִּ֑י זֶ֣ה שָׁלֹ֤שׁ פְּעָמִים֙ הֵתַ֣לְתָּ בִּ֔י וְלֹא־הִגַּ֣דְתָּ לִּ֔י בַּמֶּ֖ה כֹּחֲךָ֥ גָדֹֽול׃ | 15 |
Then Delilah complained to Samson, “How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don't let me into your confidence? Three times you've me look stupid, not telling me where your incredible strength comes from!”
| וַ֠יְהִי כִּֽי־הֵצִ֨יקָה לֹּ֧ו בִדְבָרֶ֛יהָ כָּל־הַיָּמִ֖ים וַתְּאַֽלֲצֵ֑הוּ וַתִּקְצַ֥ר נַפְשֹׁ֖ו לָמֽוּת׃ | 16 |
She nagged and complained all the time, pestering him until he wanted to die.
| וַיַּגֶּד־לָ֣הּ אֶת־כָּל־לִבֹּ֗ו וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מֹורָה֙ לֹֽא־עָלָ֣ה עַל־רֹאשִׁ֔י כִּֽי־נְזִ֧יר אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֲנִ֖י מִבֶּ֣טֶן אִמִּ֑י אִם־גֻּלַּ֙חְתִּי֙ וְסָ֣ר מִמֶּ֣נִּי כֹחִ֔י וְחָלִ֥יתִי וְהָיִ֖יתִי כְּכָל־הָאָדָֽם׃ | 17 |
Eventually Samson confided in her, sharing everything. “My hair has never been cut, because I've been dedicated as a Nazirite to God from my birth. If I'm shaved, my strength will leave me, and I'll become as weak as anyone else.”
| וַתֵּ֣רֶא דְּלִילָ֗ה כִּֽי־הִגִּ֣יד לָהּ֮ אֶת־כָּל־לִבֹּו֒ וַתִּשְׁלַ֡ח וַתִּקְרָא֩ לְסַרְנֵ֨י פְלִשְׁתִּ֤ים לֵאמֹר֙ עֲל֣וּ הַפַּ֔עַם כִּֽי־הִגִּ֥יד לָהּ (לִ֖י) אֶת־כָּל־לִבֹּ֑ו וְעָל֤וּ אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ סַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיַּעֲל֥וּ הַכֶּ֖סֶף בְּיָדָֽם׃ | 18 |
Delilah realized that he had truly confided in her and shared everything, she sent a message to the Philistine leaders telling them, “Come back once more, because this time he's confided in me and told me everything.” So the Philistine leaders returned, bringing with them the money to give to her.
| וַתְּיַשְּׁנֵ֙הוּ֙ עַל־בִּרְכֶּ֔יהָ וַתִּקְרָ֣א לָאִ֔ישׁ וַתְּגַלַּ֕ח אֶת־שֶׁ֖בַע מַחְלְפֹ֣ות רֹאשֹׁ֑ו וַתָּ֙חֶל֙ לְעַנֹּותֹ֔ו וַיָּ֥סַר כֹּחֹ֖ו מֵעָלָֽיו׃ | 19 |
Delilah soothed him sleep on her lap, and then called in someone to shave off the seven braids of hair. She started to torment him but he couldn't do anything for his strength left him.
| וַתֹּ֕אמֶר פְּלִשְׁתִּ֥ים עָלֶ֖יךָ שִׁמְשֹׁ֑ון וַיִּקַ֣ץ מִשְּׁנָתֹ֗ו וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵצֵ֞א כְּפַ֤עַם בְּפַ֙עַם֙ וְאִנָּעֵ֔ר וְהוּא֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔ע כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה סָ֥ר מֵעָלָֽיו׃ | 20 |
She shouted out, “Samson, the Philistines are here to get you!” Samson woke up and thought to himself, “I'll do like before and shake myself free.” But he didn't know that the Lord had left him.
| וַיֹּאחֲז֣וּהוּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וֽ͏ַיְנַקְּר֖וּ אֶת־עֵינָ֑יו וַיֹּורִ֨ידוּ אֹותֹ֜ו עַזָּ֗תָה וַיַּאַסְר֙וּהוּ֙ בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם וַיְהִ֥י טֹוחֵ֖ן בְּבֵ֥ית הָאֲסִירִים (הָאֲסוּרִֽים)׃ | 21 |
The Philistines grabbed him and gouged out his eyes. Then they took him to Gaza where they imprisoned him in bronze chains. He was made to work grinding grain at the mill in the prison.
| וַיָּ֧חֶל שְׂעַר־רֹאשֹׁ֛ו לְצַמֵּ֖חַ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר גֻּלָּֽח׃ פ | 22 |
But his hair began to grow back after it had been shaved off.
| וְסַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים נֶֽאֱסְפוּ֙ לִזְבֹּ֧חַ זֶֽבַח־גָּדֹ֛ול לְדָגֹ֥ון אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם וּלְשִׂמְחָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ נָתַ֤ן אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ בְּיָדֵ֔נוּ אֵ֖ת שִׁמְשֹׁ֥ון אֹויְבֵֽינוּ׃ | 23 |
The Philistine leaders gathered for a great religious festival to sacrifice to their god Dagon and to celebrate, saying, “Our god has handed Samson our enemy over to us!”
| וַיִּרְא֤וּ אֹתֹו֙ הָעָ֔ם וַֽיְהַלְל֖וּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם כִּ֣י אָמְר֗וּ נָתַ֨ן אֱלֹהֵ֤ינוּ בְיָדֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶת־אֹ֣ויְבֵ֔נוּ וְאֵת֙ מַחֲרִ֣יב אַרְצֵ֔נוּ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר הִרְבָּ֖ה אֶת־חֲלָלֵֽינוּ׃ | 24 |
When the people saw him, they praised their god, and said, “Our god has handed our enemy over to us, the one who devastated our land and killed so many of us.”
| וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּי טֹוב (כְּטֹ֣וב) לִבָּ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ קִרְא֥וּ לְשִׁמְשֹׁ֖ון וִישַֽׂחֶק־לָ֑נוּ וַיִּקְרְא֨וּ לְשִׁמְשֹׁ֜ון מִבֵּ֣ית הָאֲסִירִים (הָאֲסוּרִ֗ים) וַיְצַחֵק֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּעֲמִ֥ידוּ אֹותֹ֖ו בֵּ֥ין הָעַמּוּדִֽים׃ | 25 |
As they began to get drunk, they shouted, “Summon Samson so he can entertain us!” So they summoned Samson from the prison to entertain them, and made him stand between the two main pillars of the building.
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שִׁמְשֹׁ֜ון אֶל־הַנַּ֨עַר הַמַּחֲזִ֣יק בְּיָדֹו֮ הַנִּ֣יחָה אֹותִי֒ וַהֵימִשֵׁנִי (וַהֲמִשֵׁ֙נִי֙) אֶת־הָֽעַמֻּדִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הַבַּ֖יִת נָכֹ֣ון עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְאֶשָּׁעֵ֖ן עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ | 26 |
Samson said to the servant boy who was leading him by the hand, “Leave me by the pillars on which the temple rests so I can feel them, and lean against them.”
| וְהַבַּ֗יִת מָלֵ֤א הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ וְהַנָּשִׁ֔ים וְשָׁ֕מָּה כֹּ֖ל סַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וְעַל־הַגָּ֗ג כִּשְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֙ אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֔ה הָרֹאִ֖ים בִּשְׂחֹ֥וק שִׁמְשֹֽׁון׃ | 27 |
The temple was full of people. All the Philistine rulers were there, and on the roof were the ordinary people watching what Samson was doing.
| וַיִּקְרָ֥א שִׁמְשֹׁ֛ון אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֡ה זָכְרֵ֣נִי נָא֩ וְחַזְּקֵ֨נִי נָ֜א אַ֣ךְ הַפַּ֤עַם הַזֶּה֙ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְאִנָּקְמָ֧ה נְקַם־אַחַ֛ת מִשְּׁתֵ֥י עֵינַ֖י מִפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ | 28 |
Samson called out to the Lord, “Lord God, please remember me and give me strength. Please God, do this just once more, so that with one act I may pay the Philistines back in revenge for the loss of my two eyes.”
| וַיִּלְפֹּ֨ת שִׁמְשֹׁ֜ון אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י ׀ עַמּוּדֵ֣י הַתָּ֗וֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הַבַּ֙יִת֙ נָכֹ֣ון עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּסָּמֵ֖ךְ עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם אֶחָ֥ד בִּימִינֹ֖ו וְאֶחָ֥ד בִּשְׂמֹאלֹֽו׃ | 29 |
Samson reached for the two middle pillars that supported the temple. With his right hand leaning on one pillar and his left hand on the other,
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שִׁמְשֹׁ֗ון תָּמֹ֣ות נַפְשִׁי֮ עִם־פְּלִשְׁתִּים֒ וַיֵּ֣ט בְּכֹ֔חַ וַיִּפֹּ֤ל הַבַּ֙יִת֙ עַל־הַסְּרָנִ֔ים וְעַל־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־בֹּ֑ו וַיִּהְי֤וּ הַמֵּתִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֵמִ֣ית בְּמֹותֹ֔ו רַבִּ֕ים מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵמִ֖ית בְּחַיָּֽיו׃ | 30 |
Samson shouted, “Let me die with the Philistines!” and he pushed with all his strength. The temple collapsed on the rulers and all the people in it. So those killed at his death were more than he killed in his life.
| וַיֵּרְד֨וּ אֶחָ֜יו וְכָל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִיהוּ֮ וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ אֹתֹו֒ וַֽיַּעֲל֣וּ ׀ וַיִּקְבְּר֣וּ אֹותֹ֗ו בֵּ֤ין צָרְעָה֙ וּבֵ֣ין אֶשְׁתָּאֹ֔ל בְּקֶ֖בֶר מָנֹ֣וחַ אָבִ֑יו וְה֛וּא שָׁפַ֥ט אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃ פ | 31 |
Then his brothers and his whole family came and took him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He led Israel as judge for twenty years.
