New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Judges 16
1
One day Samson went to Gaza. There he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 15:47
2
The people of Gaza were told, "Samson is here!" So they surrounded the place. They hid and waited for him at the city gate all night long. They didn't make any move against him during the night. They said, "Let's wait until the sun comes up. Then we'll kill him."
Reference
3
But Samson stayed there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up. He took hold of the doors of the city gate. He also took hold of the two doorposts. He tore them loose, together with their metal bar. He picked them up and put them on his shoulders. Then he carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.
4
Some time later, Samson fell in love again. The woman lived in the Valley of Sorek. Her name was Delilah.
Reference
📍 Valley of Sorek
People
5
The rulers of the Philistines went to her. They said, "See if you can get him to tell you the secret of why he's so strong. Find out how we can overpower him. Then we can tie him up. We can bring him under our control. Each of us will give you 28 pounds of silver."
Reference
6
So Delilah spoke to Samson. She said, "Tell me the secret of why you are so strong. Tell me how you can be tied up and controlled."
7
Samson answered her, "Let someone tie me up with seven new leather straps. They must be straps that aren't completely dry. Then I'll become as weak as any other man."
8
So the Philistine rulers brought seven new leather straps to her. They weren't completely dry. Delilah tied Samson up with them.
9
Men were hiding in the room. She called out to him. She said, "Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!" But he snapped the leather straps easily. They were like pieces of string that had come too close to a flame. So the secret of why he was so strong wasn't discovered.
10
Delilah spoke to Samson again. "You have made me look foolish," she said. "You told me a lie. Come on. Tell me how you can be tied up."
Reference
Parallel theme
Judges 16:13
11
Samson said, "Let someone tie me tightly with new ropes. They must be ropes that have never been used. Then I'll become as weak as any other man."
12
So Delilah got some new ropes. She tied him up with them. Men were hiding in the room. She called out to him. She said, "Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!" But he snapped the ropes off his arms. They fell off just as if they were threads.
13
Delilah spoke to Samson again. "Until now, you have been making me look foolish," she said. "You have been telling me lies. This time really tell me how you can be tied up." He replied, "Weave the seven braids of my hair into the cloth on a loom. Then pin my hair to the loom. If you do, I'll become as weak as any other man." So while Samson was sleeping, Delilah took hold of the seven braids of his hair. She wove them into the cloth on a loom.
14
Then she pinned his hair to the loom. Again she called out to him. She said, "Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!" He woke up from his sleep. He pulled up the pin and the loom, together with the cloth.
15
Then she said to him, "How can you say, 'I love you'? You won't even share your secret with me. This is the third time you have made me look foolish. And you still haven't told me the secret of why you are so strong."
Reference
Love
Judges 14:16
16
She continued to pester him day after day. She nagged him until he was sick and tired of it.
Reference
17
So he told her everything. "I've never used a razor on my head," he said. "I've never cut my hair. That's because I've been a Nazirite since the day I was born. A Nazirite is set apart to God. If you shave my head, I won't be strong anymore. I'll become as weak as any other man."
Reference
18
Delilah realized he had told her everything. So she sent a message to the Philistine rulers. She said, "Come back one more time. He has told me everything." So the rulers returned. They brought the silver with them.
Reference
19
Delilah got Samson to go to sleep on her lap. Then she called for a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair. That's how she began to bring him under her control. And he wasn't strong anymore.
20
She called out, "Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!" He woke up from his sleep. He thought, "I'll go out just as I did before. I'll shake myself free." But he didn't know that the Lord had left him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 7:12
2 Corinthians 3:5
Hosea 7:9
Judges 16:14
References Lord
1 Samuel 16:14
1 Samuel 18:12
2 Chronicles 15:2
Isaiah 42:24
21
Then the Philistines grabbed hold of him. They poked his eyes out. They took him down to Gaza. They put bronze chains around him. Then they made him grind grain in the prison.
Reference
23
The rulers of the Philistines gathered together. They were going to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They were going to celebrate. They said, "Our god has handed our enemy Samson over to us."
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 24:17
24
When the people saw Samson, they praised their god. They said, "Our god has handed our enemy over to us. Our enemy has destroyed our land. He has killed large numbers of our people."
Reference
Resurrection
Daniel 5:4
25
After they had drunk a lot of wine, they shouted, "Bring Samson out. Let him put on a show for us." So they called Samson out of the prison. He put on a show for them. They had him stand near the temple pillars.
Reference
26
Then he spoke to the servant who was holding his hand. He said, "Put me where I can feel the pillars. I'm talking about the ones that hold the temple up. I want to lean against them."
27
The temple was crowded with men and women. All of the Philistine rulers were there. About 3,000 men and women were on the roof. They were watching Samson put on a show.
Reference
28
Then he prayed to the Lord. He said, "Lord and King, show me that you still have concern for me. God, please make me strong just one more time. Let me pay the Philistines back for what they did to my two eyes. Let me do it with only one blow."
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 143:12
Psalm 91:15
Psalm 50:15
References Lord
Jeremiah 15:15
Revelation 6:10
2 Timothy 4:14
29
Then Samson reached toward the two pillars that were in the middle of the temple. They held the temple up. He put his right hand on one of them. He put his left hand on the other. He leaned hard against them.
30
Samson said, "Let me die together with the Philistines!" Then he pushed with all his might. The temple came down on the rulers. It fell on all of the people who were in it. So Samson killed many more Philistines when he died than he did while he lived.
Reference
Chapter Summary
Judges chapter 16 recites the finale and arguably the most renowned story about Samson. It narrates Samson’s exploits in Gaza, introduces Delilah and the means by which Samson’s mighty power was uncovered, Samson’s capture and a great vengeance that he exacted on the Philistines. Despite killing more than he had in his entire life, Samson dies at the hands of the Philistines.
The Bible begins chapter 16 describing how Samson went to Gaza, one of the five mighty cities of the Philistines, and spent the night in a prostitute’s quarters. The inhabitants of Gaza became aware of Samson’s whereabouts and laid in wait till morning to kill him when he exited the city.
Samson, however, left the city at midnight and reached out to the two gates of the city. With the might of his hands, he tore the gates from their hinges and carried them away to the top of the hill of Hebron.
This mighty act of Samson’s serves to depict his tremendous power. Even though the people of Gaza thought they had trapped Samson inside their city, the mighty warrior simply took the gates with him when he left.
Samson then fell in love with a woman from the valley of Sorek who was known as Delilah. The princes of the Philistines came to Delilah and offered her a fortune if she managed to uncover the mystery of Samson’s power.
Delilah began to press Samson on the matter of his tremendous power, but Samson lied to her several times before giving her the correct answer. On the first occasion, Samson told Delilah that if they tied him with seven fresh cords that had not been used, he would be as weak as any other man.
Delilah ties him up while the Philistines’ princes waited for him. Samson, however, simply broke the cords as easily as one breaks a strand of hair.
Delilah accuses Samson of lying to her, but Samson tells her that he would be as weak as any other man if bound with fresh cords that had not been used.
On the second occasion, Delilah used new cords to bind Samson, but again, Samson broke free.
Delilah complained to Samson that he was mocking her, and she continued to pester him on the matter day after day.
On the third occasion, he told her plainly that no razor had touched his head since he had been a Nazarite unto God. He further explains to her that if his hair were to be shorn, he would lose his power and be as weak as any other man.
It should be noted that the text links Samson’s Nazarite status and head of hair to his tremendous power. Samson does not view his hair as inherently magical. Instead, he is referring to his consecration unto God and the accompanying prohibition against cutting his hair.
Having received the correct answer from Samson, Delilah summons the Philistines’ princes and informs them that they should come to her again because Samson is allowing her to see his secret. She gets Samson to fall asleep on her lap while a man shaves off the seven locks of his hair.
Samson’s strength leaves him, and when Delilah proclaims that the Philistines are upon him, Samson is oblivious to the fact that the Lord has left him.
The Philistines then proceed to capture Samson, pluck out his eyes, and lead him away to Gaza where they chain him in brass. The mighty warrior who had once carried away the gates of Gaza is made to grind grain in the prisons of the Philistines.
It is noteworthy that the text mentions that Samson’s hair began to grow again. The text indicates that the Philistines held a great celebration on the day that they captured Samson. The princes of the Philistines had gathered to offer sacrifices to Dagon their god, for they believed that Dagon had delivered Samson unto their hands.
The Philistines brought Samson out of prison to allow the people to look upon him as he ground grain. A vast congregation assembled in the temple where the rulers of the Philistines were feasting. All the people of the Philistines were gathered in the temple with its great hall full of spectators looking on from the upper room.
Samson asked the young man who led him if he could lay his hands on the pillars of the temple to brace himself. Samson prayed to the Lord and said that he would call upon His name one last time and asked Him to grant him strength so he could avenge himself on the Philistines for his two eyes being put out.
Samson then pushed against the two main pillars of the temple and shouted, “Let me die with the Philistines.” The temple then collapsed on Samson and killed all the Philistines inside it. Samson also died from the collapse of the temple.
The last line indicates that Samson killed more people at his death than he had killed throughout his life. Afterward, Samson’s brothers and his father’s household came and took him down to bury him in the country of his fathers. They buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the sepulcher of Manoah his father.
The scripture indicates that Samson judged Israel for twenty years.
Judges chapter 16 narrates Samson’s exploits and the last act of his life. Although Samson is a giant, his arrogance leads him to encounter various problems. His dealings with women always lead to him capturing or killing them and his subsequent capture and imprisonment after his power is discovered and taken away from him.
The Bible depicts Samson as a man who was always involved in conflicts whether with his countrymen or neighbors. He was involved in conflicts with the Philistines, resulting in the deaths of many Philistines and Israelites. The actions of Delilah and the lies Samson told her led to his capture and blindness. It is only then that Samson realizes the power of God and prays to him for help.
The Bible also demonstrates that the power given to Samson was from God, for when it left him, he was no longer the same mighty giant. Samson’s last act of killing more Philistines than he had killed throughout his life showed that his power was indeed from God. While he was blind, he killed all the Philistines present in the temple before committing suicide.
Samson’s life was full of challenges and sorrows; even in death, he committed one last act to avenge himself on the people because his eyes had been put out. The final narration about his death shows that although Samson was a mighty man of power, his devotion to God was never total.
It is only when his hair grows again that he asks God for strength one last time and kills all the Philistines present in the temple. This implies that the devotion of Samson was only realized when his physical powers were taken away from him.
The Bible begins chapter 16 describing how Samson went to Gaza, one of the five mighty cities of the Philistines, and spent the night in a prostitute’s quarters. The inhabitants of Gaza became aware of Samson’s whereabouts and laid in wait till morning to kill him when he exited the city.
Samson, however, left the city at midnight and reached out to the two gates of the city. With the might of his hands, he tore the gates from their hinges and carried them away to the top of the hill of Hebron.
This mighty act of Samson’s serves to depict his tremendous power. Even though the people of Gaza thought they had trapped Samson inside their city, the mighty warrior simply took the gates with him when he left.
Samson then fell in love with a woman from the valley of Sorek who was known as Delilah. The princes of the Philistines came to Delilah and offered her a fortune if she managed to uncover the mystery of Samson’s power.
Delilah began to press Samson on the matter of his tremendous power, but Samson lied to her several times before giving her the correct answer. On the first occasion, Samson told Delilah that if they tied him with seven fresh cords that had not been used, he would be as weak as any other man.
Delilah ties him up while the Philistines’ princes waited for him. Samson, however, simply broke the cords as easily as one breaks a strand of hair.
Delilah accuses Samson of lying to her, but Samson tells her that he would be as weak as any other man if bound with fresh cords that had not been used.
On the second occasion, Delilah used new cords to bind Samson, but again, Samson broke free.
Delilah complained to Samson that he was mocking her, and she continued to pester him on the matter day after day.
On the third occasion, he told her plainly that no razor had touched his head since he had been a Nazarite unto God. He further explains to her that if his hair were to be shorn, he would lose his power and be as weak as any other man.
It should be noted that the text links Samson’s Nazarite status and head of hair to his tremendous power. Samson does not view his hair as inherently magical. Instead, he is referring to his consecration unto God and the accompanying prohibition against cutting his hair.
Having received the correct answer from Samson, Delilah summons the Philistines’ princes and informs them that they should come to her again because Samson is allowing her to see his secret. She gets Samson to fall asleep on her lap while a man shaves off the seven locks of his hair.
Samson’s strength leaves him, and when Delilah proclaims that the Philistines are upon him, Samson is oblivious to the fact that the Lord has left him.
The Philistines then proceed to capture Samson, pluck out his eyes, and lead him away to Gaza where they chain him in brass. The mighty warrior who had once carried away the gates of Gaza is made to grind grain in the prisons of the Philistines.
It is noteworthy that the text mentions that Samson’s hair began to grow again. The text indicates that the Philistines held a great celebration on the day that they captured Samson. The princes of the Philistines had gathered to offer sacrifices to Dagon their god, for they believed that Dagon had delivered Samson unto their hands.
The Philistines brought Samson out of prison to allow the people to look upon him as he ground grain. A vast congregation assembled in the temple where the rulers of the Philistines were feasting. All the people of the Philistines were gathered in the temple with its great hall full of spectators looking on from the upper room.
Samson asked the young man who led him if he could lay his hands on the pillars of the temple to brace himself. Samson prayed to the Lord and said that he would call upon His name one last time and asked Him to grant him strength so he could avenge himself on the Philistines for his two eyes being put out.
Samson then pushed against the two main pillars of the temple and shouted, “Let me die with the Philistines.” The temple then collapsed on Samson and killed all the Philistines inside it. Samson also died from the collapse of the temple.
The last line indicates that Samson killed more people at his death than he had killed throughout his life. Afterward, Samson’s brothers and his father’s household came and took him down to bury him in the country of his fathers. They buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the sepulcher of Manoah his father.
The scripture indicates that Samson judged Israel for twenty years.
Judges chapter 16 narrates Samson’s exploits and the last act of his life. Although Samson is a giant, his arrogance leads him to encounter various problems. His dealings with women always lead to him capturing or killing them and his subsequent capture and imprisonment after his power is discovered and taken away from him.
The Bible depicts Samson as a man who was always involved in conflicts whether with his countrymen or neighbors. He was involved in conflicts with the Philistines, resulting in the deaths of many Philistines and Israelites. The actions of Delilah and the lies Samson told her led to his capture and blindness. It is only then that Samson realizes the power of God and prays to him for help.
The Bible also demonstrates that the power given to Samson was from God, for when it left him, he was no longer the same mighty giant. Samson’s last act of killing more Philistines than he had killed throughout his life showed that his power was indeed from God. While he was blind, he killed all the Philistines present in the temple before committing suicide.
Samson’s life was full of challenges and sorrows; even in death, he committed one last act to avenge himself on the people because his eyes had been put out. The final narration about his death shows that although Samson was a mighty man of power, his devotion to God was never total.
It is only when his hair grows again that he asks God for strength one last time and kills all the Philistines present in the temple. This implies that the devotion of Samson was only realized when his physical powers were taken away from him.