JUDGES, XIV. 22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. 23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such Hebr. 11. 32. things as these. u 1 Sam. 3. 19. Luke 1. 80. & 2.52. * ch. 3. 10. 1 Sam. 11. 6. Matt. 4. 1. + Heb. Mahaneh-dan, as ch. 18. 12. Josh. 15. 33. ch. 18. 11. cir. 1141. Gen. 38. 13. Josh. 15. 10. b Gen. 34. 2. © Gen. 21. 21. & 34. 4. t 24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and "the child grew, and the LORD blessed him. X 25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol. y CHAPTER XIV. 1 Samson desireth a wife of the Philistines. 5 In his journey he killeth a lion. 8 In a second journey he findeth honey in the carcase. 10 Samson's marriage feast. 12 His riddle by his wife is made known. 19 He spoileth thirty Philistines. 20 His wife is married to another. a His marriage feast and riddle. 9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. 10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. 11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. i Before CHRIST cir. 1141. Ezek. 17. 2. Luke 14. 7. k Gen. 29. 27. 12 ¶ And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if 1 Kings 10.1. ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty || sheets and || Or, shirts. thirty' change of garments: 13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. 14 And he said unto them, Out of the AND Samson went down to Timnath, eater came forth meat, and out of the b and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among 4 Gen. 24. 3,4. the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for † she pleaseth me well. 5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared † against him. 6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. 7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 8 ¶ And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. 15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, "lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us † to take that we have? is it not so? +Heb. to pos16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, "Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? 17 And she wept before him || the seven days, while their feast lasted : and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him and she told the riddle to the children of her people. 18 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle. 2 And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion is not +Heb. let her her younger sister fairer than she? † take her, I pray thee, instead of her. be thine. | Or, Now shall I be blameless from the Philistines, though, &c. Or, torches. b ch. 14. 15. € ver. 19. + Heb. went down. 4 ch. 14. 4. 3 And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure. 4 And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took ||firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. 5 And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives. 6 ¶ Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire. b 7 And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease. 8 And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam. 9 ¶ Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi. Samson smiteth the Philistines. 12 And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. 13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock. 14 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and e Before CHRIST cir. 1140. 14. 6. the Spirit of the LORD came mightily up-ch. 3. 10. & on him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands + loosed from off his hands.+Heb. were 15 And he found at new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith. melted. + Heb. moist. Lev. 26. 8. Josh. 23. 10. ch. 3. 31. 16 And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, † heaps upon heaps, with the jaw +Heb. an of an ass have I slain a thousand men. 17 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place || Ramath-lehi. 18 And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, "Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? 10 And the men of Judah said, Why THEN went Samson to Gaza, and cir. 1120. are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us. 11 Then three thousand men of Judah twent to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them. saw there tan harlot, and went in Heb. a unto her. woman an harlot. 1 Sam.23.26. Ps. 118. 10, 11, 12. Acts 9. 24. 2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they *compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morrf-+Heb. silent. ing, when it is day, we shall kill him. 3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and Delilah betrayeth Samson. Before CHRIST cir. 1120. +Heb. with the bar. || Or, by the brook. b ch. 14. 15. See Prov. 2. 16-19. & 5. 3-11. & 6. JUDGES, XVI. went away with them, † bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron. 4 ¶ And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman || in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, "Entice b Entice him, and see wherein his great strength 24, 25, 26. & lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to || afflict him and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. 7. 21, 22, 23. || Or, humble. || Or, new cords. + Heb. moist. + Heb. one. +Heb. smelleth. + Heb. wherewith work hath not been done. ch. 14. 16. : 6 ¶ And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. 7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven † green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 9 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it † toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known. 10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. 11 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes † that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread. 13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web. 14 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web. The Philistines put out his eyes. heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. 16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was † vexed unto death; e Before CHRIST cir. 1120. +Heb. shortened. d Numb. 6. 5. ch. 13. 5. 17 That he told her all his heart, and Mic. 7. 5. said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. 18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. 27. 19 f And she made him sleep upon her Prov. 7. 26, knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. 20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was de- Numb. 14.9, parted from him. 25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were 'merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made † them sport: and +Heb. before they set him between the pillars. 26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. 27 Now the house was full of men and them. Samson's death and burial. Before CHRIST cir. 1120. * Deut. 22. 8. 1 Jer. 15. 15. || Or, he leaned on them. +Heb. my soul. ch. 13. 25. cir. 1120. cir. 1406. * Gen. 14. 19. Ruth 3. 10. k JUDGES, XVII. women; and all the lords of the Philis- 28 And Samson called unto the LORD, eyes. 29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. 30 And Samson said, Let † me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life. m 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 buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years. CHAPTER XVII. 1 Of the money that Micah first stole, then restored, A g Micah's idolatry. 6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. 7¶ And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. 8 And the man departed out of the city from Beth-lehem-judah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, † as he journeyed. 9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place. Before CHRIST cir. 1406. fch. 18. 1. & 19. 1. & 21. 25. Deut. 33. 5. 8 Deut. 12. 8. h See Josh. 19. 15. ch. 19. 1. 5, 6. + Heb. in making his way. i ch. 18. 19. a suit of Or, a double 11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons. m 12 And Micah' consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. 13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest. CHAPTER XVIII. 1 The Danites send five men to seek out an inheri- ND there was a man of mount E- suit, &c. +Heb. an order of garments. I ver. 5. mch. 18. 30. cir. 1406. ch. 17. 6. & 21. 25. b Josh. 19. 47. c ch. 13. 25. 2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, † men of +Heb. sons. valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, d to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land : who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there. ch. 17. 1. 3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here? 4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath ' hired me, and I am his priest. 5 And they said unto him, Ask coun81 Kings 22.5. sel, we pray thee," of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous. Isai. 30. 1. Hos. 4. 12. h See ch. 17.5. & ver. 14. i 1 Kings 22.6. Josh. 19. 47, called, Leshem. I ver. 27, 28. +Heb. pos sessor, or, heir of restraint. m ver. 2. "Numb. 13.30. Josh. 2. 23, 24. 6 And the priest said unto them, 'Go in peace before the LORD is your way wherein ye go. 7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no † magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man. 8 And they came unto their brethren tom Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye? 9 And they said, "Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are * 1 Kings 22.3. ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land. 10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth. 11 ¶ And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah +Heb. girded. and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men † appointed with weapons of war. a of his consecrate things. Before CHRIST cir. 1406. and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image and the priest stood in the enter- ch. 17. 4, 5. ing of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war. 18 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye? b с 19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel? 20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst. of the people. 21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them. 22¶ And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan. 23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, † that thou comest with such a company? 24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee? 25 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest † angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy houshold. 26 And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house. b Job 21. 5. & 29. 9. & 40.4. Prov. 30. 32. Mic. 7. 16. © ch. 17. 10. + Heb. that thou art gathered together? + Heb. bitter of soul. 2 Sam. 17. 8. d ver. 7, 10. Deut. 33. 22. Josh. 19. 47. f ver. 7. 28 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob. Numb. 13.21. And they built a city, and dwelt therein. B 29 And they called the name of the 2 Sam. 10. 6. n Josh. 19. 47. |