Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

Samfon's riddle.

JUDGES. He Spoileth thirty Philistines.

and his mother, and faid, I have feen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philiftines: now therefore get her for me to wife.

1

3. Then his father and his mother faid. unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goeft to take a wife of the uncircumcifed Philiftines? And Samfon faid unto his father, Get her for me; for fhe pleaseth me well.

4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he fought an occafion against the Philiftines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Ifrael.

1-5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, bebold, 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 Samfon well. 8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned afide to see the carcafe of the lion and, behold, there was a fwarm of bees and honey in the carcafe of the lion.

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.

IO ¶ So his father went down unto the

woman; and Samfon made there a feaft,;

for fo ufed the young men to do.

II And it came to pafs, when they faw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

12 And Samfon faid unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you; if ye can certainly declare it me within the feven days of the feaft, and find it out, then I will give you thirty fheets and thirty change of garments;

13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then fhall ye give me thirty fheets 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 eater came forth meat, and out of the ftrong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle,

15 And it came to pafs on the seventh day, that they faid unto Samfon's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may de

[ocr errors]

clare unto us the riddle, left we burn thee and thy father's houfe with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not fo?

16 And Samfon's wife wept before him, and said, Thou doft but hate me, and loveft me not: thou haft put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and haft not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and fhall I tell it thee?.

17 And the wept before him the seven days, while their feaft lafted; and it came to pafs on the seventh day, that he told her, because the lay fore upon him and the told the riddle to the children of her people.

18 And the men of the city said unto him on the feventh day before the fun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he faid unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.

19 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashke, lon, and flew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of gar ments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

20 But Samfon's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

CHAP. XV.

I Samfon is denied his wife. 3 He burneth the Philiftines' corn. 9. He is bound by the men of Judah, and delivered to the Philif tines 14 He killeth them with a jawbone. BUT it came to pals within a while

after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samfon vifited his wife with a kid ; and he faid, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not fuffer him to go in.

2 And her father faid, I verily thought that thou hadft utterly hated her; there fore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger fifter fairer than fhe? take her, I pray thee, inftead of her.

31 And Samfon faid concerning them, Now fhall I be more blameless than the Philiftines, though I do them a difpleasure.

4 And Samfon went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tai! to tail, and put a firebrand in the midft between two tails,

5 And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philiftines, and burnt up both the fhocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.

6 Then

Jamfon delivered to the Philistines; Chap. xvi.

6. Then the Philiftines faid, Who hath done this? and they answered, Samfon, the fon 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.

7 And Samfon faid unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of and after that I will cease. you,

8 And he fmote them hip and thigh with a great flaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam. 9 Then the Philiftines went up, and

and enticed by Delilah. thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.

20 And he judged Ifrael in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

CHAP. XVI.

1 Samfon carrieth away the gates of Gaza. 4 Delilah, corrupted by the Philistines, enticeth him; 15 and overcometh him. 21 The Philistines put out his eyes. 23 The manner of his death.

HEN went Samfon to Gaza, and

pitched in Judah, and spread themfelves Taw there an harlot, and went in

in Lehi.

10 And the men of Judah faid, Why are ye come up against us? and they anfwered, To bind Samfon are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.

II Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and faid to Samfon, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou haft done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, fo have I done unto them.

12 And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philiftines. And Samfon faid unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.

[ocr errors]

unto her.

2 And it was told the Gazites, faying, Samfon is come hither. And they compaffed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, faying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.

3 And Samfon lay till midnight, and arofe at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and 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, whofe name was Delilah.

5 And the lords the Philiftines came

13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee faft, and de-up unto her, and faid unto her, Entice liver thee into their hand: but furely 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 fhouted against him and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loofed from off his hands.

15 And he found a new jawbone of an afs, and put forth his hand, and took it, and flew a thousand men therewith.

16 And Samfon faid, With the jawbone of an afs, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an afs have I flain a thoufand men.

17 And it came to pafs, when he had made an end of speaking, that he caft away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-lehi.

him, and fee wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to affict him and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of filver.

6 And Delilah faid to Samfon, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great ftrength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.

7 And Samfon faid unto her, If they bind me with feven green withs that were never dried, then fhall I be weak, and be as another man.

8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her feven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

9 Now there avere men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And the faid unto him, The Philiftines be upon thee, Samfon. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when So his ftrength was

18 And he was fore athirst, and called on the LORD, and faid, Thou haft given it toucheth the fire. this great deliverance into the hand of not known.

thy fervant and now fhall I die for 10 And Delilah faid unto Samfon, Bethirft, and fall into the hand of the un-hold, thou haft mocked me, and told me circumcised? lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mighteft be bound.

19 But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water

II And he said unto her, If they bind

me

Samfon betrayed by Delilah

JUDGES. His imprisonment, and deaths

me faft with new ropes that never were occupied, then sball I be weak, and be as another man.

great facrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samfon our enemy into our hand.

12. Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto 24 And when the people faw him, him, The Philiftines be upon thee, Sam- they praised their god: for they faid, Our fon. And there were liers in wait abid-god hath delivered into our hands our ing in the chamber. And he brake them enemy, and the deflroyer of our country, from off his arms like a thread. which flew many of us.

13 And Delilah faid unto Samfon, Hitherto thou haft mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mighteft 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 faid unto him, The Philiftines be upon thee, Samfon. And he awaked out of his fleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.

15 And the faid unto him, How canft thou fay, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou haft mocked me thefetthree times, and haft not told me wherein thy great ftrength lieth.

16 And it came to pafs, when the -preffed him daily with her words, and urged him, fo that his foul was vexed unto death;

25 And it came to pafs, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samfon, that he may make us fport. And they called for Samfon out of the prifon houfe; and he made them fport: and they fet him between the pillars.

26 And Samfon faid unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house ftandeth, that I may lean upon them.

27 Now the houfe was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philif tines quere there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samfon made fport.

28 And Samfon called unto the LORD, and faid, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and ftrengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philiftines for my two eyes.

17 That he told her all his heart, and faid unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a 29 And Samfon took hold of the two Nazarite unto God from my mother's middle pillars upon which the house womb: if I be fhaven, then my ftrength | ftood, and on which it was borne up, of will go from me, and I shall become the one with his right hand, and of the weak, and be like any other man. other with his left. A 18 And when Delilah faw that he had told her all his heart, fhe fent and called for the lords of the Philiftines, faying, Come up this once, for he hath fhewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.

19 And fhe made him fleep upon her knees; and fhe called for a man, and The caused him to shave off the feven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his ftrength went from him.

20 And the faid, The Philiftines be upon thee, Samfon. And he awoke out of his fleep, and faid, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wift not that the LORD was departed from him.

30 And Samfon faid, 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 flew at his death were more than they which he flew 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 Efhtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Ifrael twenty years.

CHAP. XVII.

2 Micah restoring the ftolen money to bis mother, he maketh images. 7 He bireth a Levite to be his priest.

there was a man of mount E

But the Philiftines took him, and Aphraim, whose name was Micah.

put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brafs; and he did grind in the prison houfe.

22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow. again after he was fhaven.

23 T Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a

2 T And he faid unto his mother, The eleven hundred Shekels of filver that were taken from thee, about which thou curfedft, and fpakeft of alfo in mine ears, behold, the filver is with me; I took it. And his mother faid, Bleffed be thou of the LORD, my fon.

3 And when he had reftored the

Micah's idolatry.

Chap. xviii. eleven hundred fhekels of filver to his mother, his mother faid, I had wholly dedicated the filver unto the LORD from my hand for my fon, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.

4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred hekels of filver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the houfe of Micah.

5 And the man Micah had an houfe of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and confecrated one of his fons, who became his priest.

6 In those days there was no king in Ifrael, 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 fojourned there.

8 And the man departed out of the eity from Beth-lehem-judah to fojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

9 And Micah faid unto him, Whence comeft thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth-lebem-judah, and I go to fojourn where I may find a place.

10 And Micah faid unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a prieft, and I will give thee ten shekels of filver by the year, and a fuit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.

II And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his fons.

12 And Micah confecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the houfe of Micah.

13 Then faid Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, feeing I have a Levite to my priest.

CHAP. XVIII.

I The Danites fend five men to feek out an
inheritance. 27 They win Laifh.
IN those days there was no king in If-
rael and in thofe days the tribe of
the Danites fought them an inheritance
to dwell in; for unto that day all their
inheritance had not fallen unto them
among the tribes of Ifrael.

2 And the children of Dan fent of their family five men from their coafts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Efhtaol, to fpy out the land, and to fearch it; and they faid unto them, Go, fearch the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

The Spies of Daki.

3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thi ther, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what haft thou here?

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 counfel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go fhall be profperous.

6 And the priest faid unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.

7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laifh, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and fecure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to fhame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.

8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren faid unto them, What Jay ye?

9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have feen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye ftill? be not flothful to go, and to enter to poffefs the land.

10 When ye go, ye fhall 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.

II And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zoraḥ and out of Efhtaol, fix hundred men appointed with weapons of war.

12 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahareh-dan un to this day: behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim.

13 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.

14 Then anfwered the five men that went to fpy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, D. ye know that there is in thefe houfes in ephod, and teraphim, and a graven inage, and a molten image? now therefore confider what ye have to do.

15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and faluted him.

16 And the fix hundred men appointed with their weapons of wa, which

Micah robbed.

JUDGES. were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.

17 And the five men that went to fpy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image and the priest flood in the entering of the gate with the fix hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.

18 And these went into Micah's houfe, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, aud the teraphim, and the molten image. Then faid the priest unto them, What do ye?

[ocr errors]

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 prieft: is it better for thee to be prieft unto the house of one man, or that thou be a prieft unto a tribe and a family in Ifrael?

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 houfes near to Micah's houfe were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.

23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and faid unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comet with fuch a company?

24 And he faid, 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 fay unto me? What aileth thee?

25 And the children of Dan faid unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, left angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lofethy life, with the lives of thy houfhold.

26 And the children of Dan went their way ard when Micah faw that they were tooftrong for him, he turned and went back unto his houfe.

27 And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people hat were at quiet and fecure: and they fmote them with the edge of the fword, and burnt the city with fire.

28 Árd there was no deliverer, becaufe it was fir from Zidon, and they had no bufinefs with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob. And they bult a city, and dwelt therein.

The Levite and his concubiñés 29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Ifrael: howbeit the name of the city was Laifh at the first.

36 And the children of Dan fet up the graven image: and Jonathan, the fon of Gerthom, the fon of Manaffeh, he and his fons were priefts to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

31 And they fet them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the houfe of God was in Shiloh. CHAP. XIX.

1

A Levite going to Bethlehem to fetch bis wife, 16 an old man entertaineth him at Gibeah. 22 The Gibeatbites abuse bis concubine to death.

AND it came to pafs in those days, when there was no king in Ifrael, that there was a certain Levite fojourning on the fide of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem-judah.

2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's houfe to Beth-lehemjudah, and was there four whole months.

3 And her husband arofe, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of affes: and the brought him into her father's houfe: and when the father of the damfel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

4 And his father in law, the damfel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: fo they did eat and drink, and lodged there.

5 And it came to pafs on the fourth day, when he arofe early in the morn ing, that he rofe up to depart and the damfel's father said unto his fon in law, Comfort thine heart with a morfel of bread, and afterward go your way.

6 And they fat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damfel's father had faid unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.

7 And when the man rofe up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.

8 And he arofe early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damfel's father faid, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

9 And when the man rofe up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his fer vant, his father in law, the damfel's fa ther, faid unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night behold, the day groweth

:

to

« FöregåendeFortsätt »